In 1957 beavers dammed the creek below the Four Mile Mill [Butler County Alabama, near Greenville]. They prospered. They prevailed through hurricane, flood, and dynamite. Tonight the beavers patrol 60 acres of lily pads, cypress trees, stumps, and snags. Tonight there are 10,000 angels sleeping on and above the big beaver pond below the Four Mile Mill. I know, I watched them go to bed. They came on wings great and small, white and gray, mottled and pure. They were disguised as egret, heron, ibis, wood duck, and anhinga. Some walked on chicken feet as if they were gallinules. Some were thousands, some hundreds, most at least dozens. The sun cast its setting shadow from behind me and as it crept forward the view became as from a darkened theatre. And the assembled players were washed in a golden glow and the curtain of night closed on a perfect summer day. A million fireflies bloomed for an encore

That's the poetry here's the facts.

Today in Butler County Alabama, near Greenville I observed a 60 acre beaver pond from 6 PM until 8:30 PM CST. This location has been a heron/egret roost/rookery for many years.

Thousands of birds were presents when I arrived and thousands flew in as I watched. I saw: 

• 12 Purple Gallinules (Adults & Chicks)

• 17 Anhinga

• 75+ Wood Ducks

• 35 White Ibis (All Immature)

• 2 Common Moorhen

• 60 Great Egret

• 9 Great Blue Heron

• 40+ Little Blue Heron

• 15 Green Heron

and the balance of 10,000+ birds were Cattle Egret.

And oh yes, for good measure Prothonotary and Kentucky Warblers and a whole bunch of other stuff that would probably just bore you. The sunset did cast a glow over the roost. A million fireflies did bloom.

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