Mourning Dove In Dead Tree

I wasn’t sure what this bird was at first, but his postion in a dead tree made an interesting image.

Mourning Dove in Dead Tree
Mourning Dove in Dead Tree

Mourning Doves are fast when they take off, and I don’t think I ever got an image of one in flight before.

Mourning Dove in Dead Tree
Mourning Dove in Dead Tree

He had flight skills to show off, too.

Mourning Dove in Dead Tree
Mourning Dove in Dead Tree

Did I say fast? And also they are prone to changing their flight plan as they go, so tracking him didn’t pan out so well. But he was looking right at me as he went by.

Mourning Dove in Flight
Mourning Dove in Flight

Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC
August 21, 2023

Little Blue Heron Checking The Sky

This Little Blue Heron has just a few remnants of his juvenile white feathers. By next year’s breeding season he’ll be a full adult and completely blue.

Little Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron

He seemed to have something to say, and I was expecting him to fly.

Little Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron

What?

Little Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron

I have no idea what caught his eye, but he did not fly.

Little Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron

He did, however, give the sky a good look.

Little Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
August 20, 2023

Green Heron On Branch

This Green Hero seemed un-phased that he was being watched. Usually they are quick to fly when humans approach, but this one not only stayed for this photo session, when I looked from the other side of the pond twenty minutes later he was still there.

Green Heron
Green Heron

Looking at the duck weed stuck to his legs I expect he recently had been feeding along the pond edge.

Green Heron
Green Heron

Then it was all about tidying up, preening each feather.

Green Heron
Green Heron

A cloud went over the sun just as the heron turned towards me, completely changing the light.

Green Heron
Green Heron

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
August 20, 2023

Great Blue Heron

The early morning sun made an interesting pattern across the sides of this walkway as a Great Blue Heron flew up.

Great Blue Heron Flying By Walkway
Great Blue Heron Flying By Walkway

This pond is part of the new Dorchester County Ashley River Park and I suspect this GBH has taken the pond on as his own. He was very comfortable with human passerby and I saw him fly back and forth several times.

Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron

Ashley River Park, Summerville, SC
August 1, 2023