ROOKED

Was it George C. Scott who said, “I love the smell of bird poo in the morning; it smells like… victory!”? Well, maybe not… but if he’d kayaked in St. Petersburg with me the other day to a birding island between St. Pete and Treasure Island, where great blue herons nest alongside pelicans, egrets, spoonbills, and cormorants, he might have!
Approaching the shallow, smelly, shelly shoal (say it three times fast) from the downwind side ranks high on my list of “bad ideas.” I slammed into an invisible stinkwall nearly 100 yards from the island. The pungent smell of bird poo literally took my breath away! My lungs burned as the last breath of fresh air was replaced with ammonia vapors. My head spun as I gasped and thrashed for air. Then, oddly enough, in a spastic moment of clarity, I found relief in my armpit!
Drifting quietly past the heavily painted, active nests, I closed my eyes, and it sounded remarkably like a recent picnic I attended. The chatty volume of several bird families huddled together rose to a dull roar. In the playground above, the older osprey boys played aerial tag with a mullet, while whining gulls tagged along, screaming, “Fowl, fowl, fowl!” The ladies discussed plumage protection, chick care, and where to get fresh fish. Mrs. Heron was passionate about how Jr. nearly choked on a pinfish tailbone. “Little missy is one thing, but that boy is nothing but trouble!”
They chatted about the fine weather and fresh spring breeze, but one topic was unanimous: “A fresh rain could really benefit those Pelican boys who seriously need a bath!” Oh, and don’t forget the grand opening of the dead oak tree just over yonder—it’s the IKEA of the bird world for nesting supplies. Every rookery picnic has a proud parent bragging, “My kids have grown so fast and are so handsome!” or “My little Suzie spoonbill is so talented with her new spoon… OMG, look at her pink plumage!” In the rookery, wing-and-feather gestures help communicate, just like us, right? (If you don’t have a friend like this… you’re the friend.) The snowy egret bounces through the canopy, waving and feathering frantically, with a loud squawk and beak pinch to drive the point home.
Then there are the quiet cormorants in the corner, sitting alone. I heard they fling poo to protect their nests—no wonder they’re solo! I once had a friend… never mind. The point is, if you encounter a stinky neighbor, be considerate. In the bird world, it’s just the smell of success!
#BirdingAdventures #StPetersburgFL #Kayaking #Wildlife #NatureLovers #BirdWatching #RookeryLife #FloridaWildlife #GreatBlueHeron #Pelicans #Spoonbills #Egrets #Cormorants #NatureHumor #OutdoorLife