Arctic terns at Ten Thousand Islands, one of the largest mangrove forests in the world. The green shrub on the left is a mangrove, and the green in the distance is a very large mangrove island. Photo by Ellen Maher.
Birds Fishing in the Mangrove Forest
Rocky
mangrove island,
safe perch for arctic terns.
Inches above the waves, they find
refuge.
Osprey, also called a fish hawk, feeding its chicks. Photo by Richard Lee on Unsplash.
Mangroves
create islands,
green in a sea of blue.
Ospreys soar majestically in
blue skies.
Anhinga, also called a snake bird for its long neck. Photo by Mac Weaver from Unsplash.
Streamlined,
anhinga dives
to fish underwater,
spreads water-soaked wings to dry in
sunshine.
Great egret flying and two snowy egrets wading in the water. Photo by William Foley from Unsplash.
Snow white
egrets stand motionless,
fishing in the shallows,
alert, their long, sharp beaks poised to
spearfish!
Pelican in Everglades National Park near Ten Thousand Islands. Photo by Ellen Maher.
Sunset,
pelican flies
at Ten Thousand Islands.
Seeking a little bedtime snack,
he dives!
Pelican flying near Ten Thousand Islands at Everglades National Park. Photo by Ellen Maher.
Pristine
mangrove forest.
Ecosystem threatened
by global warming’s rising seas.
Fragile!
Copyright© 2023 by Cheryl Batavia
Gulf Coast Poet 
lovely words, stunning pics … happy Earth day!
Here is an old post of mine on the same topic
https://aroused.blog/2018/06/05/mangroves/
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Thank you, Kate. Your poem is delightful. Thank you for sharing it! ❤ Beautiful photo of the mangroves.
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Beautiful post, Cheryl. Happy Earth Day to you! 💚
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Thank you, Michele, for your kind response. ❤ Happy Earth Day to you!
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Thank you! 😊
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Such beautiful pairings of poetry and pictures, Cheryl! Happy Earth Day! 💖
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Thank you for your kind response, Eugi! It is deeply appreciated. ❤
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My pleasire, Cheryl! 💖
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I love that you wrote the perfect poem for each picture. Maggie
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Thank you, Maggie, for your kind comment! ❤ Glad you enjoyed the post!
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Beautiful tribute to Mother Earth. Happy Earth Day to you, too!
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Thank you so much, Rosaliene, for your comment! ❤ I deeply appreciate it.
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Such lovely poems, Cheryl… and that photo with the snake bird is amazing! Have you actually seen a scene like that in real life?
❤
David
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Thank you, David. Glad you enjoyed the post. ❤
Anywhere in South Florida where there is a pond, canal, or other waterway, anhingas are nearby. They are fun to watch, but I have never witnessed a scene quite like the one the photographer captured. I wish I had! He must have been using a zoom lens. My daughter's cell phone photos of Anhingas were too far away to use.
I did once have a Great Blue Heron who had caught a fish in the little lake behind my house come up into my yard. He coughed and gagged for several minutes trying to swallow the too-large fish before giving up and spitting it out on the grass! 🙂
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This is a beautiful post, Cheryl. A wonderful collection of poems and Photos.
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Thank you so much, Dwight! It means a lot to me that you like the post! ❤
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Your posts are always wonderful, Cheryl. You are most welcome.
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Beautiful words and pictures, Cheryl! 💚🌎💙
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Thank you so much, Filipa. Glad you enjoyed the post! ❤ ❤ ❤
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Fragile. Wow, perfectly said, Cheryl. Those pictures and verse are beautiful. Thank you.
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Thank you for your kind words, Wynne! It means a lot to me that you enjoyed the post. ❤
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What beautiful birds, Cheryl! We have a pair of mating ospreys living in the Lake District. They come back every spring! ❤️
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Thank you, Ingrid, for your lovely response. ❤ How nice to have a nest of ospreys nearby! Wonderful to see them return every year! ❤
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I love your pictures and poetry interwoven Cheryl with the wonderful description of learning about them up close and personal. Your imagery is breathtaking! 💞
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What a lovely response, Cindy! I am delighted that you loved the post! Wildlife photographers who offer their fantastic photos free of charge have my admiration and gratitude. 🙂
I hope your construction is progressing well. Have a great week! ❤ ❤ ❤
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Wow! Cheryl! You beautifully captured the beauty and wonder of the wildlife in the mangrove forests. It is a thought-provoking and enjoyable read. Thank you so much!
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So glad you enjoyed it, Ritish! Thank you so much for your kind response! ❤
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Beautifully written Cheryl and stunning pics too, such a love post ❤️
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Thank you, Henrietta, for your kind words. So glad you enjoyed the post. ❤ I love animals, and I appreciate the photographers who so skillfully photograph them. Have a great week!
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What stunning photos of these birds living their lives accompanied by your beautiful poetry! I love that shot of the osprey feeding her young and the snake bird with the fish in its mouth. ❤
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Thank you for your kind response to the post, Layla! ❤ I am delighted that you enjoyed it. I always find animals fascinating! 🙂
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[…] Birds Fishing in the Mangrove Forest […]
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Thank you. Glad you enjoyed the post! ❤
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Thanks for this refreshing look into a beautiful ecosystem. Happy Earth Month, Cheryl. I hope we learn to protect these precious habitats.
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My pleasure to revisit the happy times from our trip, JoAnna! We watched a YouTube presentation you might like and find interesting last night. PBS/NOVA Chasing Carbon Zero. It is very informative, and it made me more hopeful about the future of the environment. Happy Earth Month, JoAnna! ❤
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Thanks for the tip on Chasing Carbon Zero.
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A lovely post Cheryl
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Thank you so much, Rupali! ❤ So happy that you enjoyed the post!
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A lovely poem, and all the pictures are just awesome. Thank you, Cheryl for this great post! Happy Earth Day 🌎🌍
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Thank you, KK, for your lovely response! ❤ ❤ ❤ Happy Earth Day to you!
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I also am a animal lover and this post was a pleasure to read, beautiful photographs of beautiful birds and scenery
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Thank you, Gizmo! So glad you enjoyed the post. I have the greatest admiration and gratitude for the wildlife photographers who share their photos in the public domain.
If you like to travel, I recommend Everglades National Park in Florida. Lots of beauty and lots to do! There are walking trails, tour boats, kayaks, canoes, the Micosukee museum, airboat rides…and much more.
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The Everglades National Park in Florida sounds like a great travel tip
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Another wonderful poem and doubly special .. cuz, I like birds ha. Mangroves are a huge draw for birds and we definitely need to protect them.
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Thank you so much, Brian, for sharing your perspective on the birds of the mangroves and their need for protection. ❤ So happy you enjoyed the poem. Happy birdwatching! ❤
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