I wrote in late April about the Great Egret rookery and the incredible beauty of these elegant birds building nests in the tops of oak trees. Now there is some good news to report from the rookery: babies!! Yes, visits to the rookery during the past two weeks have produced sights of many fuzzy-headed, big-beaked egret chicks sticking their heads up above the stick nests. What a sight!!!
Several Great Egret nests contained two or three chicks. The earliest to hatch are now getting quite tall. Unfortunately, a few of the young have fallen out of the nest and wandered around under the trees. I spoke yesterday with Rondi Large at WildCare, an incredible wildlife rehabilitation facility in Noble. She says the adults will often continue to care for the young when they’ve fallen (or been shoved) from the nest. I’m relieved because it was difficult to see the young ones out of the nest and it’s hard to know when to intercede in the process. My late husband was a strong believer in the course of nature, painful and unpleasant though it can be. I know there is much wisdom in that philosophy but isn’t there a time when getting involved is the right thing? I simply don’t know. These experiences with the natural world are a part of what makes birding so rewarding. What are your thoughts?
Hello Pat
I’m envious again that you can see such sights. All my local birds tend to nest where they can’t be seen.
I would agree about the course of nature, a couple of days ago there was a small circle of feathers on the grass outside, the remains of the Sparrow Hawks breakfast. Sad but that’s the way things are meant to be.
Les