All posts by Ellen Jennings

The Spoonie Tree Finally Tipped Over

August 22, 2026 Ellen Jennings 7 Comments

I’ve watched this tree slowly tilt for many years. It was upright at our last visit in June, when there wasn’t much going on but I did take one shot of the tree:

Sometime between then and August 9 it tipped over.

The Spoonie Tree, August 9, 2026: Snowy Egret, Cormorant, and Great Egret

Hopefully it will continue to provide a bird soap box for years.

The Spoonie Tree, Cormorant and Great Egret

A few posts documenting the tree’s demise:

February 2024: Cormorants in the Spoonie Tree

August 2023: The Spoonie Tree, August 2023

November 2021: The Spoonie Tree, Slowly It Tilts

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
August 9, 2026

Flowers

Moonflower, With Morning Glory

August 14, 2026 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

The moonflower was closing and the morning glory had opened, about 1/2 hour before sunrise.

August 12, 2026

Flowers

Moonflower, 1

August 12, 2026 Ellen Jennings 4 Comments

Moonflowers are a nighttime blooming member of the Morning Glory family. The blooms last just a few hours. These were taken around sunrise as they were closing.

August 8, 2026

Reptiles

Carolina Anole, Arbor Explorer

August 12, 2026 Ellen Jennings 6 Comments

This Anole was taking his time, flashing his dewlap to anyone that was looking, and checking out the view from the top of our backyard arbor. The vines are a combo of moonflower and morning glory.

August 8, 2026

Wading Birds

Green Heron

August 8, 2026 Ellen Jennings 9 Comments

Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC
August 5, 2026

Wading Birds

Black-crowned Night-heron

July 30, 2026 Ellen Jennings 3 Comments

A Black-crowned Night-heron is standing on bottom of the pond which is normally covered with about a foot of water. The water had been drained for some repairs to the dike.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
July 4, 2026

Shore Birds

Black Skimmer Fishing, Set 2

July 30, 2026 Ellen Jennings 6 Comments

This is another series of a Black Skimmer fishing at the Magnolia Plantation boat pond on July 4th.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
July 4, 2026

Flowers

Canna Lily

July 22, 2026 Ellen Jennings 9 Comments

We stopped by a boggy spot affectionately known as the frog farm where we frequently see tree frogs, dragonflies, anoles…all sorts of little creatures hanging out on the plants.