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To prey or to pray…. That is the question. English is a very confusing language. Both words sound the same, yet present very different meanings, all depending on the context in which they are used. There is preying and praying in a photograph of a Great egret fishing beside a makeshift cross. An egret preys on sea critters, where locals pray on Sunday morning.  A Great egret preys on sea critters, while locals come here to pray. Around the turn of the 21st Century... about 23 years ago... a restaurant and watering hole existed in Rock Harbor, called the Mandalay. A casual spot with cold beer, peel and eat shrimp and views of the ocean and boat moorings. A cross erected at the point was the focal point for Sunday morning open air church services. Around the turn of the 21st Century… about 23 years ago… a restaurant and watering hole existed in Rock Harbor, called the Mandalay. A casual spot with cold beer, peel and eat shrimp and views of the ocean and boat moorings. A cross erected at the point becomes the focus of worshippers who sit at those same tables and chairs during Sunday morning open air church services. The Great Egret (Ardea alba egretta) is a three foot tall, long-legged wading bird that is often confused with a similar looking white bird the 'Great White Heron' (the white form of Great Blue Heron.) Though both birds are herons, a simple way of differentiating between the two big white birds is the Great egret has black legs, and the Great white heron’s legs are yellow. The male Great egret also sports delicate ornamental feathers down it’s back when in mating plumage. Those beautiful feathers not only attract female mates, but nearly led to a human-driven extinction of the species. Around the turn of the 20th Century, a ton and a half of Great egret plumes, known as “aigrettes” were sold in London to decorate women’s hats. In terms of birds slaughtered, 200,000 adult birds, multiplied by 2-3 times, counting the eggs abandoned in the nest, became prey to the millinery industry.  The Great Egret by John James Audubon is shown in the marshes, preying on crayfish. In 1902 John James Audubon worried that “the long plumes of this bird being in request for ornamental purposes, they are shot in great numbers while sitting on their eggs, or soon after the appearance of the young.” It is hard to imagine a time when birds were so plentiful, they could be sacrificed for vanity and decoration, rather than be admired for their beauty and role in the natural world. The modern day National Audubon Society’s logo is of a Great egret in flight, representing the organization’s role in enacting conservation laws to protect the species and ensure it’s return.  The Great egret can be found in fresh or salt water habitat. Here a flock of egrets and other long-legged wading birds, hunt for fish, frogs and other small fare. Great egrets are equally at home in fresh or salt water environments. They have also been successful at adapting to life in an increasingly developed world. Egrets can often be seen foraging in roadside ditches, or along suburban roads. They typically stand motionless, and with keen eyesight that can look straight ahead as well as downward, patiently wait until unsuspecting prey comes their way. Then with lightning fast reflexes, the long necked egret strikes with a jab of their sharp bill. To quote Winnie the Pooh … “Which is more important, the voyage or the destination?” Piglet replied “The company.” For me the voyage and the company are of equal importance, especially in the Florida Keys when wildlife appears.  I had to do a double take, was this standing bird a new variety of plastic yard art in the genre of the pink flamingo? Then it moved, revealing a real live egret preying on lizards in the hedge. Sometimes the voyage is the destination, such as the day I photographed an egret hunting beside the road. I stopped and silently observed; luckily I was in a golf cart and not worried about traffic. I watched the scene unfold through the lens, because that is what photographers do. And bam! The once motionless egret produced a nice lizard snack from within the foot high greenery. If I hadn’t stopped, I wouldn’t have known. The voyage and the company of the egret became the experience. It also became the experience for the man in cart stopped behind me. I apologized… he waved that off, “You’re working” he responded. Nice man. So how about the people that don’t venture out in nature, or never pay attention to wildlife? That is part of why I write, to pique the interest of the unknowing or unaware. You cannot fault someone for doing the wrong thing if they do not have the facts or the understanding.  Suddenly the egret darts into the foliage and emerges with his lizard prize.  The Great egret walks with its neck extended and wings held close.  According to the prevailing view in 1900, a man could kill a bird for its feathers in order to put food on the table. The context of his preying was to feed his family, and there were plenty of birds.
How does that relate to the year 2026? There is an unrelenting population influx to Florida. It is the wild west in many respects, where every man has a right to do what he wants with his property. But will those decisions be morally right? The people of the State of Florida should enact a state-wide comprehensive plan encompassing development, roads, housing, and quality of life, before adding more people to the mix. A healthy environment means better quality of life, and happier people. Prior environmental commitments such as “Florida Forever” should be funded, and projects completed. Is that too much to ask? Maybe it is time to pray for something greater.
