The Gathering

As usual, Ms. Ez and I headed to the pier this morning.  Ms. Ez always heads to the south gate of the Rose Garden to expectantly wait for me!  She knows that a trek to the pier is always first on the agenda!  There we sit, watch the sunrise and eye the critters that are either heading to bed after a night on the Bayou or waking with the morning light.  Today was no different.  The raccoons and owls were ready for a nap but the  waterfowl were stretching their wings with delight in the morning light!  I noticed a Double-crested Cormorant swimming not far from the pier.  It was preening and diving for breakfast. Most cormorants will leave here to nest in other areas.  A few will remain but rarely have I seen a nesting pair on the Bayou.

As I watched the cormorant, several others flew in to join it.  Soon the group numbered upwards of a dozen with more to be seen in the distance.  It was then that I realized that they were gathering to migrate.  The gathering kept up until the group decided it was time to take to the skies!  My friends were leaving me!  They were heading to a nesting site to have little ones!  Next year, if all goes well, there will be new additions to the flock!

Something that I find a tad interesting about the cormorants that visit the Bayou is the fact that the inside of their mouths are blue!  Yep!  Blue!  This is sort of like their "bling" to catch the eye of a potential spouse!  "I adore you..let me show you the inside of my mouth.  Is that not the brightest blue that you have ever seen?"  Wouldn't do much for me personally but I suppose to another cormorant, it is highly attractive.  Another oddity?  Even though these are of the Double-crested variety, the crests are only visible during the breeding season..other times...no crest!  Another bling-thing, I suppose.

As Ms. Ez and I headed back to the Little Bayou House, I heard a lot of splashing behind me.  I turned just in time to see the gathering of cormorants head out to parts unknown.  Goodbye, my friends, goodbye and safe journeys!  See you next year!