The Rookery at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm

Apr 8

Last weekend I visited the rookery at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. I am happy to report that the rookery is rockin’! Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, and Tricolored Herons make up the bulk of the birds, but there are also a dozen or so nesting pairs each of Roseate Spoonbills, Cattle Egret, Wood Storks, and Anhinga. Notably, the Tricolored Herons tend to nest very close to the boardwalk, so you’ll want to bring a short lens for them.

It’s important to get the Photographer’s Pass at the Alligator Farm. With that pass you gain entry at 8am, an hour earlier than regular park guests. iPhone 14.

Birds choose to create nesting colonies at the Alligator Farm because the alligators protect the nest from predators such as raccoons and snakes. iPhone 14.

Some of the early season Great Egret chicks have already hatched. I didn’t see any chicks from any of the other species yet.

**Great Egret nest.** Despite the angry look by the parent, it was actually just yawning/stretching. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 lens at 400mm, 1/1000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 4000.

I chose to use the Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 lens for maximum flexibility. I found it to be the perfect lens, especially when photographing the Great Egrets doing their courtship displays. The unpaired male will fan out his breeding plumes, and then quite suddenly will shoot his head and neck straight up several feet. Fortunately this behavior is repeated several times so if you miss the shot on the first stretch you have more opportunities.

While some Great Egrets were already caring for chicks, others were showing intense yellow and green lores and full breeding plumage. Unpaired males were performing numerous, conspicuous Stretch Displays to attract a mate.

**Great Egret.** Breeding plumes on full display. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 lens at 330mm, 1/500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 1800.

**Great Egret.** Stretched display with fluffed neck. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 lens at 230mm, 1/500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 1600.

**Great Egret.** An unpaired male with fanned out breeding plumes. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 lens at 320mm, 1/1000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 2500.

**Great Egret.** Fanned breeding plumes in backlit conditions. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 lens at 180mm, 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 720.

The Roseate Spoonbills were busy foraging for sticks and selecting nest sites, so they were flying about and getting into squabbles with the other spoonbills. Here is a spoonbill in a nearby tree looking for a loose branch to snap off.