Labor Day Weekend at Ft Desoto

Juvenile Black Skimmer trying to get breakfast

This Labor Day weekend I went out to Ft Desoto over two days, waking up at stupid thirty to beat the crowd. It was a nice sunny morning with storms off the coast,

I also wanted to see what was active on the island. There was the normal crowd of birds, there was the Reddish Egret, Snowy Egrets, Herons and of course the littler birds foraging on the beach

Snowy Egret

Early morning preening in between fishing

I came across a few Roseate Spoonbills just waking up for the day off all by themselves. A couple came up and said “We are looking for the Roseate Spoonbills” there few was blocked by the mangrove tree. I replied “well you found them and pointed to where they were. They finally started to move around feeding and wading through the water. Watching them for about 15 mins, Then a car door slams in the parking lot and they took Flight. Guessing that was there sign the crowd was coming.

Roseate Spoonbills

Trying to get the flock started

My Trouble With Spoonies

Whenever I get around spoonies things go wrong and they fly off for whatever the reason. One occasion in this very same place, I had a great shot of them I was there just a few minutes. This other woman across the way saw them walked out with her cell phone between me and the spoonie’s and spooked them. She could tell I was not happy with her. It seems the story of my life with spoonies. But I am always grateful that I got a chance to see them.

Reddish Egret

“Now where did I put that”

So I set up post on the beach with my camera and tripod and watched the chaotic antics of the Reddish Egret, and hoping the mate would fly in. Or the Oyster catcher wading in the water along with the army of the littlest shore birds foraging for there morning meal.

American Oystercatcher

The next day I came back out and found four Roseate Spoonbills in a slightly different location. Again, just waking up. They were not very active, but still able to get some good shots. I am thinking wow there hanging around. I got shots of them with wings open, short flights and I was so excited about that. I knew I got them because I viewed them form the screen on the back of the camera. But to no avail when I got home and transferred them to the hard drive, they were not there. My heart sank, again my troubles with Spoonies!

But it was not a total loss I got some Black Skimmers skimming the shoreline. The Reddish Egret chasing his meals along with other birds. Over all it was agreat couple of days and one of my favorite locals