My all time favorite blog entry was about a flock of egrets that lived in a dead tree in my parents’ condo complex. They’re nesting quietly in the picture on the left from January 2004. If you get a chance, read what I wrote. These were special birds.
Of course that was written long before Fall 2004 – a season of two hurricanes here in Palm Beach County.
This afternoon, and again tonight, I returned to their tree to see how the birds fared. Not well is the simple answer.
What was hundreds of birds is now dozens. The lower photo shows the flock this evening. By my visual reckoning 10 to 20% of the birds are left.
I assume, with time, the flock will grow. The space available had probably limited their numbers in the past. Their rookery is in a place with few predators. It will still take years.
If today was my first day visiting the condo complex, I’d look at the tree and never give it a second thought. Now, it’s sad.