There was lots of Alligator activity this week, despite the cooler temperatures. I counted seven Alligators floating in the pond behind the long white bridge at Magnolia.
This one treated me to a slow paddle across a colorful reflection.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
November 27, 2024
Camellia season is in full swing around the low country and these pink beauties were real stand outs.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
November 27, 2024
When this object first caught my eye I thought it was a piece of trash tossed into the bushes.
On closer look, but not too close thanks to a zoom lens, it was indeed a snake.
I’ve become much more tolerant of being in the presence of a snake since we moved to South Carolina, but I’d still be happy to never see one again.
There are two black snakes in SC. The Racer usually races away, leaving me to think this leisurely specimen was a Rat Snake.
Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
October 30, 2024
The season is changing, looking more like autumn each day.
This was at the end of October when the changing hues of the grasses made a nice backdrop.
The water level in the pond was quite high. We’ve heard there is a plan to lower it sometime this month which will attract more birds with easier feeding opportunities.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 30, 2024
I missed the moment when this Double Crested Cormorant started his flight, breaking free of the pond surface.
The sequence I did get took place in less than a second.
My shutter speed was only 1000 due to the dull light, and I really wasn’t expecting him to take off as I’d been watching him feed.
Another up beat…
…and touch of the water. Yes, I clipped the bird but the water splashes fascinate me.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
November 11, 2024
