We took a winding “short cut” from the North Santee River to the South Santee River.
Trees crowded and overhung the river bank, with golden reflections all around.
November 8, 2021
Santee Delta By Boat, Reflections
Category Archives: Landscape
Santee Delta By Boat, 1
The first week of November we took a boat trip in South Carolina’s Santee Delta, about half way between Charleston and Myrtle Beach.
We starting at a public boat landing where US Route 17 crosses the North Santee River and headed up river. These images were from the first stretch of the river.
Once we passed a few docks with moored boats it was easy to imagine our boat of ten folks as the only humans for miles.
A variety of trees line the river bank, and were in various stages of color and leaf loss.
Santee River Trip with Coastal Expeditions
November 8, 2021
Resurrection Fern, Front Lit
A view of the fern featured in my post Resurrection Fern, Back Lit seen from the other side. The branch was conveniently parallel to the ground and just at my eye level.
Regrettably, I didn’t take an image that shows how big this branch is.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
November 17, 2021
Resurrection Fern, Back Lit
Early morning sunlight shining through dried Resurrection Fern and a few fallen leaves on a Live Oak branch.
Common all around the low country, this fern will go from brown to green in a matter of hours after a good rain.
This remarkable plant can lose about 75 percent of its water content during a typical dry period and possibly up to 97 percent in an extreme drought. During this time, it shrivels up to a grayish brown clump of leaves. When it is exposed to water again, it will “come back to life” and look green and healthy.
The resurrection fern is a type of epiphytic fern, which means it grows on top of other plants or structures and reproduces by spores, not seeds.
— National Wildlife Federation nwf.org/
Fall Colors, Donnelley Dike
I went down one of the dikes in an effort to get closer to the autumn color.
Some openings into the reeds allowed a colorful reflection. The gap on the closer side of the canal is an Alligator passage, created as they go back and forth from the bigger pond to the canals.
These canals are kept clear to allow the management of water flow to the back ponds.
I do not know plant that had gone to white fluff.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area
November 14, 2021
Great Egret, Fall Colors
I wonder if the limbs of the Spoonie Tree creek as a Great Egret works his way along them.
Knowing you can fly if needed probably gives some confidence, even if your perch is on its last legs.
The Great Egret found a satisfactory spot…
a little breeze ruffled his feathers as I dropped to a better angle for the background.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area
November 14, 2021
Fall Colors, Donnelley Pond
Pine trees dominate the South Carolina low country landscape, including most of the wildlife areas I frequent so I don’t see a lot of autumn color change.
The back edge of the big pond at Donnelley WMA is an exception, and more this year than I remember.
I didn’t expect to see so many Alligators out as it was only about 50 F (10 C).
If you zoom in on the next photo you’ll see Alligators gathered under the Spoonie Tree, which I recently featured in a post: The Spoonie Tree, Slowly It Tilts.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area
November 14, 2021
The Spoonie Tree, Slowly It Tilts
How low can it go before it falls?
First, a throw back to two years ago… changing water levels in the pond worked to carve out the earth under the roots. Alligator action might have played a role, too.
The smaller branches long gone, some kind of vegetation hid the base over this past summer.
At the beginning of October:
A couple of weeks later that cavity beneath the tree had collapsed.
I’m hoping the tree will stay around even after it collapses to serve as a perch for the wading and water birds.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
Moon Rising Over Middleton Place
The almost full moon was up, the sun had just gone down behind me casting a glow on the front of the South Flanker at Middleton Place.
Charleston, SC
October 19, 2021
Touch of Fall
A classic Maine scene with just a hint of fall color. My visit was about ten days too early to partake in leaf peeping.
September 28, 2021