JEFFERSON ISLAND, La. --- From colorful roseate spoonbills to snowy egrets, Rip's Rookery at Jefferson Island is sure to delight birders, photographers and nature lovers. Located at the intersection of Jefferson Island Rd. (Hwy. 675) and Rip Van Winkle Rd. next to Rip Van Winkle Gardens, this man-made wetland hosts thousands of wading birds on islands designed to protect them from predators.
Ten bird species harmoniously nest and rear their young on five islands spread over three acres of water. "Despite the raucous displays from disagreements over nesting sites or nesting material they all manage to co-exist quite well," said Michael Richard Sr., the rookery's founder.
Richard, who also owns Rip Van Winkle Gardens, built the rookery 30 years ago for three reasons. "First, it was to create a system to recycle irrigation runoff, thereby conserving valuable resources (water and nutrients)," he explained. "Second, it prevented fertilizer from entering our waterways, which lead to algal blooms. Third, the expanse of shallow water with tree-covered islands would afford nesting opportunities for wading birds that suffer from habitat destruction and predation."
Richard recycles the waters surrounding the islands for his Live Oak Gardens Nursery next door. Alligators patrol the ponds, daring any would-be predator to cross for a meal of eggs or chicks. Each species benefits from the symbiotic relationship. "Alligators eat snakes, minks and raccoons, and in return for their protection, the nesting colony offers them any weak or unlucky fledgling that happens to fall into the water," Richard said. "It's classic Darwinism at work."
It took over 25 years for the birds to adopt this miniature eco-system as a breeding colony. "About four or five years ago, something caused two thirds of the wading birds to suddenly abandon the Lake Martin rookery overnight," Richard recalled. "Jefferson Island was the grateful recipient of about one half of this mass exodus. Each year since that spring, the birds return to build nests, lay and incubate eggs and rear their young, before returning south for the winter."
Professional photographers profess that Rip's Rookery is the best privately-owned spoonbill rookery in the nation, Richard said. They come from far away to capture images of the birds whose bright red color plumage results from a diet high in crawfish. The best time to see spoonbills is March through June.
"Jefferson Island's Rip's Rookery is stunningly beautiful and educational and will attract visitors, birders and media, including photographers both professional and amateur," said Fran Thibodeaux, executive director of the Iberia Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau. "It is a fabulous addition to Iberia Parish's tourism assets. We are very thankful for Mr. Richard's foresight and environmental awareness in creating the rookery to serve a need, and also provide an opportunity for the public to observe these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat."
Visiting the rookery is free. "We ask only that visitors respect the privacy of these living descendants of dinosaurs, so that others may enjoy this miracle of nature for many years to come," Richard said. www.ripvanwinklegardens.com