Quiet Mead, Surprise at Kraft Azalea

Still quiet at Mead Garden. THe best I could do was to get some shots of a male Downy Woodpecker before this woman walked right into my space while I was shooting and began shooting pictures of plants. Right between me and the Downy, which promptly left. Thanks!



So, I head over to Kraft Azalea Park since I haven't been there in a long time. Maybe warblers would be hanging out near the lake. Nope. Once I got to the lake's edge, however, I started hearing a sound I have never heard before. I had to search pretty hard before discovering it was a baby Anhinga!

There were many of them, in fact. They must breed here after the Cormorants and Great Egrets get out of the way. The trees are full of those two species in April.



Farther along the shore, an adult Anhinga takes a breather from the demanding chicks and rearranges his feathers.



Heading back to the van I spotted even more Anhinga chicks high up in the branches.



More interesting was what sounded like a Great Egret chick calling. I eventually spotted it near an adult. Seems to be a late bloomer or from a second clutch. It also appears to be stuck in the limbs. Nothing I can do about that.



Nature rolls on but I am still craving more migrants that my brain knows won't really be here for two more weeks.