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A wide spectrum of wildlife, both local and migratory, depend on the rich, natural environment of the Florida Keys, but for most of us, their presence goes largely ignored. Small discoveries, usually while in the presence of “naturalist” friends, led to my interest in writing about nature and often I get alerts regarding wildlife from neighbors. Late February I got an email from a former photography student Mary Lou Krause: "Carol... there is a Great White Heron nesting on the island near our condo. At this time she has her babies. Might be a nice picture.”  Pumpkin Cay Island is ideal habitat for birds. A male returns in the late afternoon with food for his mate and three babies. The island Mary Lou was referring to is a native outcrop of mangroves next to protected mangrove forest. It lies a hundred yards offshore of Pumpkin Cay condominium complex. Though it has no official name. the neighbors call it “Pumpkin Cay Island” because of where it is located. Her condo is a great perch for viewing marine life such as bottlenose dolphin, sting-rays, turtles, brown pelican and this pair of Great White Herons and three babies in their nest.  Two babies climb higher in the nest and become more visible. A third baby hides low in the nest. Pumpkin Cay Island checks all the appropriate boxes for ideal nesting bird habitat; it has sturdy branches to build a nest made of sticks, and is surrounded by water, with a seagrass bottom full of fish and crustaceans. Nesting birds feel safe there because of the distance created by the channel between the mangrove island and the sea-walled shoreline. There is some human traffic… small boats tied to cleats, a few fishing stations. the occasional dog walker… but this doesn't seem to bother the herons. The tidal flow from the ocean through Pumpkin Creek provides clear clean water essential for wading birds, who very slowly forage in the shallow water, waiting for a fish to spear with their sharp bills. Herons will hunt during day or night, the most important factor is the varying tidal depth of the water.  A male heron and three babies in the nest at early morning. Both parents take turns feeding the babies. Mindful not to get too close, for fear of disturbing the birds, I set up my camera with long lens a hundred feet behind the seawall. There was one very large adult heron visible in the nest. It was late afternoon and the soft light lit up it’s feathers in contrast to the green mangroves. I didn’t see the babies right away, but soon noticed yellow beaks and black eyes popping up from beneath the adult’s long light yellow legs. First I saw one rather bold baby, climbing up to the rim of the stick nest, it’s fluff feathers lit by the sun, then a second came into view, and the finally a third, clearly the most elusive, occupied the lowest portion of nest.  This heron was printed life-size, and featured in a “Name the Bird” contest. It received the name “Pumpkin” since it lives at Pumpkin Creek For the next few days I visited the herons during morning and late afternoon, and was fortunate to get photographs of both adults, in their natural environment, going about their everyday duties. This Great Blue Heron (white morph) nest on Pumpkin Cay Island is in the northernmost range for these birds, exclusively found in the Florida Keys and the Everglades. One morning I could see momma heron patiently waiting on the nest for her partner to return with food, and get a break from tending the nest. Moments before he arrived, she rose up in the nest, stretching her long neck. Soon her mate swooped in and they stood close with necks and chest touching. After a little “mutual appreciation” time, the female flew over to the seawall. As she perched on the seawall, she turned her head in the direction of the camera, with one leg raised, outstretched claws, and looked straight at me, as if to say “Can’t I get a moment of peace?”  The female (at left) enthusiastically greets the male returning to the nest. I loved this photo so much that I printed it life-size, and placed it where I would frequently walk by it, make eye-contact and say “Hi!” This is the largest heron in North America, 39”- 52" tall with a wingspan of 5’10”. The heron made me smile, and it needed more of a name than “big bird.” What better way to get a name than display the heron at an event full of children and adults? I held a contest at the Eco Fair at Ocean Reef, where I was doing a book signing for “Critters in our Midst”.   The female heron leaving the nest. Heron wingspan can reach 5’10” From more than 50 entries, the winner was Katherine Yalamanchilli, age 10. The name suggested was “Pumpkin”, and the three babies: Casey, Lola and Trey. The entry name stood out because it referred to where the heron lives - Pumpkin Cay. Katherine has a room at home decorated with stuffed animals, and she is excited to read “Critters in our Midst”. Despite the vast changes made by man to modify and occupy the coastline, most species can live nicely in proximity to humans as long as their most basic ecological needs are met: food, shelter and nesting sites. Habitat loss accompanying human development poses a great threat to wildlife, and water quality degradation is harmful particularly for wading birds.  