I saw this Mississippi Kite land or might not have noticed him, way up overhead.
He sat right there while I shifted around to get the light on his good side.
And sat there some more. I hoped to see him take off, but finally gave up waiting and I moved on.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
July 4, 2026
A pair of Red-shouldered Hawks were hanging around near one of the ponds at Magnolia Plantation yesterday providing me another great opportunity for my first time using the OM System camera.
With fewer leaves on the trees and this one calling out I was able to spot him after he landed right above me.
Never posing together, they took turns on the dead tree and zooming in and out of the woods, seeming to enjoy the warm afternoon rather than hunting.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
November 17, 2025
A Bald Eagle made a wide circular pass over the pond after he made a dive into the water, and caught a stick.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
September 10, 2024
I was walking the path along the Ashley River at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and there he was, on broken limb directly over the path.
Based on the fuzzy look around his head this is likely one of this year’s owlets.
I passed underneath him and got a nice view looking back as he worked on some personal grooming.
A wider view shows how easy it would have been to miss him amid the dangling Spanish Moss and how closely his color and pattern match the tree limb.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
July 11, 2025
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
May 1, 2025
This Barred Owl was less than ten feet from the boardwalk at Beidler Forest. Ted walked on by him. Two men, one with photography gear and one with a spotting scope, walked on by him. I got right here and jumped when I saw him.
The other two men heard me exclaim “oh!” and turned back. Ted was far enough ahead that he missed the whole thing. The owl sat for a few moments then decided to move his hunting expedition a bit further away.
Audubon Beidler Forest, Harleyville, SC
April 17, 2025
The healthy palm tree behind the stump of a dead one made a nice backdrop for this Red-shouldered Hawk.
If he had landed in the live one I never would have spotted him.
The hawk did a delicate pirouette to change his position.
Then stopped for a nice frontal pose.
Then he flew into a nearby tree where he was totally focused on his view of the ground.
Orlando Wetlands, Christmas, FL
February 11, 2025
Well, probably not new for the hawk. We frequently see one or both of the local pair of Red-shouldered Hawks in the upper levels of this gnarly tree surveying their territory.
They probably don’t think about their landing spots as much as I do–where ever food can be seen will work.
He spotted something…
and was off.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
February 2, 2025
A pair of Red-shouldered Hawks caught my ear as I was about to head back to my car at the end of the afternoon. Then I spotted them, swooping, then landing at the top of this tree. It looks like there could be some nest material there, although it would be early for them.
I moved along as the tree was never going to allow a good angle and at a half hour before sundown I didn’t expect any more movement.
I was wrong. The pair came together in a nearby tree with a better vantage point for me.
Then they rearranged themselves.
Then rearranged themselves again, with one of them flying in a big circle before picking its spot.
That was the end of the photo shoot; even with no leaves on the tree there wasn’t going to be a nice side-by-side portrait.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
January 7, 2025
The Bald Eagle pair was perched in their usual treetop location on the Magnolia Plantation grounds when I passed by on Friday.
I found out from a photographer friend that while I was walking the 300 feet (90 M) from the above location to a better vantage point the pair had mated. She was pretty excited as she had captured their interaction.
The pair hung around for about twenty minutes, then first one took off.
Gracefully gliding towards the Ashely River…
Not to be left behind…
…less then twenty seconds later the second one followed along.
They flew out of my sight, up the river towards what I suspect is their nest.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
January 17, 2025
