Pelican ,
Numbers of white egrets are residents in our Florida neighborhood. At least they show up most every day about noon and stay til mid-afternoon. Haven't seen them arrive before 1:00 in the afternoon yet. Do they sleep late or just have appointed rounds that must be made and this is our time for visiting?
Such a graceful bird when they walk. Never in a hurry, deliberate in their movements and can stand still with out batting an eye for minutes at a time. They appear to prefer the uppermost branch, or a mere twig in trees, and can balance easily with no apparent effort.
A most interesting bird and I guess they find us "humans" interesting as well.
In particular, I have noted that they are fascinated by windows. One of the houses across the street has a number of windows placed to give "Northern lighting" to the elevated part of the rooms. This provides a relatively flat roof up to the windows and the egrets like to stand on the roof and peer into the room. In addition, another house across the street has a large picture window in front. Again, the birds will stand in front of the window and gaze inside. Here's a question for you. Do you think that they view the window glass as a water surface through which they can peer and see motion (inside in the case of the houses)? Since they like to catch small critters I wonder if they are looking for something swimming under (through) the glass?
One Sunday I was working in the garage and notice one in the street in front of the house. He (or she) had found a small snake and was in the process of trying to eat it. Of course the snake wasn't cooperating and wrapped itself around the neck of the egret, who promptly put it down on the ground and picked it up again. This time the snake wrapped around the beak. Again the egret put the snake down, but before it could pick it up again, another egret grabbed it and flew away.
Don't know what happened to the snake but I was reminded of the seal for Mexico. It shows an eagle holding a snake and according to legend, the capital is built over a lake where this was observed (at least that's what we were taught way back in high school in 1952 or so).
Florida is home to many interesting critters. Some so common-place that you forget they are here, until you discover one in your yard or at your door. Best to watch where you step. Crevecoeur in his book, Letters, described America as it was being settled. However, much of what he saw is still here, in the drainage basins/creeks, sewers, gutters, abandoned yards, factory sites and fields. Nature tours are not necessary, nature comes to you, if you are patient and observant.
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