THE PHOTOGRAPH

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)

Snowy Egrets are very elegant birds, with stark white bodies contrasted against pitch black legs. Down the backs of their legs yellow racing strips lead to bright yellow feet. Once endangered due to the desire for their frilly yellow plumage, they’re now very common. They reside year-round in nearly all of South America as well as parts of Central America and much of the East Coast of the United States. They can also be found throughout Mexico and further inland in the United States during different parts of the year.

Adult Snowys develop their once high-valued wispy feathers during breeding season. Following breeding season, both the male and female Egrets take turns incubating the eggs. Once hatched, offspring continue to rely on both parents.

Snowy Egrets congregate in large colonies with many other species of birds and have even been known to mate with other heron species, creating hybrid offspring. Cross species mating is known to have happened with Tricolored Herons, Little Blue Herons, and Cattle Egrets.

THE LOCATION

Sanibel Island, FL

Sanibel Island is in southwestern Florida, off the coast of Fort Myers. The island seems to have been created, along with Captiva just north and connected by a short bridge, around 6,000 years ago. The first humans, the Calusa Indian Nation, arrived 3,500 years later.

Sanibel, the city, was formed in 1974. Home to Bailey Tract Wildlife Preserve, The J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge, Bowman’s Beach Park, and Tarpon Bay, all protected areas with abundant wildlife, preserving the natural areas has been a main focus of the city since its founding. Currently, around two-thirds of the island is fully protected from development.

It is also a sanctuary for shellers. Due to its geographic location and the currents that flow around the island, immense numbers of shells wash upon the shores.

Sanibel will always be a special place for me personally. I first visited Sanibel at a mere ten weeks old. From this place, I grew up learning about nature, animals, ecosystems, climate, and our home, planet Earth. When I was a child, we routinely saw Bobcats, 12-16 foot Alligators, and Spoonbill after Spoonbill after Spoonbill. Unfortunately, once abundant wildlife is harder to see unless you know where to look. Some of this change is due to development and the destruction of the habitat, mostly though, its due to our warming climate.

We tend to not think of this in the present moment, but some of these magnificent creatures that I photograph may not be around in another twenty years, much less 100. We must appreciate them while they are still with us.

THE FRAME

Pecky Cypress (Taxodium distichum)

Known as Bald Cypress, this giant of the swamp is native to the southeastern United States. It can adapt to thrive in a wide range of soils, including very briny, salty, and water soaked areas. The pecky nature of the wood is created by a fungus that attacks the tree and eats away at its truck from the inside out. When the tree is cut down the fungus dies and leaves behind the beautiful architecture of its destruction. All of the Bald Cypress I have used in my frames has come from different parts of Louisiana.