The dike where I took Black Vultures sitting in this tree takes a 90 degree turn which gave me a different vantage point for this post’s images. The sun was now behind the birds and it was very hazy.
The outline of the tree and birds is pretty interesting, as is the postion of the two Vultures seen here. The third Vulture is in that clump in the middle in the first image.
An empty shell on the beach, just as nature left it with the outgoing tide.
More than other wading birds I see the Roseate Spoonbills often act like they are playing “king of the hill,” jockeying for the top spot or poking at each other to move along.
When pushed enough they take a less desirable spot on this little clump.
This pond is not tidal; the water level is controlled by the SC Department of Natural Resources and on this day it was high. There is an inlet behind where I was standing that is tidal and when the tide goes out the Spoonbills will fly over there to feed in the shallower stream. In the meantime they amuse themselves, and me, with tree antics.
May 2019, Donnelley Wildlife Management Area
It was morning, before 9am, so I was surprised to see these Black Vultures hunkered down in this dead tree. Perhaps they had been the early birds and already completed breakfast.
It was hot (82 F/ 28 C) and hazy, so resting was probably a good idea but some spot that was less exposed to the sun might have been a better choice.
This dead tree has lost a pretty good chunk since the last time I photographed birds here… Wood Storks in a Dead Tree
I was hoping to see this Carolina Anole catch a bug, but nothing came his way while I was watching.
I was able to get images from a couple of angles and he just hung there, even his tail stayed still.
Lastly, a broader view of where the anole was perched, about 5 feet ( 1 1/2 Meters) off the ground. He was still there when I moved on down the trail.
Click on any image for a larger view.
I’m attracted to gaudy chandeliers, not that I would want one, but the bling does draw my eye.
The light from the huge Palladian window (three-sections where the center section is arched and larger than the two side sections) makes images a challenge.
The cantilevered staircase (fixed to the wall with no other support) provides an elegant setting intended to impress Charleston society.
This home has had a number of uses since it was built in 1803 for the Manigault family’s city residence and was nearly torn down for a gas station in 1920. It is now owned by The Charleston Museum which operates daily interpretive tours.
Joseph Manigault House, Meeting Street, Charleston, SC
Here are a few more Tricolored Heron images from last month when I saw so many.
This one wasn’t having much luck with his fishing but made nice water ripples and I liked the intersection of his beak with the reeds.
The patient standing pose is common among the bigger herons and I often see the Great Blue Heron standing out in the open like this. The Tricolored Herons don’t seem to do it as often, tending to stick to the pond edges.
The direction away from the sun as it rises often provides a show equal to or better than the sunrise itself. On this morning the clouds didn’t catch any color but it sure was pretty. Gulls in the air and Pelicans skimming the surf added to the scene, taken about 15 minutes before sunrise.
This section of the canal that runs around an old rice field at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens has recently been dredged and widened. Hurricane Matthew in 2016, Storm Irma in 2017, followed by Hurricane Michael in 2018 all pushed mounds of vegetation debris into this corner making it less attractive to the various wading birds that pass through.
The upturned dirt has started to sprout reeds and a few Great Blue Herons have been hanging out on the edge.
From the closest vantage point the background still looks a bit like a moonscape. It will be interesting to watch how the birds’ habits may change now that this water can freely flow.
