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Dawn Chorus - Roseate Spoonbills at Wildcat Brake. [1]

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Date: 2023-10-01  

I am tired of mumbling that I am a birder. I don’t consider myself one but I aspire to be. I think I am more of a “bird-ginner”. I am fairly new to the discipline but entrenched to bettering my skills. With that stated, here are the results of my recent adventure.

I saw my first Flamingos and Roseate Spoonbills in Orlando, Fla. 1979. I saw my next ones in 1990 at Vero Beach, Fla. I loved the rich pinks of both birds and hoped to see more in my life. It wasn’t until this year that I have seen and photographed both. It has been a long wait but well worth it.

I’ll offer his aerial view of Wildcat Brake. You may get an idea of the seclusion of the area.

Here is the setting of my dawn (Wildcat Brake at Enid Lake, Yalobusha County, MS.) session. I have the camera pointed north in this photo.

Enid Lake level is low (scheduled drainage by the Corp of Engineers). A portion of the Cypress grove (east end) where water fowl gather during the winter.

I sat beside the closest Cypress tree to the water’s edge that had firm ground (for my stool and tripod) and scanned the bayou. I could hear noises behind me escaping the darker woods. Here is a 12 second video of those tentative calls.

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I watched hawks and woodpeckers move into and out of the area, each bird with it’s own purpose. There was no way to get any film. My pleasure was in sharing the space they allowed me.

As the sky grew lighter, I saw the formation of a flock, similar to the loose and changing “V” patterns that Cormorants use. Here is a 6 second video of the formation as it flies by.

The group looped to the left and several individuals landed in the nearby snags. Here are the photos I was able to get.

preparing to launch.

A little grooming

I liked that the birds were comfortable enough to act naturally while I was nearby. This 14 second video shows typical behavior of any birds wanting the same perch location.

On my way back to the truck, I discovered the reality these birds encounter. Though I did not see signs of a struggle (only Coyote tracks nearby) I found the remains of a Spoonbill. I believe the coyote cleaned up the area and left.

Skull and neck of a Spoonbill

Wing tip showing the black leading edge of the primary feathers.

The bird may have been sick, old, shot by a hunter (it’s goose season here) or attacked by some animal (eagle, fox, etc). I clipped the wing tip and brought it home. I can honor it’s life with this diary.

Sorry to close on a sad note but knowing there will renewed life from the flock gives me hope. Please share the surprises (or everyday life) that you find.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/1/2193860/-Dawn-Chorus-Roseate-Spoonbills-at-Wildcat-Brake

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