Rookery on High Island TX

Before I left the Bolivar Peninsula I took a trip to the Rookery at High Island. This Rookery is located on a small island in a lake at one of bird sanctuaries in High Island. It's a perfect place for the birds to nest away from their natural predators. Because Hurricane Ike destroyed so many of the trees that the birds use for nesting the caretakers of the sanctuary have supplemented the remaining trees with wooden structures and platforms for the birds to build their nests on. I had such a good time watching the egrets with their young and how the young would interact with the parents and each other. They would really do bodily damage to one another while competing for the food their parent would provide. It was hard to watch at times.
The Spoonbills were late arriving this year so they are just now building nests and laying eggs. I only found one Tricolored Heron nest with an egg - one big blue egg. There is no way these photos can convey the experience of the sights and sounds of a large egret/heron rookery. If you ever get a chance to visit a rookery I suggest you give yourself a lot of time to just sit a take it all in.

Momma Great Egret with chicks

The Spoonbill is thinking "do I really want to hatch these eggs'? I hope my children are better behaved.

It's a nesting condo

Tricolored Heron with big blue egg

Snowy egrets. The male is still bringing nesting material.

Roseate Spoonbill building a nest

Great Egret with pretty blue eggs



It's not easy sitting on a bed of sticks all day

Cattle Egret in Breeding Plumage

Roseate Spoonbill in Breeding Plumage