UT Southwestern Medical Center Rookery: April 2017

It's almost obligatory for me to stop at the UT Southwestern Medical Center Rookery whenever driving back from any photo expedition south of Dallas. Light permitting, of course. There's just rarely a compelling reason not to.  That many photogenic birds in that small a space always presents the chance of capturing something special.  So on my return from Ennis last month, I did what I had to do.

Snowy egrets were more abundant now than when I'd visited in March.

Great egrets are the only guarantee.  The question is always whether I'll get a clear look at any.  The branches and leaves do provide solid cover.

I wonder why the Snowy Egrets have yellow feet instead of maintaining the black color of their legs like the Great Egrets do?  Something else to add to the list of questions to ask God one day, though lower on the list than Stonehenge, Bigfoot, and the Antikythera mechanism.

The babies in this nest didn't poke their heads up much.  But I love the light I got on the eye of the adult.

Good light on the eye again here, and fairly dramatic contrast overall.  I get a real "solitary sentinel" vibe with all the wide open sky in the background.

At last, a completely clear view!  The background's a little busy, though.

Nothing too out of the ordinary on this visit.  But that's all relative when you're talking about squeezing hundreds of these birds into a four-acre area!