The Runt

HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
edited July 12, 2006 in Wildlife
Hi Y'all,

The birds up at the rookery will normally lay 2-4 eggs that hatch at different times. The youngest hatchling faces a rough road as its older siblings will often harass it to death or push it out of the nest to the waiting gators below.

On one of my last trips up to St. Augustine I was watching a cattle egret nest with 3 hatchlings. One of the hatchlings was significantly smaller than its two siblings. As I watched I noticed that everytime the runt had its back turned one of the older hatchlings would give him a good peck to the back of his head. The runt wasn't a happy camper.

He picked himself up and moved to a different position
78529275-O.jpg

"I may be small but I'm BAD!!!!!"
78529276-O.jpg

He had figured out a tactic that our military forces have learned, he took the high ground so when one of the parents arrived with food he could compete with his older siblings

78529277-O.jpg


When one of the siblings got the food, he was in position to take it away from them

78529284-O.jpg


He was also in a position to give them a piece of his mind
78529287-O.jpg

While he had the position he also seized the opportunity to say his piece to his parent also
78529285-O.jpg
Harry
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"

Comments

  • Osprey WhispererOsprey Whisperer Registered Users Posts: 3,803 Major grins
    edited July 7, 2006
    Neat stuff Harry. I enjoyed them. thumb.gif I don't ever see cattle egrets around here. The only shots I have of these birds are from Gatorland. They are attractive birds.
    Mike McCarthy

    "Osprey Whisperer"

    OspreyWhisperer.com
  • dallasdallas Registered Users Posts: 1,638 Major grins
    edited July 7, 2006
    Very funny Harry, you are the master.
    William
    http://woofwoof.smugmug.com
  • KhaosKhaos Registered Users Posts: 2,435 Major grins
    edited July 7, 2006
    Great set and story.thumb.gif
  • gluwatergluwater Registered Users Posts: 3,599 Major grins
    edited July 8, 2006
    Nice set Harry. Love those Cattle Egrets in breeding plumage.
    Nick
    SmugMug Technical Account Manager
    Travel = good. Woo, shooting!
    nickwphoto
  • bfjrbfjr Registered Users Posts: 10,980 Major grins
    edited July 8, 2006
    Excellent set and story Harry clap.gif

    Hey what's with all this X stuff, not shootin the "H" no more ?? ne_nau.gif

    Leaning towards Xs myself ne_nau.gifheadscratch.gifiloveyou.gifthumb.gif1drink.gif
    Benjamin
    My Galleries
    Flicker
    G+
  • jwearjwear Registered Users Posts: 8,013 Major grins
    edited July 8, 2006
    life in the wild umph.gif i shot a hummer nest over a period of time [not the pond] and the big chick was always trying to give the little one a bit of help over the edge eek7.gifumph.gifbut they both made it clap.gif nice set of shots and good story line mr h -those are not good looking birds :uhoh
    Jeff W

    “PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ‘JAZZ’ FOR THE EYES…”

    http://jwear.smugmug.com/
  • saurorasaurora Registered Users Posts: 4,320 Major grins
    edited July 8, 2006
    Great set of shots, Harry and an especially great UnderDog tale! Always like to hear about the little guys winning!!!! thumb.gif
  • windozewindoze Registered Users Posts: 2,830 Major grins
    edited July 8, 2006
    78529287-O.jpg


    a funny pic! made me smile.. THANXZ!!!

    :):

    troy
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 9, 2006
    Bird Man Photographer wrote:
    Neat stuff Harry. I enjoyed them. thumb.gif I don't ever see cattle egrets around here. The only shots I have of these birds are from Gatorland. They are attractive birds.

    Thnaks Mike. Cattle egrets are all over the place in this area. They usually aren't so attractive. They only get those interesting colors during the mating season.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 9, 2006
    dallas wrote:
    Very funny Harry, you are the master.

    Thank you William, glad you enjoyed the post.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • raptorcaptorraptorcaptor Registered Users Posts: 3,968 Major grins
    edited July 9, 2006
    Great pics and story! clap.gif
    Glenn

    My website | NANPA Member
  • ehughesehughes Registered Users Posts: 1,675 Major grins
    edited July 9, 2006
    Excellent as always Harrythumb.gif
    Ed

    www.edhughesphoto.com
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 10, 2006
    Khaos wrote:
    Great set and story.thumb.gif

    Thank you very much. The cattle egret chicks get all the credit for the story line. :D
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2006
    gluwater wrote:
    Nice set Harry. Love those Cattle Egrets in breeding plumage.

    Thanks Nick. The cattle egrets go through an amazing transformation during mating season. For most of the year they are rather bland but they take on some great colors during their mating season.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2006
    bfjr wrote:
    Excellent set and story Harry clap.gif

    Hey what's with all this X stuff, not shootin the "H" no more ?? ne_nau.gif

    Leaning towards Xs myself ne_nau.gifheadscratch.gifiloveyou.gifthumb.gif1drink.gif

    The X is my main body now. I was using the H as my back-up and second body but then its metering started to act-up again. Right now I'm in the middle of some contentious discussions with NikonUSA about the H. I'm using my 100 as my backup right now.

    If you get the Xs I'm sure you will be a very happy camper. The X is the best camera I have ever shot with.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2006
    jwear wrote:
    life in the wild umph.gif i shot a hummer nest over a period of time [not the pond] and the big chick was always trying to give the little one a bit of help over the edge eek7.gifumph.gifbut they both made it clap.gif nice set of shots and good story line mr h -those are not good looking birds :uhoh

    Thanks Jeff and they are gorgeous birds. :D
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • SeefutlungSeefutlung Registered Users Posts: 2,781 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2006
    Go Harry Go!!!!
    My snaps can be found here:
    Unsharp at any Speed
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2006
    saurora wrote:
    Great set of shots, Harry and an especially great UnderDog tale! Always like to hear about the little guys winning!!!! thumb.gif

    Thanks, it was a rush to view the sequence and momentary outcome. When I returned to the rookery a week later the runt was doing fine and his siblings were pretty much leaving him alone.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2006
    Thanks Troy. I'm glad you got a smile out of that shot.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 12, 2006
    raptorcaptor wrote:
    Great pics and story! clap.gif

    Thanks Glenn
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 12, 2006
    ehughes wrote:
    Excellent as always Harrythumb.gif

    Always a pleasure to hear from ya, Ed wave.gif
    Thanks
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 12, 2006
    Seefutlung wrote:
    Go Harry Go!!!!

    :curtsey
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
  • SystemSystem Registered Users Posts: 8,186 moderator
    edited July 12, 2006
    hary-

    wow!-

    pretty neat stuff-

    great pics and great story-

    thanks for posting-
    george
  • HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited July 12, 2006
    gefillmore wrote:
    hary-

    wow!-

    pretty neat stuff-

    great pics and great story-

    thanks for posting-
    george

    Thanks very much George
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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