The Rookery
by Dick Hudson
Title
The Rookery
Artist
Dick Hudson
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
A rookery in a small corner of the Orange County Wildlife Reserve in Christmas, Florida is the home to a wide variety of precious birds. These protected areas are necessary due to the encroachment of man into their natural habitat. Egrets, cranes, spoonbills, anhinga, and other birds share the space in these trees to nest. There is an ample supply of food from the many climate controlled lakes and the plants in the area.
None of these creatures are fed. The land is shared by the birds, raccoons, snakes, bobcats, gators and other creatures. Vultures fly overhead, serving their designed purpose in keeping the land clear of carrion.
One of many weirs is in the background of the photo. Weirs are required because of the loss of habitat. Man must control the depth of the water, permitting the fish to swim, and birds to wade, and the gators to hunt, as they have for many thousands of years. There are said to be more than 1,600 gators in the reserve. I suspect that is an undercount.
I highly recommend a visit to this park if you are ever in Florida. It is free, and real .. a good break from Disney.
Uploaded
April 29th, 2015
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