A Rumble in the Rookery

A few days ago, while visiting a mini rookery that hubby had come across in the Flagler Beach area, near the Intracoastal Waterway, things started out innocently enough…

"Because we always eat in order of hatching, Harold, and I pierced the shell first….now Back Off!"

Hun-gree! Hun-gree! Hun-gree! Hun-gree! Hun-gree! Hun-gree!

"What fat juicy bug Maude? Heeeeeeyyyyy!"

"Okay, nex..." Sweet mother of God. Seriously?!

"Aack!! Holy craaa….."

"Right. I'm outie."

"Ma? Hello? Maude what's an obnoxious, ungrateful brat?"

Nearby, child-free Mildred sat quietly, alone on a branchless palm tree, relishing the solitude.

Another grateful rookery resident, this lone immature tri-colored heron. Managed to not get any sharp shots of it. Sigh.

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Meanwhile, back at the child-free cottage...

My only shot of an extremely shy female ruby-throated hummingbird. I've seen her 2-3 times but haven't seen her actually feed.

Big excitement ~ the female downy woodpecker! Have seen her a few times in the past week or so, for the first time. For the past two years, I'd always seen only the male before now.