Breakfast with a limpkin family

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I turn the corner to head down Marsh Rabbit Run trail and see the above standing in the middle of the trail. He didn’t seem spooked by me.

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In fact, he walked right by me. That’s my shadow. I’ve never seen them this close before. Then I realized there were 3 others close together in the ditch below the trail. They all came up on the trail and I realized it was a family. Two parents and two almost grown babies. This was one of the late summer families.

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They all seemed very relaxed as I sat down on the trail and watched them.

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One of the parents brought up a snail from the ditch.

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The smaller one ran under mom and waited while she dug out the meat.

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Then the parent ate one herself. Doesn’t that look yummy?

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The other juvenile got fed.

What a way to start the walk down the trail. I sat there for about 20 minutes watching them bring up snail after snail. This has to be the most tame family in the park. A crowd of photographers started to gather behind me and we were all amazed that they didn’t seem bothered by us. After a while the family went back down into the ditches and headed out into the marsh. I headed down the trail to see what I could find but nothing else could match that.

7 thoughts on “Breakfast with a limpkin family

  1. I think this is your best series yet! At least top 10. That first shot looks like she’s doing some kind of dance move. What a treat to be able to get so close and get such stellar photos.

  2. Yummm, escargot! I saw my first limpkins at Lake Trafford a couple of years ago….didn’t even know what they were and missed the ID in my book…I posted them and somebody IDd them for me. Birders are so kind. Great pictures.

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