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Snowy Egret (nest) - 2 nest-bound juveniles
Saint Augustine, Florida - Mid Summer 2024
In the Nest - Northern Florida U.S.A. - 7/4/24
-------Independence Day 2024 ----------Born in the U.S.A.!
In the Wild - Nesting - Rookery - Treetop - July 4th, 2024
Southern Snow - Beauty of Snow - Snowy Egret chicks
*[left-click for a closer-look - deep into a dense tree thicket]
*[strong blaring intense morning summer sunlight & shadows]
Snowy egrets breed in mixed colonies, which may include great egrets, night herons, tricolored herons, little blue herons, cattle egrets, glossy ibises and roseate spoonbills. The male establishes
a territory and starts building the nest in a tree, vines or very thick undergrowth. He then attracts a mate with an elaborate courtship display which includes dipping up and down, bill raising, aerial displays, diving, tumbling and calling. The immediate vicinity of
the nest is defended from other birds and the female finishes the construction of the nest with materials brought by the male. It is constructed from twigs, rushes, sedges, grasses, Spanish moss
and similar materials and may be 15 inches across. Up to six pale bluish-green eggs are laid which hatch after about 24 days. The young are altricial and covered with white down when first hatched.
They leave the nest after about 22 days. - Lots of fun to observe.
The lady orchids (Orchis purpurea) usually grow in shady places.
Die Purpurknabenkräuter (Orchis purpurea) usually grow in the shade.
Like all reptiles, Blue-Tongues do not produce any body heat. Their body temperature depends on the surrounding temperature which is why Lizzy can be found sun baking in the mornings or during cooler days. On cold days she remain inactive in her shelter. (She needs a body temperature of 30 to 35°C to be active.)
Blue-Tongues like a simple diet of plant matter and small animals. That can be beetles, caterpillars, crickets, snails and even other small lizards. Anything they can get hold of will do. But they are not very fast, so they usually eat slower critters. They are very partial to slugs and snails. Oh, and they steal dog food.
I feed Lizzy fruit scraps (she loves bananas and strawberries) and canned dog food. In return she eats all the snails, slugs, cockroaches and other creepy crawlies she finds in my garden. I think it's a fair trade; it works for me.