Monday, July 25, 2011

"Avian Architecture" and a Cattle Egret building a nest...

Let's jump all the way back to the first week of June when I was in Hilton Head, SC. Just before I had left for the trip, I had started reading "Avian Architecture; How Birds Design, Engineer, and Build" by Peter Goodfellow. Since I was headed to a heronry, I knew I'd be able to see lots of examples of nest building, and I did. I found platform nests, cup-shaped nests, hanging, woven and stitched nests, domed nests, holes and tunnels, and aquatic nests. If I had not been reading "Avian Architecture" at the time, I don't know if I would have been as intent on finding all the different types of nests. In years pasts at the heronry, I always admired and was amazed by the nests, and I had a cursory understanding of their structure, but it took reading "Avian Architecture" to really bring the engineering to life and deepen my appreciation of the building process. It's a great book to add to your birding library. I love it. Blue prints, photographs and lovely watercolors help you assimilate a lot of information quickly. It won't take long to help you understand another facet of bird life.

A Cattle Egret adds another stick to the nest. Cattle Egrets are colonial nesters and build platform nests near water, so it was no surprise to find them nesting in the heronry at Ibis Pond.

Male and female Cattle Egrets look similar and both parents participate in nest building, but often the male brings the sticks and the female places them; therefore, I'm deducing this is a female Cattle Egret.

...the nestlings seem to be saying something like, "Adding to the nest is all fine and good, but we're hungry. Feed us!"

...the perfect stick...in the perfect place.


Here are a few videos of the mama Cattle Egret arranging her nest. In the first video she's adding a new stick and in the second, she's trying to reposition an older twig that doesn't seem to want to budge. Also...in the first video you'll hear a conversation between me and Paul Krusling (the Cincinnati birder and expert herpetologist I had to travel 12 hours to meet! Click here for a previous post on Paul.)

Cattle Egret Building Nest from Kelly Riccetti on Vimeo.



Cattle Egret continues tidying her nest... from Kelly Riccetti on Vimeo.

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27 comments:

  1. TexWisGirlJuly 25, 2011 at 11:38 AM

    rearranging the nest while half-grown babies are in it is rather like me trying to vaccuum while 5 big dogs lay around... :)

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  2. grammie gJuly 25, 2011 at 11:43 AM

    HI Kelley...I loved evey bit of it!!
    So wonderful to see that bit of there nesting and the little ones!!

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  3. Betsy Banks AdamsJuly 25, 2011 at 12:48 PM

    How adorable, Kelly... Loved seeing the baby Egrets. SO cute!!!!! The videos were great also...

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  4. SueJuly 25, 2011 at 1:41 PM

    I think "mom" would have an easier time fixing the nest if she didn't have quite so much help!
    :)

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  5. DinaJuly 25, 2011 at 1:54 PM

    Great shots of the nest and the babies are so cute!

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  6. Pam Johnson BrickellJuly 25, 2011 at 2:21 PM

    Oh, this is yummy, Kelly! Funny about meeting Paul here and not there!

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  7. MontanagirlJuly 25, 2011 at 2:27 PM

    Awesome, Kelly! I just saw my first Cattle Egret over at Bowdoin NWR yesterday. I took a couple photos, which are dreadful as they were too far away, but wanted it for my record book.

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  8. Wanda.....July 25, 2011 at 3:25 PM

    Such pretty photos to 'ahhhhh' over! Loved the videos Kelly.

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  9. JohnJuly 25, 2011 at 3:35 PM

    Hi Kelly,
    Those photo`s of the Cattle Egret are stunning! I will have to look up the book you talk of and add it to my collection, sounds an interesting read!
    J
    Follow me at HEDGELAND TALES

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  10. RoyJuly 25, 2011 at 3:44 PM

    Great shots, Kelly! Heh, heh! I don't know if I'd class anything an Egret built as "architecture"; the Heron/Egret family build nests as messily as Crows and Hawks.

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  11. holdingmomentsJuly 25, 2011 at 4:24 PM

    Superb pictures Kelly, and the video's are excellent too.

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  12. Carol MattinglyJuly 25, 2011 at 4:56 PM

    She is gorgeous Kelly. So beautiful. I've never seen one of these type. Carol

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  13. Lois EvensenJuly 25, 2011 at 5:03 PM

    Those are gorgeous images! Wow!

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  14. NatureFootstepJuly 25, 2011 at 5:47 PM

    how lovely. :) Glad I came here today. I have seen the bird, but I will probably never see any nesting birds. They are not in Sweden and on tours you never see things like this.

    Both shots and video are very good. :)

    nfbird.blogspot.com

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  15. RoyJuly 25, 2011 at 6:05 PM

    Beautiful images Kelly.
    I guess the female Egret would place the twigs and sticks in the nest, as the male would never do it right anyway. {:)))

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  16. Out on the prairieJuly 25, 2011 at 6:11 PM

    Totally amazing shots, they took my breath away.

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  17. DebbieJuly 25, 2011 at 8:16 PM

    these are just amazing, i love coming here!!!

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  18. Savories of lifeJuly 25, 2011 at 11:12 PM

    Loved your post. Bird posts are always such a joy to read. Do follow my blog.

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  19. ElaineJuly 26, 2011 at 4:16 AM

    These are wonderful, Kelly! I well remember trying to keep an orderly house with a "nest" full of kids doing their level best to keep it messy....

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  20. AnonymousJuly 26, 2011 at 7:03 AM

    Great observations, Kelly. I'm amazed at the size of the stick relative to the bird, and that she's building while there are fairly large nestlings in the nest.

    Not to mention how great to get such wonderful, up-close photos.

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  21. Janice KJuly 26, 2011 at 8:56 AM

    I thought for a minute one of the babies was going to fall out of the nest. How intersting...They are so pretty.

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  22. Hilke BrederJuly 26, 2011 at 12:09 PM

    Another fantastic post, Kelly! Just gorgeous shots and fascinating videos. Looks like she is going to spear one of the chicks with the big stick, and the chicks seem eager to help. I too read the Avian Architecture book - great info - was particularly interested in the tunnel nests.

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  23. GuyJuly 27, 2011 at 9:43 AM

    Hi Kelly

    What wonderful photos. I will have to see if I can borrow the book, I am getting more interested in finding nests. It adds another fun facet to observing nature.

    Another great post.

    Thanks
    Guy

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  24. ElizabethJuly 27, 2011 at 11:48 AM

    Wow - these photos are breathtaking n their beauty and composition!

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  25. KellyJuly 28, 2011 at 12:16 AM

    ...thanks, everyone! You will definitely like the book. I learned a lot from it.

    You're going to see these three babies and their mama several more time! I have so many photos of the little family. Although they were fairly far away across the mote, the view to them was unobstructed, so I sat on the hill and watched them a lot.

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  26. EJuly 28, 2011 at 10:22 AM

    Beautiful photos and videos, congrats, Kelly, very interesting. Hugs

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  27. EJuly 28, 2011 at 10:23 AM

    Beautiful photos and videos, congrats, Kelly, very interesting. Hugs

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