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| Edgar |
Edgar of Clearwater
June 19, 2003
The Clearwater Beach area of Florida has lots of attractions: high-rise hotels, white sandy beaches, restaurants, tours, emerald waters, bike trails, tourists and – since we have been here – rain, often and heavy. Otherwise, the weather is much like South Texas – humid and hot. In residential areas, White Ibis sometimes roam the streets like barnyard chickens. We watched the sunset from Howard Park beach and photographed the birds, flowers, and reptiles on the Honeymoon Island State Park Nature Trail and in Fort DeSoto Park. But one of the most interesting nature stories was observed at the IHOP in Clearwater Beach. There we met Edgar! He was first observed standing on an outside table, peering through the window and watching us browse on our sandwiches. Edgar is a very tame Snowy Egret with a taste for omelets. According to the manager of the IHOP, Edgar is the name someone gave the bird maybe because of the euphonious -- “Edgar the egret.” Edgar was something of a mixed blessing for the IHOP which had been experiencing lots of crows, House Sparrows, and assorted blackbirds making messes on their outside tables. Edgar quickly established dominance and chased away the other birds. Also, according to our IHOP manager, Edgar also chased off a penguin. A penguin in Clearwater? Maybe a laughing gull, I thought. Of course, Edgar did not have impeccable toilet habits either, but at least he was just one bird, so the clean-up folks tolerated him.
It is assumed that Edgar is a male egret, but who knows? Edgar may really be Elvira or something. Even the experts have difficulty separating the sexes. But, this egret is an exceptionally handsome white bird, especially when in breeding plumage. The black legs contrast with bright yellow feet or “yellow slippers.” A tour guide in the Everglades once informed us that these egrets dangle and wiggle their yellow toes in the water when perching on low mangrove roots, to attract fish – which are their favorite food.
A couple of young boys approached Edgar at the IHOP and started tossing breadcrumbs. Edgar deftly caught the crumbs in the air and just as quickly spit them out. Edgar apparently has little taste for high carbohydrate foods. He likes protein. Toss him a piece of egg, steak or fish and he quickly identifies it as preferred protein. Even though it is cooked and seasoned for human consumption, Edgar seems to have educated his palate to enjoy the beachfront human cuisine. Has he given up his diet of fish caught from mangrove roots? Who knows!
Edgar’s ancestors were hunted to near extinction to provide the beautiful, graceful, white plumes for the hats of fashionable ladies earlier in the century. But then the birds were protected by law and feathered hats became less desirable, so Snowy Egrets survived and Edgar’s generation can now beg food at the local IHOP. However, it is not like Edgar has no enemies. When he becomes bored of human companionship and re-enters the swamp to hunt fish, he must still be wary. If he mistakes an alligator’s snout for a stump to land on, he may become alligator food.
Anyway, the two little boys became more and more aggressive in trying to supply Edgar with crumbs that he did not want. At a critical distance of about five feet, Edgar began to feel threatened and quickly flew to safer environs. Or maybe he was just off to beg a piece of hamburger from some customer at Burger King. If he gets lucky, he may dine on more than just pieces of a hamburger bun. But, in the logic of some of us tourists, if gulls and pigeons eat crumbs, why would this lanky, white bird be any different?
So if you are ever in Clearwater Beach and need a friend who is not a great conversationalist, just look up the local IHOP and – if you are lucky – you may find Edgar. Just order him a scrambled egg without pancakes. Have the eggs served on the table beside you and Edgar may quickly fly to your table, become your messmate and provide you with an exciting Florida “wildlife adventure”.
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