On our last few trips to Donnelley Wildlife Management Area we have encountered onesies and twosies of a variety of birds. Interesting but not the winter numbers that we’ve been expecting. Yesterday we hit the jackpot, starting with these American White Pelicans that have just recently arrived from their northern sojourn.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
November 30, 2023
Pied-billed Grebes are excellent divers, often disappearing with hardly a ripple in the water.
This one treated me to a slow motion descent:
Going…
Going…
Gone…
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 21, 2023
His feathers still well separated from being wet, this Anhinga must have just climbed out of the pond.
From a little further down the path, the tree reflections, pond surface, and light were quite different.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
July 25, 2023
With their long tail Anhinga are more suited to branch or dock sitting, I don’t often see one standing on the ground.
I wasn’t going to see this one for long, either.
Ready…
Set…
Liftoff!
Feet tucked in…
And away she went…
Ashley River Park, Summerville, SC
August 1, 2023
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
July 25, 2023
Common Gallinules are usually very skittish, calling out with their wild cackle and running away over the water well before you get close.
This one had a different approach, just standing on a tree branch that had fallen at the edge of a pond…
… seemingly with out a care in the world as he preened a bit…
…had a look around…
…then stepped into the water…
…silently moving on to his next adventure.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
July 25, 2023
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida
January 17, 2023
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
June 16, 2023
With an audience of an Alligator and me, this Anhinga seemed to have something to say.
Magnolia Plantation & Garden, Charleston, SC
June 16, 2023
Most of the bigger birds I’ve watched nesting gather sticks off the ground or take easily snapped dead limbs for their nesting materials.
Anhingas prefer live branches.
It may have something to do with their feet and ability to land in live trees.
This fellow wasn’t having much luck and dropped at least one branch in the water below.
He made an empty trip back to the nest but pretty quickly returned to try again.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
February 23, 2023
