Wood Storks have fascinated me since my first visit to the Lowcountry of South Carolina. This feeding Wood Stork I call “The Bird With A Dirty Face” let my daughter and I watch and photograph from landing to foraging a few days ago. Wood Storks nest within a tree based colony but prefer to eat alone. Interestingly the ecological partner to the Wood Stork is the alligator! Alligators keep the water open around the colony’s nesting tree and guard the birds from human interference.
In turn of course the guarding alligator is occasionally treated to a young Wood Stork chick appetizer. Click on this Gillespie Creek Website’s “Newsletter” menu entry to read more details on this endangered avian treasure.