Six Mile Preserve Slough

This preserve is not far away from our current home, and excuses for not going were running out. Today should have been a no-go day: Sunday, weekend, with the President's day holiday tomorrow. 

We forgot, so Peter and I went.  We literally parked in the last available spot, and we are still not sure if it should have been reserved for a 'green' car. Oh well, we we not towed, or ticketed so it was a good day.

There were a lot of people on the boardwalk, with many unruly, whiney, noisy children that complained about nothing to see. What a boring life they will lead unless they wise-up and really look...  But I digress.

Apple Snails are becoming an invasive problem for the slough. Their only predators are the few birds that make them their steady diet. 

I understand that the Snail Kite is changing its usual menu from a snail that is being killed off by environmental changes, to this local problem snail. Later in this blog entry, I will share pictures of the Lipkin that never came in this slough until the apple snail was overpopulating the slough and becoming a problem.

For now, here is an apple snail shell, about three inches wide, and quite colourful.

This next shot is of an Anhinga that caught a fish that must be turned around to be swallowed face first. At this point, the Anhinga is spearing the fish to subdue the fighting.

Now the second problem arrises: the speared fish can not be turned around and swallowed...

The solution is to throw it up in the air, and catch it face first. Easier said than done.

After three or four tries, this was the final 'too late to reconsider' point. I turned away briefly, [now wait before you judge, I was there for almost a half hour!], and the fish slipped down the gullet, to feed a hungry but tired Anhinga.

Nearby, I spotted this egg-casing from the apple snail. It is a little over three inches long, about the size of my middle finger, for those you who have been shown my middle finger.

Next is a small, cute, Pied-Billed Grebe in winter plumage.  I think...

Next is one of those birds that I find difficult to find, let alone, photograph. This was my lucky day since I managed to make photos of two of them. How cool is that?

A next is a rare sight: a Limpkin mother and baby fluff ball.

Here is Dad, a couple of yards away, undoubtedly scouting for food.

Meanwhile, Mom and fluff ball are cruising for food too.

Mom found an Apple Snail!

While Mom is trying to break the snail's armour, our fluff ball is looking on.

This was not a great studio to work in, but here are Mom and fluff ball after an adequate feeding from the snail.

Nearby was another Green Heron, hiding in plain view and stalking as usual.

This is a frontal view of the same bird, my first decent spotting of Green Herons.