About the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Rookery

The rookery at the Alligator Farm is one of the most accessible and productive bird photography locations in the southeastern United States. Great Egrets, Tricolored Herons, Roseate Spoonbills, and Wood Storks all nest in the trees above the boardwalks each spring, largely undisturbed by the visitors below. The birds nest here in part because the alligators in the surrounding moats keep raccoons and other nest predators away, an unusual trade-off that lets photographers watch a Great Egret feeding its chick from just a few feet below the nest. Nesting season generally runs from late winter into summer, with chicks like the one in this photo typically visible from early spring onward.

Photographing the Great Egret Feeding Chick

Photographing a Great Egret feeding chick sequence takes patience. Adult egrets return to the nest every few hours with food, and the chicks compete loudly for each delivery, so a photographer has to be ready well before the moment happens. I spent several mornings at the boardwalk railing waiting for the light and the behavior to line up before I captured this frame, working with a long telephoto lens to keep a respectful distance from the nest.

I’m honored that The Guardian selected this image for their feature. Catching the instant a Great Egret feeds its chick takes both timing and luck, and it’s always rewarding to see a moment like this held up alongside other remarkable wildlife photography from around the world, a reminder of how much drama and tenderness plays out in a rookery that most visitors walk past without a second look.