Last Spring I introduced you to Mr. and Mrs. Roseate Spoonbill – Samuel and Rose, and to Mr. and Mrs. Great Egret – Eugene and Louise.
Well, guess what, they are back to entertain you in my “Just the Right Stick” photo play, which comes to you from The Rookery at Smith Oaks, High Island, Texas.
Here is Eugene, hunting for a stick, or so we think, to bring to his mate Jeez Louise. If you remember, Eugene calls her Jeez Louise, because she is never satisfied. Notice his complete focus throughout his endeavor.
Eugene tells Rose and Samuel, “I need to get to that stick over there.”Eugene tells Samuel, “Let me just reach over you for a better look.”Rose, tells Samuel, “Are you just going to let Eugene interrupt your nap and gosh he almost speared me with that long, ugly, pointed bill of his.”Rose tells Samuel, “Do something, Eugene is starting to scare me. Are you sure he is going after the stick and not Sam, Jr?”“Samuel my sweetheart, that is a wonderful idea, push Eugene with your wing or just kick him!”“That worked Samuel, you are my hero. But wait, Eugene is now closer to Sam, Jr.” Samuel tells Rose, “I’ll just keep my wing spread out in case he decides to come back over here and Sam, Jr. will just have to fend for himself.”Eugene says, “Sorry for my intrusion, but Louise wanted this stick. Oh, hi Sam I didn’t see you down there.”
Until next time…..
“I better get this stick before Louise sends Eugene after it.”
Hello, my name is Eugene. That is me in the photo above. In case you don’t recognize me I am a Great Egret. I am currently staying at the Smith Oaks Rookery in High Island, Texas.
Handsome, aren’t I
My mate, Louise, is in the photo below. Some people believe her name is Jeez Louise, because that is what I yell at her all the time.
Louise? You’re not Louise!
Louise, is always complaining about how I do things and when she starts nagging, I yell Jeez Louise, give me a break!
Louise, there you are, Jeez!
You see, Louise, complains about the sticks I find and bring her to build our nest; she complains about how I take off; how I land on the nest; what foods I bring her and the list goes on and on.
“I found one”I’am working hard LouiseHere Honey, I brought you another stickA beautiful landing if I say so myself“I’ll be back, going to find another stick”Whoa, lookout below!“I’am coming in backwards”
I am hoping it won’t be long, the chicks will be born and out of the nest and Louise will once again be a happy bird.
Aren’t we a lovely coupleThanks Eugene, for everything
While you are here, I would like you to meet some of my friends here at The Rookery.
This is Captain, a Neotropical Cormorant. We should call him Shorty, because he has a very short tail, but that would be rude.
Meet The CaptainDon’t say anything about his short tail
Meet Showoff, a very handsome Snowy Egret who is always showing off his Yellow Slippers! The female Snowies are always after him. I’am jealous.
Meet ShowoffA Common Moorhen; get a load of the red shield!
Our next door neighbors, here at the Rookery, are Samuel and Rose! They are called Roseate Spoonbills. Can you guess why? They are a lovely couple and they never yell at each other.
Meet Samuel and Rose
More, gossip, on them later.
“Some days, I just can’t get a grip on things”
Sheila here: Aren’t my friends lovely?
It was a thrill to visit the Smith Oaks Rookery in High Island, Texas. To see the number of nesting birds was incredible; I will never forget this day.
For information of this area please visit this web-site:
Wolf Song Blog 