I had a wondrous experience watching egret chicks.  Watching their antics in the nest.  Watching both parents care for them.

The egret chicks weren’t that hard to find.  Friends just took me to places with alligators.  Lots of alligators!  Like this big one!

We explored warm Florida freshwater swamps, ponds, and slow-moving channels.  Some places we could find the birds from the safety of a boat.  Other places we used viewing platforms or boardwalks.

I wasn’t going to swim in any of these places.  I wasn’t going to wade in any of them.  I don’t think I’d even walk the shorelines.  There are alligators everywhere – like this one.

Sometimes you’ll see baby alligators.  If you see baby alligators like these, you should know momma is probably nearby.

Mother alligators will defend their nest and watch over their hatchlings for about a year.  They may escort the youngsters to the water, then back to the nest.  I don’t know the age of these little ones – I wasn’t going to ask.  Just as well – this alligator wasn’t far away!

But many birds and ducks live and fish in these waters.  They’re not afraid – they can fly!  I’m told that ‘gators think slowly.  Birds and ducks seem to know if an alligator is eyeing them.  The alligators also know that the birds and ducks can fly and so are very difficult to catch.  So the birds and ducks swim and wade without much worry.  As examples, this adult blue heron feeds in peace –

This cormorant lives in these swamps,

as does the white ibis below.

This moorhen (or marsh hen) is another frequent of an alligator infested swamp

Adult ducks, such as this cute bufflehead, are also seen swimming in these swamps.

 

They all wade and fish among alligators seemingly without fear.  These birds and ducks are associated with wetlands and water, and feed on a variety of live aquatic prey. Their diet includes a wide variety of aquatic animals, including fish, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans, molluscs, and aquatic insects.  Some also feed on the rich vegetation of the wetlands.  Adults are generally safe.

But – here is the point of this post – young hatchlings are not.  Most hatchlings don’t develop sufficient feathers and wing muscles to fledge, to fly, for six to eight weeks.  If they can’t fly they are easy prey for the alligators.  Ducks and birds choose the safest places for their chicks to build their nests.  So ducks don’t nest near alligators.  Ducklings swim within hours of hatching, but they don’t fledge for seven or eight weeks;  ducklings are easy prey for a host of predators including alligators.

Large freshwater wading birds, egrets, herons, cormorants, anhinga, wood storks, ibis all build their nests in alligator infested wetlands.  These birds fear raccoons, possums, snakes and other predators who invade nests and eat the birds’ eggs.  So where there are alligators, there are bird nests.  Of course, they build their nests in stout trees or brush least 5 feet above the water.  Alligator are known to “jump” about 5 feet above the waters.  Alligators can also whack their tails against the brush to shake the nests.  But up in well-built nests, egrets, heron, moorhens and other long-legged wading birds of the Florida swamps are safe from the alligators.

Their chicks are safe too.  They remain in their nests as fledglings, fed and cared for by their parents in their nest until the chicks fledge and can fly.  So this is a sample of what I found in the alligator infested wetlands of Florida.  Cormorants nesting high in the trees.

A heron nest with blue eggs.

And a heron with its chick.

Of course, there will be more pictures in my next post!