The water was still and the air was hot. A few gulls and terns occupied old posts standing in the pond while an Anhinga dried off on a stump.
Even though it was early morning when you expect to see the birds feeding there wasn’t much going on.
Trees and grasses on the other side of the pond made interesting reflections in the water.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC, 8/12/2019
At the height of summer the reeds growing along the dikes that run through the old rice fields impede the view of the water. Turning them into lemonade, they are pretty with a few puffy clouds thrown in.
Taken July 2018.
The sun was fully up, the tide was coming in, and there was a lot to look at. I only took two shots of what I now can see I could have spent more time on.
The dike where I took Black Vultures sitting in this tree takes a 90 degree turn which gave me a different vantage point for this post’s images. The sun was now behind the birds and it was very hazy.
The outline of the tree and birds is pretty interesting, as is the postion of the two Vultures seen here. The third Vulture is in that clump in the middle in the first image.
An empty shell on the beach, just as nature left it with the outgoing tide.
More than other wading birds I see the Roseate Spoonbills often act like they are playing “king of the hill,” jockeying for the top spot or poking at each other to move along.
When pushed enough they take a less desirable spot on this little clump.
This pond is not tidal; the water level is controlled by the SC Department of Natural Resources and on this day it was high. There is an inlet behind where I was standing that is tidal and when the tide goes out the Spoonbills will fly over there to feed in the shallower stream. In the meantime they amuse themselves, and me, with tree antics.
May 2019, Donnelley Wildlife Management Area
It was morning, before 9am, so I was surprised to see these Black Vultures hunkered down in this dead tree. Perhaps they had been the early birds and already completed breakfast.
It was hot (82 F/ 28 C) and hazy, so resting was probably a good idea but some spot that was less exposed to the sun might have been a better choice.
This dead tree has lost a pretty good chunk since the last time I photographed birds here… Wood Storks in a Dead Tree
I was hoping to see this Carolina Anole catch a bug, but nothing came his way while I was watching.
I was able to get images from a couple of angles and he just hung there, even his tail stayed still.
Lastly, a broader view of where the anole was perched, about 5 feet ( 1 1/2 Meters) off the ground. He was still there when I moved on down the trail.
Click on any image for a larger view.
I’m attracted to gaudy chandeliers, not that I would want one, but the bling does draw my eye.
The light from the huge Palladian window (three-sections where the center section is arched and larger than the two side sections) makes images a challenge.
The cantilevered staircase (fixed to the wall with no other support) provides an elegant setting intended to impress Charleston society.
This home has had a number of uses since it was built in 1803 for the Manigault family’s city residence and was nearly torn down for a gas station in 1920. It is now owned by The Charleston Museum which operates daily interpretive tours.
Joseph Manigault House, Meeting Street, Charleston, SC
