This is Birdnum.

It's late winter at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Santa Bel Island, Florida.

Many birds are finished nesting, and young birds are everywhere.

This morning, wind and tide have conspired to strand schools of fish in backwater ditches,

and the birds are taking advantage of it.

It's a feeding frenzy.

White birds short and tall line the banks of the ditch, barely a foot apart, long beaks

spear tiny fish, and sometimes jab at a neighbor.

Snowy eagrets, great eagrets, white ibises, and a young little blue heron that's still

white, all feed at the water's edge.

Meanwhile, two white pelicans patrol the center of the ditch, criss-crossing, flushing

fish towards the birds on the bank.

They grab gulps of water, shake their heads, and swallow.

A momentary law, then a snowy eagrets takes off, dragging first beak, and then feet in

the water.

Is it teasing fish to the surface?

It's hard to tell, but the snowies take turns doing it, and the excitement begins again.

Thanks to the National Wildlife Refuge system, these birds, and many others, can thrive

in protected habitats.

For Bird Note, I'm Michael Stein.

Today's show brought to you by the Loughkin Family Foundation.