Katherine Yalamanchilli, age 10, named the heron “Pumpkin” and the babies Casey, Lola and Trey. Her prize… a signed copy of “Critters in our Midst.” Lately there has been a lot of talk about getting healthy again. There is plenty of room for common ground with this discussion… after all who doesn’t want to be healthy? Getting started is half of the problem. Often we place too much emphasis on how disciplined we must be, and set unrealistic goals which become more of a chore than a healthy habit.  A Common Yellowthroat visits a water source late in the afternoon.  American Redstart with an eye on a small green worm in a Wild Tamarind (Lyceloma) tree. Birdwatching has surprising health benefits, and is good for the body and soul. First it is widely accepted that getting out in the fresh air and sunshine is good for your mind, and your body benefits from absorption of Vitamin D. Birdwatchers walk a lot, but not at a fast pace, since there are breaks when you stop and listen and look for birds. The excitement of the search for birds inspires you to walk farther than you normally would. A fitness expert told me that for every 45 minutes of walking, you earn an additional day of life… longevity earned one step at a time!  Female American Redstart in a Seagrape Tree - Blue Hole, Big Pine Key. Photo by: Isabella Collamati My first bird watching experience came two-and-a-half years ago in May during Spring migration. I was helping survey for butterflies, when someone spotted a Cape May Warbler. I took a photo which I later used to confirm the identity, and learn the bird.  American Redstart blends in with the mulch. Spring and Fall are the major times for bird migration. Songbirds fly South in autumn by the millions, including many young birds, some less than three months old. Their sheer numbers are staggering, and it is a great time to get to know a vast number of birds, in both mature and immature development. The Spring migration however is more popular, as the birds have had time to develop adult plumage and work on their repertoire of songs.  A Black and White Warbler probes for insects in the roots of a fig tree. For centuries man wondered about the seasonal movements of birds. Migrating birds move at night guided by the stars, orienting themselves by landmarks and sensing the earth’s magnetic field. Basic information such as how many birds, how high they flew, and where they were going remained a mystery. The earliest researchers extrapolated numbers by viewing the sky and counting how many bird silhouettes were defined when they passed in front of the full moon.  Male Prairie Warbler. Blue Hole, Big Pine Key. Photo by: Isabella Collamati In the last 80 years, thanks to the end of World War II and the donation by the Navy of 25 radars to the National Weather Service, scientists have used weather radar to track migration. Using radar they can now “see” millions of birds cross over the Gulf of Mexico on a non-stop flight of 600 miles. For migratory birds, their life is short and full of perils. Many songbirds live less than two years and 85% of them die during migration. Our role as caretakers of this fragile planet is more important than ever before, to ensure the survival of migratory birds. They need a reliable source of food and water, and lots of it. Though migratory birds may come to bird feeders, their preferred food is found growing on native trees and plants. It is not just the fruit and seeds, but also the insects that are found amongst the leaves and branches. As I write this journal, I am sitting under the large ficus tree… just outside my door… my special place for “wildlife” inspiration.  Cape May Warbler series for insects in a Wild Tamarind tree.  Cape May Warbler series for insects in a Wild Tamarind tree. As a beginner birdwatcher, all you need to be successful is a quiet place and one bird. Add to that a pair of binoculars and a field guide, or an app on your phone like Merlin Bird ID (https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/) and you are well on your way. The best place to start birding is close to home. It may only be for 10 minutes at a time in your backyard or local park or nature area, but you will get to know a few birds that you see frequently. Once you are comfortable with that you can join a birdwatching group which would have knowledgeable participants familiar with good birding spots. The Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a great time to start birdwatching. Often times newcomers think they are not knowledgeable enough to participate in the CBC; this is simply not true. What is great about the CBC is that the organizers create teams of individuals having a variety of experience and skill level. There are always participants willing to teach newcomers.  It’s important to provide fresh water for migrating birds. Photo series of a Palm Warbler enjoying the benefits.  It’s important to provide fresh water for migrating birds. Photo series of a Palm Warbler enjoying the benefits.  It’s important to provide fresh water for migrating birds. Photo series of a Palm Warbler enjoying the benefits. The 125th Annual Audubon CBC in the Upper Keys will commence at Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge visitor's center located at 10750 County Road 905, Key Largo, FL. Participants will meet on December 21, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. to join up in groups divided for counting in each particular sector of the count circle.
If you are interested in joining you need to sign up ahead of the event. Contact: Suzy Roebling Email: mullet_mansion@yahoo.com |
CAROL ELLIS
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August 2026
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