Keeping the eyes open!

  While on the pier, we noticed that the small gator was edging closer and closer.  This little guy raids the crab traps for his supper and he had no time for silly humans to be in the way.  I figure that if we hang around long enough, he will soon decide that we mean no harm and will come on in to eat while we are watching.  We were not the only ones watching that critter though.  Our friendly Night Heron had flown to a nearby post to wait for handouts.  I am not sure if the bird had even noticed the gator at first but all too soon, it was a tad nervous.  Even though the bird was perched high above the water and out of reach of the gator, it kept a wary eye on the critter.  It was just last summer that another Night Heron made the unfortunate choice of roosting low on my brother's pier and was snatched by a larger gator.  Supper had been served.  It is quite amazing how an alligator can maneuver itself up and out of the water to catch a bird!

   It was an almost comical scene as the Night Heron kept tabs on the gator.  When it landed on the post, it was facing the opposite direction of the critter.  The bird would nervously look over its shoulder and then back towards us.   It definitely wanted to swoop down to pier-level and try to con us out of our bait.  This bird loves the menhaden handouts that it receives when it visits.  I guess I am just a sucker for these friendly birds as I will hand-feed them all of our bait if given a chance!

  This is a Yellow-crowned Night Heron.  It was not too very long ago that these birds were hunted. The breasts of the young birds were thought to be a delicacy.  Hunters would raid the nests for the juvenile birds and sometimes wipe out an entire rookery.  This put the population of the birds in the danger zone so now it is unlawful to kill them.  This law makes me happy as I like the birds.  The Yellow-crowned Night Heron is one of the few wild birds that can be easily coaxed to be friends.  All it takes is a good bit of patience and a bucketful of menhaden to make a lifelong friend.  Every summer the birds come back to visit and it seems as if they remember our rendezvous!  

  Keep your eyes open, Little Yellow-crown!  Watch that gator!  Don't fall prey to him and I will make sure that you have an easy meal on hand.