Critters in our Midst - Wading Birds

The more I write about nature, the more people identify me with the subject.  Every week, I get texts and emails with pictures, links to articles and sometimes even a call to get out here NOW… there’s a huge flock of birds at the three way… referring to the intersection of Card Sound Road at Crocodile Lake in North Key Largo.  From Ocean Reef, as you turn north on Card Sound Road, it is the first wetland to the right, and is a productive birding spot.

A huge congregation of wading birds on a cold overcast morning in Crocodile Lake. Photo by Jeanette Rivera.

Such was the case on January 31st, about 8:00 am on a really cold morning with overcast sky when I received a call from Jeanette Rivera, naturalist at Ocean Reef, who was heading to work when she spotted a huge congregation of wading birds.  She snapped a photo with her iPhone and in it were White Ibis, Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, White Pelican, Great White Heron, Reddish Egret and Wood Stork. It was just beautiful.  Rivera said, “I was in shock that there were so many birds in that one spot!  It was really magical… special…I love it!”  As you can tell, Jeanette is very passionate about nature.

Of the birds present on this morning, the Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork, White Pelican, and Great White Heron were a special treat, as they are most typically seen flying overhead, but on this day they were all here!

According to Isabella Collamati, Invasive Species Biologist at Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge, ‘time of day, time of year, temperature, and tide would probably be the biggest factors for why they chose to gather that day. It all lined up so that the water was deep enough to host enough prey to keep all parties interested, but shallow enough to make the hunting easier.”  The birds diet consists of minnows, mullet, and killifish, and they are pickier about size than species.

Observe how the Reddish Egret hunts. They do a “Crazy Dance” using their wings to shade the water for a better view and then give chase until they can strike their prey. Reddish Egrets differ from other egret species, that simply stand and wait for food to come before they strike.

By the time I arrived, some of the birds had already left, but there were still dozens of birds.  I had fun photographing the Reddish Egret and it’s distinctive hunting behavior. As it searched for fish, it would do a “crazy dance” as it jumped and hopped back and forth with outstretch wings raised over its head, peering at the water.  The wings cast a shadow so they can see the prey better.  The Reddish Egret is also one of the rare egrets, with only 2,000 pairs thought to be breeding in the U.S.

A Roseate Spoonbill sat grooming on a red mangrove perch. Not sure it was there because the tide had risen and it’s short legs were no longer able to maneuver in the deepening wetland.  Spoonbills have the broadened bill-ends full of nerve-endings, to feel for animals when mud-grubbing.

Spoonbills have the broadened bill-ends full of nerve-endings, to feel for animals when mud-grubbing.

Show me a little pink, peach and fuscia you pretty Rosie.

Though not a wading bird, I saw a Belted Kingfisher hunting near this shallow wetland.  The Kingfisher can regularly be seen perched on the power lines along Card Sound Road.

Winter and Spring is nesting season for these birds, though I am not sure where these particular birds were from.  Historically wading birds nested in the small Keys and nearby mangrove islands, within Florida Bay, far from human disturbances.  The Everglades supports 70-90% of all wading bird nests annually. Wading birds initiated approx 89,514 nests in the Everglades in 2021.  The wading bird nesting in 2021 was the highest recorded in 80 years.

The Kingfisher often perches along Card Sound Road. Their “mohawk” style feathers on their head give the kingfisher an air of confidence.

Nesting success is highly dependent on the availability of fish and waters shallow enough to concentrate the fish, and water just the right level for the birds to wade in. Wading birds are abandoning their traditional nesting grounds in Florida Bay, and are moving north, partly due to increased salinity and the resulting reduction of species of fish that thrive in brackish water. Salinity of the Florida Bay is a problem, and the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) is intended to divert more fresh water through Taylor Slough to Florida Bay to improve the bay's health by reducing salinity. On the mainland Everglades, Madeira Hammock and Paurotis Pond, are locations with a reliable amount of birds and also a short field-trip from the Keys.

It is very special living near designated wildlife refuges and national parks, but birds cannot read, and can easily settle in parks and gardens with suitable conditions.

Or even can be seen flying overhead… This story was told to me by an avid tennis player Pat Holbrook, about a situation that occurred in mid-serve, requiring a “do-over”.  As Pat tossed the ball preparing to serve up a winner, she called “let”… there is a Roseate Spoonbill flying over the tennis court.  It is rare to see a Roseate Spoonbill, but never had she seen one flying overhead.  An unexpected pause, a brief delay of game… and all the players agreed, nature had served up a winner.