UT Southwestern Medical Center Rookery: April 2016

Cloudy skies caused me to cut my trip to Ennis a couple of Saturdays ago a little short. My drive home took me right past the UT Southwestern Medical Center rookery ...

Really, it wasn't even a hard decision.

Great Egrets were still abundant, and looking fine.

This, admittedly, was not a particularly flattering pose.

I always like to see who's using this tall dead tree on the north part of the preserve for a perch.  In the past, it's been Snowy Egrets and White Ibis.  This day, it was a Great Egret.

I know a good stretch always makes me feel better.

Snowy Egrets have arrived since my visit back in March.  They were very industrious about getting their nests built.

This must have been an exceptional stick.  The egret picked up and dropped about a dozen others before deciding this one would work and flying off with it.

Great Egret babies are already hatching, but a little tough to see in their jumbled nests.  This was the best view I got.

The lighting may not have been ideal, but it's always a treat to visit the rookery!