After his less than elegant landing on the other side of the pond this Great Blue Heron decided to move on.
A few flaps of his wings and he cleared the pond and headed for the dike by the river.
A few palm trees along he path let us know we are in the south.
Middleton Place, Charleston, SC
September 14, 2021
Letting it shine
And a slow starter
White Ibis are busy birds, poking and pecking as they go along looking for about anything to eat.
Usually in the water, this trio led a parade along the bank of a pond.
The water at the edge of the pond was too deep for them to wade so they worked their way around on the grass.
One stopped to take in the view.
Middleton Place, Charleston, SC
September 14, 2021
This Great Blue Heron flew across the pond as I approached. I had a nice view as the pondside reeds have been cut back.
The water was high and he didn’t stop at the edge of where they sometimes hang out, even with Alligators lurking at the edge.
The heron lifted up over that Hummock, headed for a nearby tree.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
September 19, 2021
Tamron 19-400 MM lens, with some chromatic aberration in the flight over water images that Topaz sharpen made worse. The first two images are without any sharpening.
Most of the time the wading birds don’t pay any attention to each other.
They each just go about their business.
No matter how close they get.
Passing by!
Front row seats for everyone.
A large Yellow Swallowtail was working all around a planting of purple salvia.
The butterfly was working hard, in almost constant motion.
As was I as I circled the garden seeking a fully open wing image.
Middleton Plantation, Charleston, SC
September 14, 2021
A profiling Alligator caught my attention as I passed by. I couldn’t hear any growling or other noise, but kept my eye on him. He might have been eating something or just showing off.
The action was all over in a few seconds, and that was the end of the excitement.
At least from my viewpoint. It’s hard to know what, if anything, either Alligator was thinking.
He squawked, otherwise I would have walked right by without seeing him.
I’ve recently commented that I haven’t seen many butterflies this summer. Last week at Middleton Place I was surprised to find several species, three that were attracted to Lantana.
First was this rather tattered Black Swallowtail.
This Buckeye was another tattered example.
Then a very good looking Fritillary. I always say the ones I see are Gulf Fritillaries, but that may not be true.
Feet together for a perfect ten-point landing.
Whoa, something went wrong.
Shake it up…I meant to do that!
