It is not quite light when the alarm went off and we somewhat reluctantly roll out of bed. Low tide at Snake Bight bay is at 8:25AM and as “everyone” knows, the best birding here is on the mud flats at low tide.  So, here we go.  A pot of coffee and quick bowl of oatmeal and we are ready to head out.  It’s a short drive to the launch and we are on the water before 8AM.  Osprey chirp overhead.  Otherwise illusive night heron are perching in the open and actively hunting among the mangrove roots and in the shallows.  A Belted kingfisher moves along the shore.  Just ahead the entire shore of an island is bright white.  Hundreds of pelicans are wildly feeding where fish have concentrated in the shallows left by the tide.  It is an amazing dance as they both coordinate efforts and vie for the best spots.  Upon closer inspection the pink dots mixed in that white wall are roseate spoonbills methodically swinging those odd shaped bills in the shallow-water-soup to get their share of the feast.  Scattered across the flats standing high above all others are the white morph great blue herons.  Clouds of black skimmers with the wind whistling through the high speed wings cruise past us.  It is a busy place out here and we aren’t even out to Snake Bight yet.

We round the point and turn into the wind. There is a channel we know is deep enough even at low tide but maybe we can cut the corner to avoid quite so long a rough paddle?  Nope.  That path soon degrades into the grinding sound of kayak on bottom.  We manage to backtrack out with no one getting stranded on the mud flat but decide to call off the longer paddle in favor of relaxing watching the goings on at the nearby flat.  Birds are moving everywhere.  Long lines of pelicans glide just above the surface of the water lifting in a smooth rolling motion to miss obstacles and make course corrections.  A cluster of little blue herons move from one flat to another.  Egrets move from treetop perch to waters edge and back.  A solitary Great Blue claims its spot and squawks at any who dare to come near.  Fish roll in the shallow water all around us.

“Everyone” is right. This is indeed a great place and time to bird watch