Egret Rookery

In my previous post, I described an Egret Roost in Coos County.   Dave Irons of 'Bird Fellow' corrected me, (Dave is someone whose constructive criticisms I appreciate immensely!) that this is a Rookery, not a roost.  Since the initial post, I have continued to monitor the rookery nearly every week.  Further, I was contacted by Karen Hussey of the Klamath Bird Conservancy, requesting the location of the previously unknown rookery.  After a couple of emails, Karen informed me that members of the conservancy had performed an official count, finding 115 Great Egret nests and 50 Cormorant nests!!  At this location, I have been privileged to experience the sights, sounds and acts of nature that were beyond my wildest dreams.  I am truly humbled and grateful for what I have  experienced there. 

I have watched as the Egrets built nests only to have them stolen by Double Crested squatters, then without a second thought, they start a new nest.  Seemingly not to care, "oh well, just get busy building another one".... 

I have watched the not so elegant, not so graceful act of procreation, 70 feet up in a tree, with wind howling, swaying the trees with Cormorants barking in the background. Two spindly legged, four foot tall birds, one trying to balance atop the other in an attempt to carry on the chain of life. 

Then last night, I finished work about 6:45pm and decided to go visit the Egrets.  I was nearly brought to tears when I saw the fruits of their labor.  Two, sopping wet, ugly as all get out, squawking chicks begging Momma for a meal.  Their heads so heavy they could barely hold them up, their necks not yet strong enough to support the weight.

Here are the images of the pair mating, then of the result. I hope you enjoy the captured moments, as much as I enjoyed experiencing them.