The Great Egrets have started to build nests and with that comes territorial disputes.
These disputes often involve a great chase around the pond.
A few trees have started to bud which gave a bit of contrast.
The Anghinga wisely stayed put as the Great Egret pair swooped past.
Great Blue Heron chicks have started to hatch around the rookery and Tuesday I spotted one in a high nest sticking his head up.
The first few days the adults will tear food apart and give it to their chicks. As the chicks grow, which happens pretty quickly, the adult dangles food in front of the chicks encouraging them to grab their own meal.
Either this chick couldn’t figure out how to get a bite of frog or wasn’t hungry, but after a minute or so the chick lost his chance.
It took a minute or so of concentrated effort, but the adult ate the frog in one bite.
I was startled when this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker flew over my shoulder so close I could have touched him.
He perched on a limb overhanging the trail just ahead of me and had a look around. Whatever he was looking for wasn’t in the immediate vicinity and shortly he continued on his way.
You looking at me?
The Tufted Titmouse is a perky bird that I haven’t seen much of in South Carolina. This one was flitting along a tree line at the edge of the swamp.
He paused for about 30 seconds allowing me a brief photo-shoot.
He was just hanging out there, looking around and displaying just how flexible they are.
The color of the Tulip Magnolia Blossoms often outshines their mis-shapen form.
I never get tired of watching this scene unfold:
The catch
The flip
Down the hatch
It’s gone
This was a tiny meal for an Anhinga and I have no idea how they locate such a fish while swimming under water. See my post Anhinga Feeding from two years ago to see how big a fish they are capable of swallowing.
Perched over a boggy area at the edge of the swamp this Red-shouldered Hawk had just swooped in and seemed on high alert, probably looking for a meal.
He spent a few minutes here studying the area then moved on without even trying to catch lunch.
Check out his talons, curved around that branch. This is how they squeeze their meals. (Turtle, It’s What’s For Lunch)
I heard him just as I stepped to the edge of the pond near a stand of Cattails. He saw me, but surprisingly didn’t bolt.
He looked around and assessed the situation.
A quick shift of position provided a capture that shows off his beautiful reddish-brown wings.
Good by!
American Bitterns are known for being hard to spot, standing motionless in among camouflaging vegetation. At the end of January one had been spotted multiple times at the edge of a swamp I frequent, always near sundown making it even harder to see in the low light.
On a recent visit to the swamp I had been scanning this area as the sun illuminated it and saw nothing. I walked away to check out the corner and when I returned about 5 minutes later the sun was gone but there he was!
I don’t know if he flew or walked out into the open. I turned away for another minute or two and he had moved closer to me, nicely tucked behind some dead vines.
Taken February 8, 2019.
