I was busy watching a Green Heron when I realized there was a commotion going on in a nearby tree top.
The juvenile Grackle was calling out his hunger in a big way.
After delivering a good size insect the chick continued to call for more.
The adult was not persuaded to go after another round of food and stayed put, listening to the chatter.
The Eastern Kingbird is a perky flycatcher known for being tyrannical. These two entertained me as they called and flitted along a tree line running between two ponds.
There may have been a third one, it was hard to tell the way they were moving around.
At least this one was behaving like a juvenile waiting for food to be brought.
He made a few forays out over the water after bugs but I’m not sure he caught any before getting safely back to his perch.
The female Painted Bunting is drab when compared to the multicolored male, but seen on her own is quite a pretty, in shades of green and brown.
This female flitted increasingly further from me in her quest for a snack.
Yesterday I spent some time in a quiet corner of Magnolia Plantation where pine forest and marshland come together. There is a small field that is kept mowed around a few scraggly trees, perfect for a Summer Tanager to hunt for bugs.
I watched this one flit back and forth in the higher tree branches until he took a break down closer to the ground.
There had been a heavy rain the night before and the leftover puddles of water made a great bird bath. This Common Grackle showed off his iridescence before he jumped in.
Head first, he splashed some water around.
Grackles tend to hang out in flocks and make a lot of noise. This one was off on his own and quietly went about his bath ritual.
Splish, splash.
This wider view shows the trail and a Squirrel ignoring the bathing proceedings.
You looking at me?
The Tufted Titmouse is a perky bird that I haven’t seen much of in South Carolina. This one was flitting along a tree line at the edge of the swamp.
He paused for about 30 seconds allowing me a brief photo-shoot.
His animated behavior brought my attention to this Northern Mockingbird perched in a well clipped hedge. He seemed to have an itch and something to say.
Zoom in on this first image to see the papillae or spines on the roof of his mouth, something I rarely see in my bird photographs.
He was not at all concerned that I was watching.
All fluffed up after his scratching episode this fellow looks like a youngster. It was the last day of October and the references say Mockingbirds can have up to three broods a year.
Finally, he struck a Mockingbird pose then went about his business down the hedge.
Despite seeing Northern Cardinals pretty regularly, I found it a challenge to get a good image of one. This one surprised me landing over my head as I was watching warblers at ground level. He had a lot going for him: classic pose with his crest up, aligned to the sun for the catch light in his eye, his feathers tidy and uniformly colored and oh, yes, that red.
Most of the leaves had fallen off the tree where he perched giving me a clear view. Cardinals in our area tend to be quite skittish; this one didn’t seem to care that I was watching him.
It was easy to see this Blue Grosbeak flitting along in the grass of a roadside field, although I wasn’t sure what it was. I eased out of the car and was able to get an image with a clear view of his head.
Grosbeaks are in the Cardinalidae family along with Cardinals, Buntings and Tanagers, all identifiable by their prominent bill. The Blue Grosbeak is slightly larger than an Indigo Bunting and breeding males have chestnut wingbars.
Wouldn’t a late afternoon bath be refreshing?
Why, yes!
Hanging out over the swamp waters makes it an easy task.
A little splish splash.
Grackle looking pretty.
