The Rookery - The Oilfield's Egret Tree

Egrets Tree

One of my goals last year was to visit all of our Egret/Heron Rockeries.  This year, I finally got started on February 7^th, 2015 when I visited the Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) Rookery at The Oil Fields in St. Philip. 

This is a small Rookery with only one host tree, probably a relatively new site judging from the state of the host tree.  I saw over one hundred nests at various stages of construction and Cattle Egrets of varying ages. 

This colony, like most of the others rookeries on the island, is made up of only Cattle Egrets.

Below are the photographs from that trip.

Adult Non- Breeding Cattle Egret 

Busy Building - Adult Breeding Plumage Cattle Egret 

Juveniles awaiting Parent

Adult in Breeding Plumage collecting nest building materials 

collecting nest building materials

Adult Non- Breeding