A Wood Stork Perched on Top of a Tree is an Incredible Sight
Last week was a hectic week and Friday was a very busy day at work since it was the day before a long holiday weekend. By the end of the day, I needed some time to wind down before going home. I decided to head out to the cattle egret rookery and see how things were progressing. Most of the egrets were still in the nest building stage, although several did seem to be sitting on eggs. Although I always find the rookery fascinating, even more interesting was a large wood stork (Mycteria americana) that was perched on top of one of the tall pines that surround the boggy area where the rookery is. It stood out very starkly against the sky, and it was busy preening its feathers. I took several photos of it initially when I arrived and took a few more as the evening light changed. I was hoping to get a few shots with a sunset in the background, but as the sun sank lower and the sky began to get more color the stork decided it was time to fly off to roost. I had assumed that it was going to roost in the top of the tree, so I was surprised as it started flapping its wings and stretching before it took off. As soon as it took flight, it dipped below the tree level and was out of sight, but I was able to capture the above shot just before it took off. When I looked at my watch, I realized that I had been out there for almost two hours. I felt tired, but also rejuvenated, thanks to some great time outside and a very cool bird.
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