This was a quiet January day at the north end of Folly Island, without even a gull in sight. This pile of driftwood marks the spot where high tide can trap you on the beach if you aren’t watchful.
This listing light, decommissioned in 1962, guided ships near Charleston Harbor. Once on shore, shifting sands have resulted in the light now being off shore, surrounded by sand bars. All remnants of the accompanying housing complex are long gone.
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The water was still and the reflections sharp as the sun went down.
Birds that had been squabbling an hour before managed to settle in as darkness approached. I’d like to know how much of that goes on after dark, but I’m not sure I’m brave enough to stay.
Another pond with wonderful reflections on the way back to the car.
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This Great Blue Heron was speaking to its mate on a recent foggy morning at the rookery.
No one came so he/she took a trip around the pond, returning to repeat the ritual. I had my shutter speed set too low to get any flight shots.
The Great Blue Heron’s neck feathers were on full display to help with mate attraction.
Most of the pairs and singles were quiet by their nests for the hour we were there, seen below. There were a few Anhinga in the tree, too.
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Magnolia Plantation Heron Rookery, January 16, 2017.
In less than an hour the sky went from mostly cloudy, to dotted clouds, to full sun on a recent morning. The wind that was moving the clouds was only aloft, with only a slight breeze at ground level.
The big pond at Donnelley Wildlife Management Area reflected it all. Bare trees and the Spanish Moss give a silvery sheen in the early morning light.
A few Great Blue Herons were prowling around the perimeter and some ducks splashed in the distance, too far for a photo.
In the silent gaps between airplanes and dogs barking in the distance the noises of the ducks carried through the stillness. It was almost solitude.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, 1/12/2017.
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One Roseate Spoonbill perched in a tree above a pond full of Alligators. I stopped counting at 60 and I’m sure there were more hidden in the reeds and along the banks.
From a distance the alligators looked like logs bobbing in the pond. Most of them didn’t move much but make no mistake they were alive.
Don’t fall in!
Donnelly Wildlife Management Area, Colleton County, South Carolina, 11/25/2016.
The heron and egret rookery at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is currently home to a few alligators and some turtles. Several weeks ago there were still a few Little Blue Herons and Great Egrets; none were around on Sunday. We’ll be returning periodically over the next month watching for the duck migrants then the return of the herons and egrets.
In the meantime the colors of fall were quite striking on the still water.
The tree dripping with Spanish Moss below held several Great Blue Heron nests late last winter then was taken over by various Egrets through the summer. The island with the larger trees also had multiple nests. On this day one lone Ibis was watching the swamp.
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Harsh photos with silvery water and mud background at low tide with most of the water drained out of the marshland around the Stono River.
These photos were taken from an old railroad bed turned to rail trail with limited options to change my angle.
The wading birds pursued fish in the narrowing stream, seemingly oblivious to the mud.
This small jetty helped create the splash and served as a seat while waiting for just the right combination of waves and wildlife to come into view.
On this day Pelicans, Gulls and Dolphins were all possibilities to be included in the shot. I need to go back and try again.
Morris Island Light as viewed from Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve at the northeastern tip of Folly Island, SC.
Very few birds around North Cove in Essex today even though the water was calm.
A weeping willow is showing a hint of spring across the cove.
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The Pineapple Fountain at the Charleston, SC, Waterfront Park.
