A few more images of the Mute Swan Busking , after he had moved further into the pond, but still displaying with his wings raised.
As the Mute Swan got further from me the reflection of the sky in the water was quite different and the sun created a nice rainbow in the fountain.
Lastly, a nice front view with a few drops of water from his beak.
Middleton Place, Charleston, SC
January 29, 2021
Unlike the other wading birds that I am familiar with Wood Storks will lay down out in the open.
This group was enjoying a December afternoon basking in the sun.
I wasn’t that close as you can see from this wider view. The channel in the foreground is the deeper section at Magnolia Plantation’s boat pond, drained for the winter.
My route took me around the pond returning on the path that runs through the trees in the above image, where I took the next two images.
Here some dangling Spanish Moss interrupts the picture but if you zoom in you can see how Wood Storks lay with their feet sticking straight out in front of them. Not what you might expect!
On the hunt, a Great Blue Heron posed, watching the duck weed covered water intently.
A quick stab of the water.
Turns out not to be a snack to share.
He had no trouble swallowing this little catch.
Before I knew about swans using an elevated wing display for “wind assisted transportation” I thought these two Mute Swans might be getting ready to tussle.
They were moving pretty fast up the far side of the reflecting pond from where I stood.
Ah, then it became clear: a passerby was handing out snacks. And the two swans shared without any squabbling.
From the man’s behavior I suspect this is a regular routine. He threw a few tidbits to the waiting birds then went on his way.
Middleton Place, Charleston, SC
January 29, 2021
Just standing around, not bothered by the wind or moving surf a Snowy Egret ruffled himself up.
This beach is covered with little shells, and those didn’t interest him either.
Ah, the surf lapping at his legs.
Taken on Sanibel Island, FL, January 2020 which seems like forever ago.
Two Great Egrets stared at each other over a bunch of Snowy Egrets. The Snowy in front just couldn’t hold a pose.
Also known as sometimes you miss the more interesting activity.
She made a nice two-point landing with a dainty splash.
But wait, there’s more!
I missed the drake hitting the water, but got a classic image of the two of them paddling after touch down.
I was saving this post, for reasons I’ve now forgotten. Maybe it was too much like other posts from last May.
With winter’s dull colors all around us this seems like a good time to show off all this green. And the GBH.
Busking not as in a street performance, but a threat display or the same posture used for “wind-assisted transportation” per Wikipedia.
The wind assist was not something I’ve seen described elsewhere, but there was a stiff breeze this day. Two Mute Swans were traveling the length of this 600 foot (185M) long pond in no time, so it would not surprise me.
A water performance and no tips expected, the Mute Swans at Middleton Place were very entertaining.
