I was busy watching a Green Heron when I realized there was a commotion going on in a nearby tree top.
The juvenile Grackle was calling out his hunger in a big way.
After delivering a good size insect the chick continued to call for more.
The adult was not persuaded to go after another round of food and stayed put, listening to the chatter.
A lot of vegetation at the edge of the ponds is thick and tall as we go into the height of summer, obscuring a good view of the smaller herons as they forage.
I was able to peak through some tall grasses at this Green Heron after he hopped up onto a dead branch hanging over the water.
I moved a little further along the path and the Heron took up a different position on the branch, and the water in the background took on a different hue.
This Great Blue Heron landed in a pine tree with a mighty squawk, for no apparent reason.
It was a hot morning and I expected him to tuck into the shade but he was content with this perch and looking up and down the pond.
I often pass this line of Live Oak trees when visiting Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and have taken more than a few photographs, none of which really convey the feel of standing under the old trees.
I love the twisted branches, Spanish Moss, and all that green. Last week I stopped as I passed by to soak in the atmosphere and took a few more images.
July 12, 2019
It’s common to see Anhinga standing on the alligator platforms with their wings outstretched, drying off after hunting. This one was a little different, settling in…
…and getting a drink of water.
There is a small patch of Canna Lilies at the edge of the big field at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. It’s a wet spot and the lilies and cattails seem pretty happy there.
This dragonfly found an unfurled blossom a nice place to perch on a hot day. True to form he lifted off just as I was ready to shoot then returned to the exact same spot,
The orange and yellow combination of the flowers is quite attractive, shouting out “summer!”
This is the first Belted Kingfisher I have seen since last fall and he gave me an amazing, if brief, aerial show.
When I first spotted him he was hovering over a small pond. Before I could lift my camera he was gone.
He came back a couple minutes later and I got a second opportunity.
He hovered for several seconds.
Assumed the dive position
And dove. I never saw him hit the water, actually never saw him again, despite waiting another 15 minutes.
I was delighted to find this Barred Owl perched over the bamboo pond yesterday morning. Reports from many of my photographer friends have been that the Barred Owl Owlet was feeding himself and neither he nor the adults had been spotted recently.
I’m not sure if this is the chick from this year or one of the parents, or maybe a completely different owl. He did treat me to one swoop over the water then did some grooming.
I didn’t see him catch anything and he was content to look around.
Click on any image for a larger view.
Charleston, SC, is known for its abundance of churches and is sometimes referred to as the “Holy City.” The spires of this trio can be seen from a bird’s eye perspective from one of the parking garage rooftops.
The Unitarian Church is topped by a rooster weather vane, which had a summer storm to observe the afternoon I was there.
Many of the large churches in historic Charleston, SC, are difficult to photograph in their entirety due to the closeness of their neighbors. Turns out that the tops of parking garages provide some neat views that get around this dilemma.
This image is the rear of Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist that I featured last fall in my post Charleston Cathedral with Connecticut Connection.
The dramatic clouds were provided by an approaching summer thunder storm.
