Even though the ponds in the Fish Bay wetlands are mostly
dried up now due to lack of rain, there are a couple of places where there is
still some water, and those are attracting a variety of birds.
The celebrity Scarlet Ibis is a new winter resident, maybe a
stray from the group at Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, or maybe a
wanderer from farther away. It arrived in the Fish Bay area in December and was
still around in early April. There has also been another one near Annaberg.
The one in the Fish Bay wetlands wanders around sticking its
long bill into the mud and pulling out fiddler crabs, insects and other treats.
Sometimes it then walks out into the water and rinses off its bill -
interesting behavior to observe. At other times it walks through the water,
seeming to snap up bugs and maybe small fish.
The largest white birds are Great Egrets, and they are
year-round residents. They can be seen walking the roads hunting for lizards, and
they are also going after the fish now trapped in the remaining pond water.
Meanwhile they are showing off their long, wispy breeding plumage, along with
green coloring around their eyes, in preparation for finding a mate.
You can also sometimes see another permanent resident, the smaller
Snowy Egret, which has a dark bill and striking yellow feet.
The Little Blue Herons are less visible but they are also
resident birds, hunting for fish in the ponds and bays. Interestingly, the
juvenile ones are white until they are about one year old. After that they
begin to add blue feathers, a few at a time. They are smaller than the Great
Egrets, their legs are light green rather than black, and their bills are a
two-toned gray and black rather than a yellow.
