The month of January brings the excitement of celebrating a New Year. It also means that Southwest Florida has already experienced an influx of winter residents and visitors returning to enjoy the local warm weather. However, January reminds me that birding season in Southwest Florida has arrived. As the rains have typically slacked off, the low-lying swamp and marsh areas begin to dry up, offering an endless supply of food for long-legged migrating birds. The winter months are the best time to see a variety of birds of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Great Blue Herons, Little Blue and Tricolored Herons, Great White Egrets, and the ever-popular Roseate Spoonbills provide birders from all around the country an opportunity to experience these water birds in a unique subtropical environment.
The Bird Rookery Swamp is my favorite birding spot and I have written about this local birding hot spot several times. There is never a bad day at the Rookery!! Today was another one of those great days. I witnessed several Red Shouldered Hawks soaring above the trees and trails, a couple of entertaining Tricolored Herons frolicking in the shallow lake by the parking area, and the resident Great White Egret patiently waiting for dinner to swim past his feet.
What was most impressive today was the Great Blue Heron sunning himself on the water’s edge. As he stretched his wings to either side, he extended his neck towards the sky. I had never seen this pose behavior. I was so intrigued that I found it hard not to look away. I did, at one point, focus my attention on a beautiful Tricolored Heron on the other side of the lake. However, when I turned back around, the Great Heron was still in the same pose. He began to vibrate his throat and sway his neck slightly back and forth. He was facing the west and seemed to be taking in all the warmth the afternoon sun had to offer. Eventually, the need to capture a little fishy that jumped 10 feet in front him trumped the desire to stay warm. With the blink of an eye, he lunged into the water and came up with the fish in his mouth. The sun-bathing session was over! It was definitely an interesting and entertaining afternoon!
Again, there’s never a bad day at the Rookery!
