By Tricia
Horrific news stories, video and photos bombard us: heartbreaking scenes of oil-drenched sea birds of Louisiana’s formerly pristine shores; dying egrets, ibises, sea turtles and dolphins. It’s all too much to bear, and it didn’t have to happen! Early childhood birding adventures in Louisiana’s breathtaking coastal marshlands now has personal impact.
My home state’s had about all it can take considering Katrina, and now an epic catastrophe and national embarrassment of scandal, corruption, heads rolling and blame gaming. The country looks on anxiously, helplessly awaiting good results while the 2010 hurricane predictions top the charts. I dread to imagine such a toxic combination of oil spewed airborne. At present, BP’s latest “top-kill” effort has failed. Louisiana’s early request of the Feds for support of the preventative building of new barrier islands to protect the coast is finally granted too little too late, and only to some minimal extent.
A young heron sits dying amidst oil splatters (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Yet, I refuse to languish in vain. Instead, I’m contributing wildlife emergency supplies: Gatorade, Pepto Bismol, toothbrushes, and any old towels and sheets I can find. A favorite, nearby restaurant is throwing a party to bring in diners with aid supplies. I won’t be partying, though it’s good to know I can leave my care package with Niko’s.
Lately large flocks of seemingly displaced seagulls cover the pavement in my cul-de-sac, foreshadowing an underwater oil disbursement stew approaching the nearby shores of my Florida home. The new gulls are welcome to join my Paradise Breakfast Club.
The Paradise Breakfast Club
I take refuge from the larger world of the Gulf oil disaster in my personal paradise in West Coast Florida, just a few minutes from the Gulf. So far, we are unscathed, so I’ll cherish these moments while they last.
Every morning my exotic, feathered friends appear for their morning handout. Though many others are too timid to approach, the boldest Great Blue Heron will grow impatient and peck on the front door! No matter how I slice the bacon, it’s always fascinating to watch my amazing crew and snap a few photos. I suppose I’ll always be a transplanted resident tourist.
GREAT BLUE HERON
If I stand here long enough, she’ll notice me…I’m hungry!
Peck on the door…yeah, that’s what I’ll do!
I hope the hot dogs are Kosher!
Wading birds, such as most of my native friends, don’t always feed in saltwater, my home’s surrounding freshwater lakes, ponds and canals a testament to many other common varieties not shown here. Cold cuts, cheese bits and small hot dog chunks delight them the most.
ROSEATE SPOONBILL
No, lady, I’m not a Pink Flamingo with a funny mouth! If it’s all the same, I’d rather skim for my meal.
Nesting in my flower bed is just one of the resident bizarre-looking Muscovy ducks with its red fleshy face.
If you think I’m funny looking first thing in the morning, take a look in the mirror, Cupcake!
Cormorants, Wood Storks and Ibises dot the landscape and crisscross neighboring streets on long, delicate legs always halting traffic.
THE HATCHLINGS REVEALED!
Oh, just look at ‘em! No wonder Mom had such an attitude!
The “ugly ducks,” our resident Muscovy ducks with the males’ prominent red, white and black fleshy bills are like faces only a mother could love. The females and their broods of ducklings waddling from place to place single file are most endearing. Some of my people neighbors detest the ducks as the trails leave their “mark,” often a shoe problem for the human!
GREAT WHITE EGRET — Always look right then left before crossing Tricia’s sidewalk.
Look right
Look Left
Tricia’s Dad is so “cheesy!”
Hate to eat and run, but I need to spread my wings!
I’ll need to restock the deli drawer in my fridge—while they look like birds, they eat like PIGS! If I feed them they will come … to borrow a phrase from a popular film. And so, with utmost pleasure I do.
FL shorebird in Gulf waves
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Comments
10 Responses to Glued to the Tube
I think it’s hilarious that the heron pecks at your door. I’m not really a big bird person but these are great pics with adorable captions!
Great pictures! My husband and I visit a Wildlife Refuge in Maryland. I have lots of pictures of the egrets, osprey, blue heron and bald eagles. How exciting to have them right at your front door! I hope the spill doesn’t get to your area. It is so sad that all the wildlife is being destroyed.
I had no idea such a “breakfast club” existed. How charming. I loved the photos and the captions too.
I feel so hopeless about the oil spill. I like your idea of contributing something tangible though. It’s something. Are there any particular organizations you would recommend, Tricia?
Thanks for a really interesting article.
Yes, I’d like any recs too on organizations to contribute to. I can’t even look at the pictures of the oil-covered birds; it’s just too sad.
Great article!
Tricia, thank you so much for sharing. Those are awesome pics. I love Great Blue Herrons. I can’t believe he comes calling for breakfast. That’s amazing. I love the Breakfast Club that comes to your home. What a wonderful way to start the day.
I can’t think about the oil spill. The pics are so bad and so sad. I can’t stand it and the damage it is doing. I can’t believe it is happening there. So good of you to help out.
Thanks for sharing this Tricia. Great pictures and captions.
Here is an article on CNN about the oil spill and rescuing birds. It states:
After rehab, the birds are scheduled for release in Florida, where they are less likely to repeat their run-in with the spilled oil.
Tricia, it sounds like they may be coming your way. You might need to make another trip to the store.
Thanks to all for the comments and inquiries about how to help. This link offers many fine ways people can help, donate, network, in addition to helping the National Wildlife Fund and a fund to help all Louisiana’s displaced workers and families now without livelihood.
The impact is close to home for me as well. My brother in law and his two grown sons work the rigs and will be laid off soon, even though there is plenty of maintenance and upgrade work to be done.
Check this adobe document my sister sent to me for a concise dollars & cents impact on the future of drilling in the Gulf. Or rather, lack thereof going forward.
It is printed here in it’s entirety.
Again, thanks to you all for seeing the fun side of my personal breakfast club!
Click here for the link.
Louisiana Mid-Continent
Oil and Gas Association
Great story, Tricia! … Thanks for introducing us to your friendly, feathered, next-door neighbors.
The sad Gulf story goes on and on. We are continually assured and reassured that the whole fiasco won’t cost the US taxpayer a cent. But we have all given up on the childhood notion of Santa Claus riding around on a sleigh. And now there are hints that BP may be facing bankruptcy. Today on TV we heard of a businessman who was offered a payment to cover his business losses. He said that the size of the offering was no more than an absolute insult and disgrace.
The pictures we see of the oil-drenched pelicans are absolutely heart-breaking. They can only remind us of all of the other species, large and small, that are suffering and dying out there in the Gulf and on the shoreline.
Gloria and Emil
Great pictures of the Blue Heron. They are very common here in England, but nowhere near as tame!
Tricia, it was a pleasure to meet yourself and your husband at The Fairfield Inn. Every American we met was so friendly and talkative whilst we were there.
Lets hope this oil spill can be sorted out quickly.
I was amazed at how many Ospreys we saw in Florida. On our last day we were driving North on I-4, one flew over our car close to Downtown Orlando. Here in England they are summer visitors from Africa and aren’t that common.
Cameron says Hi.
Darrell Brown (Camerons Dad).
Hi Trisha, great story and pictures are charming. I can tell you are very devoted to the birds. The Gulf is almost too painful to think about. Here in Louisiana, our way of life is now and will continue to be, threatened. Our coastlines will take years to recover, if they ever do.
I think about it with a sense of dread. Here in north Louisiana, we also have white egrets and blue herons. Several live in a small pond out in a pasture. The white birds follow the horses all day. It is a pleasure to watch.
Thanks for your stories, Aunt Carolyn