A pair of Black Swallowtails were doing their thing along the edge of a pond.
Quick poses then flitting along at full speed constituted much of the action.
Then they stopped for an interaction, somewhat shielded from my view by tall grass.
I liked the intersection of the curlicue vine with the butterfly’s antennae and the nicer view of the blue wing spots in this last image.
April 28. 2020
A few days after I posted Magnolia Plantation Cupola, River Side I was in the same place with a similar sky and a shorter lens on my camera.
Without much contrasting color to break up all that green I processed these images with a vintage photo look.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
For a view of the other side of the house see my post from November 2019: Magnolia Plantation, the House
In remeberence.
Luck and being aware of movement play a role in nature photography. I happened to catch this fellow moving and only when I got a little closer and peered around some limbs could I tell it was a Yellow-crowned Night-heron.
I was then surprised to see a nest, with a nice curtain of Spanish Moss on one side and leaves on the other.
There were two adults present and after a bit one of them stepped out for a photograph or two.
Alligators take casual swims around this pond, often looking for a sunny spot to get out of the water. After some heavy rains they have less places to choose.
I liked the mottled reflections of the trees in the pond, dissected by the passing Alligator.
Lines and more lines of an Alligator, a dead branch, lots of vegetation and all of their reflections.
A storm seemed imminent with darkening clouds and some distant thunder so I was headed back to my car from the swamp. A number of Grackles were entertaining me along the way, including this one perched on a slowly deteriorating tree. The tree reminds me of an artwork, perhaps a wrist and hand holding up the sky.
A few more steps along and a different look to the sky and those outstretched fingers.
I had driven barely a mile down the road when the sun came out bright. I’ve learned that summer thunder/rain storms around Charleston can be very localized and nothing to mess with.
At one time a wide lawn leading up to the Ashley River side of Magnolia Plantation would have been the welcome to visitors who had journeyed via boat from Charleston. Now that expanse has narrowed with trees and there is no clear view of the whole house from the river bank.
I was ready for wildlife photography with my 100-400 MM lens attached, but the impending storm made a cool sky so I took some images between the trees at 100 MM.
If you are zooming in to see the weather vane details you’ll see spots. At first I thought my lens might be dirty but after comparing the images I’m pretty sure those are rain drops.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
For a view from the other side see my post from November 2019: Magnolia Plantation, the House
A Great Blue Heron flew to a high perch above the pond after feeding.
A storm was brewing in the distance, the GBH carried on preening.
A storm was approaching and it was getting dark late in the afternoon. I was graced with a fly by just as I was heading for the car.
This Great Egret had places to go.
There was very little reflection on the shadowy side of the pond, it seemed like the egret was flying into a cave.
His awkwardness gave the Carolina Wren away as a young ‘un.
His feet seemed a bit big for his body but boy could he sing like a seasoned pro.
Oops, leaned a bit too far.
