The Smith Oaks Rookery at High Island on the Bolivar Peninsula in Texas provides habitat for nesting Great Egrets, Cormorants, and Roseate Spoonbills. High Island is not an island but rather a high spot on the peninsula and, at an elevation of about 38 feet, is the highest spot in the area. That relatively tiny difference in elevation allows for the growth of trees and shrubs that can’t grow in the salt marshes at lower elevations and provides nesting habitat for lots of birds including those nesting at Smith Oaks Rookery. A Roseate Spoonbill carries a big stick to add to its nest on a sunny morning a few days ago.