Category Archives: Animals

Dolphins Strand Feeding: Pelican Audience

August 11, 2018 Ellen Jennings 8 Comments

These Dolphins were strand feeding on the opposite side of the river, at least 300 feet (90 Meters) from where I was standing. The photos don’t have nearly the detail as my Dolphins Strand Feeding: Success post, but I thought it was quite interesting to see the process from a different angle.

Not to mention the Pelicans that were keen on seeing if they could nab a fish from all the action.

The Pelicans were following the Dolphins as they swam up and down the river. I didn’t see any fish this time but the Pelican on the left made a quick exit as if he had something he didn’t want to share.

Animals

Dolphin

August 10, 2018 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

A Dolphin swimming

Casually down river

No rush, look around

Animals

Down on the Farm

August 9, 2018 Ellen Jennings 4 Comments

The draft horses had a short work day at Middleton Place today because of the heat, about 90 degrees F (30 degrees C) by noon.

Animals

Dolphins Strand Feeding: Success

August 7, 2018 Ellen Jennings 11 Comments

After the fishless stranding of my last post, I was fortunate to witness another strand feeding with the fish jumping wildly.

Three Dolphins had driven the fish to shore and the fish did their best not to become lunch.

The next photo is heavily cropped, but I wanted to show a closeup of the Dolphin – fish encounter. I’m not certain the Dolphin got this one, but it seems likely.

The frenzy only lasts a few seconds, then the Dolphins roll/flop back into the water, continuing to splash with their tails.

Animals

Dolphins Strand Feeding

August 6, 2018 Ellen Jennings 5 Comments

A number of Dolphin pods in South Carolina catch fish by a process known as strand feeding. Singly or in groups, they drive fish to the shore, aka strand, usually at a steep bank, then nab the fish.

To stay at a distance that is safe for the Dolphins doesn’t always result in the best images, but it sure is interesting to watch. I didn’t see any fish during this stranding.

Animals

Marsh Rabbit With Good Salad

July 6, 2018 Ellen Jennings 4 Comments

This Marsh Rabbit found a patch of grass that he didn’t want to give up. He saw me before I saw him when I first passed by and I jumped when he sprang into the water at the edge of the marsh with a big splash.

I didn’t expect to see him again, thinking he’d either moved further from the trail where humans pass regularly or had been lunch himself for a nearby alligator after creating all that commotion.

To my surprise when I returned he had come out into the open to have some more of that grass. It didn’t look like much to me but he was consuming his salad with gusto.

Animals

Deer Fawn

June 7, 2018 Ellen Jennings 8 Comments

Tucked into the roots of a Cypress Tree this new born fawn was hunkered down, surrounded by water.

I’m not sure how he got there; it would have been interesting to watch and know what was on the mother’s mind.

A few hundred feet away was a watchful pair of eyes and listening ears. This one seemed way to small to be the mother, perhaps it was an older cousin.

Animals

Fox Squirrel

May 11, 2018 Ellen Jennings 6 Comments

About twice the size of a grey squirrel, the Fox Squirrel can be found scattered around the coastal areas of South Carolina. This was the first time I got a really good look at one and some pictures other than a fleeing butt end.

He jumped from the ground to the side of the tree just like a common grey squirrel would. I was ready for him to go up the tree, but instead he just sprung off into space and zipped away.

The body of the Fox Squirrel can be grey, black or brown. All of the color variations share the black face mask and white nose and ear tips.

Animals

Rabbits

May 10, 2018 Ellen Jennings 5 Comments

I spotted these two rabbits about a half mile apart. The first one is a Swamp, or Marsh, Rabbit. I’m basing the identification on an educational sign posted near this location and that he is sitting in water / swamp vegetation.

I frequently spot one or more in the swamp edge or on one of the small islands just off the trail on the way to the heron rookery. They can move pretty fast even in the reeds and rarely do I see enough of one to get a photograph.

The second one was in a small grassy area behind one of the garden ponds. Until I compared the images I thought this was probably another Marsh Rabbit, but now see some differences. Leporidae is the family of rabbits and hares and with over 60 species I’m going to leave it at “Rabbit.”

Animals

Raccoons

March 12, 2018 Ellen Jennings 5 Comments

A mother Raccoon was herding three of her children along the edge of the Vierra Wetlands drive. The slope down away from the road is mowed and then there is a wide section of tall marsh grasses before an impoundment of open water.

We watched from the car as the family was weaving in and out of the taller grasses and reeds. Occasionally mama came further out into the mowed area to check back on what her charges were up to.

A family portrait was not on the agenda.

Vierra Wetlands, Florida, 2/21/2018.