Photo by Karine Aigner kaigner / While I was perfectly camouflaged under a bunch of green netting waiting for ducks, a swathe of pink caught my eye. A family of five roseate spoonbills were coming in for a landing right in front of me and my tripod. I could barely believe what I was seeing, as I’d never been face-to-face with roseate spoonbills. A confused combination of a flamingo and a clown, the roseate is one of my favorite bird species. Beautifully colored, with red eyes, a variety of pink shades, and a spoon-shaped bill, the spoonbill was decimated in the United States in the 1860s. Plume hunters coveted the feathers, which could be seen adorning hats and clothing of all kinds. In the early 20th century populations slowly began to rebound—and today the spoonbill, while not abundant, can be found in small flocks in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida and all the way down to Mexico. The bird is an indicator species, in that its presence is indicative of healthy waters. The family of five...