This pair of shore birds, probably Lesser Yellowlegs, worked their way up a marsh inlet as the tide was going out, probing for breakfast.
Other Yellowlegs that I have seen actually have obvious yellow legs. I’m not sure if this pair is just too muddy to tell for sure or if it’s their age.
Or they are a different bird. The Merlin identification app also suggested they might be Long-billed Dowitchers.
They didn’t find much sustenance when I was watching, but they were pretty in the morning sun.
From a distance this wasp nest looked like a dried flower head jammed into these branches. When I got close enough to see the insect movement I could tell that it was not a flower at all.
It’s interesting that the nest appeared to have a uniform depth and I couldn’t tell what was supporting the disk. The wasps were crawling around the outside of the nest, not coming and going as I would have expected.
All this empty shoreline and you had to land here?
The Great Blue Heron was tucked out of my sight until the Great Egret touched down.
The wading birds follow each other, usually hoping to capitalize on a good fishing opportunity. Why else would the Great Blue Heron have chosen this spot?
I try not to anthropomorphize the wildlife I see but there often are similarities in the behavior, if not the intention, to human activity. These Roseate Spoonbills did their version of King of the Hill for at least an hour, with no obvious winner.
In addition to wanting to be top bird, some of them also wanted to dismantle the “hill,” removing twigs from the main branch, eventually dropping them.
Some squabbling broke out, but wasn’t serious enough for any of them to leave.
The pond wasn’t very deep and those pushed off the limb easily stood in the water, until they decided to push another bird off.
Click on any image for larger view.
This juvenile Green Heron was just sitting in the water. He eventually splashed a little, but he seemed content just to be wet on this hot June day.
This pool is part of a pond / fountain system of moving water in a Charleston city park. This tree is at the edge of a small island in the pond that houses a Green Heron rookery. The water is cloudy so you can’t see bottom to tell what color it might be painted but may be the cause of the odd color.
The heron eventually climbed out of the water and shook off before settling down in the shade.
Sony Alpha-6500, Sony 55-210 MM lens
Blogger Liz, author of New Zealand based Exploring Colour, has collected a group of “Predator and Prey” posts from photography blogs that she follows. Check out these fascinating images and stories of the world around us that I and fellow photographers have documented.
The reality of the natural world is that some creatures eat other creatures to survive. Nature photographers spend a lot of time outside and sometimes capture dramatic moments in the struggle for survival. Their photos and stories may shock us but we can learn so much from these encounters – animals seem capable of much more planning, strategy and applied knowledge than what most of us humans ever give them credit for.
** Click on any photo to view large-size version **
Note: Each photographer’s website/blog is listed at the bottom of this blog-post.
Mike Powell | Snake catches catfish | 20 July, 2017
View original post 409 more words
It was so weird looking I had to stop.
And large, it was at least a foot tall (0.3 Meters).
My brief attempt to identify it took me down many paths but rather than get sidetracked with that, I’ll say it is a fungus growing on a fallen log in a pine forest.
I was intrigued by this old shed on the grounds of Swan Lake Iris Gardens when we visited in early February. The boards and vines made an interesting collage.
On last week’s visit I was delighted to see the shed covered in trumpet vine and looking somewhat like a Chia Pet, with an elephant trunk.
I’m not that familiar with Trumpet Vine and don’t know how the blooming process goes. There were just a few blooms fully trumpeting and I wonder if this shed will be covered with blossoms. Trumpet Vine is a favorite of humming birds but I didn’t see any.
If you aren’t familiar, “Chia Pets are American styled terracotta figurines used to sprout chia, where the chia sprouts grow within a couple of weeks to resemble the animal’s fur or hair.”
— Wikipedia.
What seemed like a fad, these do-it-yourself kits have been around since the 1970s. Everything from cats and dogs to political figures have been represented. The jingle is now rattling around in my head.
This colorful caterpillar stood out from the plain greenery which he was eating, which is how I happened to see him. A mob of Red-winged Black Birds was in the area and I was expecting him to get picked off as I watched.
He was methodically consuming the leaf, munching back and forth straight across the top.
A wider view shows there was some red foliage nearby, which may have helped camouflage him.
4/26/2018 On the dike at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens.
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.
