There’s no better time of year than now to watch the view from the top of our Lighthouse. From my station above the trees I can see the ever-changing ocean, the trees in bloom and, best of all, the birds returning to build nests across the street at the Alligator Farm. The wood stork are already building homes in the treetops above the swamp and visit our backyard to gather nesting material and generally hang out, sometimes flying near enough to the tower that we get close-up views that are impossible from the ground.
Few things are more awe-inspiring than finding yourself eye-level with a stork, a roseate spoonbill or one of the dozen other rare birds that nest and raise their young right here in our neighborhood. Within the next few weeks more rare and beautiful species will appear and we’ll watch the progress of the flocks as the nests proliferate and the chicks are hatched, reared and fledged.
My idea of a perfect afternoon is to spend some time watching the rookery from our tower gallery then walking across the street to see the nests and newly-hatched chicks from ground level.
You can get updates on the rookery as well as other Alligator Farm news at:
http://www.alligatorfarm.us.