UT Southwestern Medical Center Rookery: May 2016

I left Pemberton Big Spring at 9:00 this past Saturday morning, satisfied that I'd gotten solid shots there. But I wasn't done taking pictures just yet. It only took 15 minutes to get to the UT Southwestern Medical Center rookery, which just happened to be directly on my way home. :)

Great Egrets of all ages abounded.  These two looked like a couple of adolescents to me.  At least, the plumage on top of their heads reminds me of my teenage son's hair.

Are you my mother?

I'd seen one White Ibis here on a previous visit.  Today there were half a dozen on the north side of the preserve.

I was happy to get a clear view of the eyes of the adult and both chicks here.

Snowy Egret on the nest.  They were less active in general than my April visit, presumably because their nests are mostly built and they're working on incubating their eggs.

Cattle Egrets were new since my last trip.  Generally back in the trees a bit and hard to get in clear view.

I love the strong line the branch makes in this shot, but feel like there's a little too much empty space at the top.  I can't cut any of it out without either changing the proportion of the shot or cutting out some of the egret's tail.  A real quandary.

One Black-crowned Night-Heron showed enough of itself for a decent shot.  He looks a little like a demonic penguin.

Two Great Egret chicks shared a nest where I had an unobscured view of them.  And they of me.

I spent a fair amount of time watching this nest hoping the babies would do something interesting, but they never really did.

An hour always goes by fast at the rookery!