Spring's In the Air (and Water)

Lorna spotted (and I heard) a Purple Martin yesterday, which is heralded as the beginning of Spring migration here in south Texas. No photos, but here are some Skimmers and a sleepy Black-crowned Night-heron.

Yeah, it must be Spring, these Roseate pink guy Spoonbills seem to get pinker (and grosser) every day. Seriously, almost daily.

As we were editing (deleting) photos, I was struggling to find clear photos of this exceptionally colorful male bird because there was always a white first-year juvenile who seemed to follow him around and was always in the frame. 

Looking at her photos Lorna noted that the juvenile even aped the alpha males movements.

I was so busy getting focused photographs I missed the real show - a juvenile bird following dad (?), learning how to be an alpha male Roseate Spoonbill.

Addendum: 

Spoonbills get their color from the carotenoids in the the shrimp they eat. My urine smells when I eat shrimp. They get pink, I get stink. All things considered, maybe my symptoms could be worse.

- Gunnar