Bird Sightings in the Marsh

Written by Annika Sullivan, Adrianna Ryan, and Bella Bottini

Our spontaneous kayaking trip through the salt marshes ended up being an eye opening experience for all of us. While kayaking down the marsh, we saw an interesting dynamic between some cormorants, great egrets, and snowy egrets. These three different bird species were in competition with one another over territory in the salt marsh. The egrets emerged as the more dominant birds, guarding the edge of the marsh from the cormorants who were swimming alongside them. It was a unique experience that not only showed the complex dynamics of our natural world but also the importance of salt marshes which act as a major source of resources for many species.