It was a cloudless morning so the sunrise wasn’t spectacular. Other than that the not to be taken for granted fact that sun rose another day. There was a nice orange glow for a few minutes.
An Alligator was out moving around early.
A Great Blue Heron announced his presence.
The same GBH passed a pair of Tricolored Herons going the other way.
Just before the sun topped the tree line the orange intensified.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 21, 2023
I saw this one Monarch Butterfly flitting around wild statice.
Grassland-Woodland Trail
Audubon Center at Beidler Forest, Harleyville, SC
May 29, 2023
An Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly perched on a leaf with a potential Mayfly snack on the underside.
A few minutes before I had watched another one of these damselflies chase a Mayfly. They both exhibited serious flying skills and that time the Mayfly prevailed. Here, I wondered if the damselfly knew the Mayfly was there.
Francis Beidler Forest, SC
April 7, 2023
A few dragonflies were perching on these giant leaves, which I believe are Powdery Alligator-flag.
The dragonfly, a Blue Dasher? I didn’t get a good enough image of his abdomen to see if there were stripes. The Great Blue Skimmer is described as “very large” … the Blue Dasher as “small.” Hmmm.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
April 12, 2023
An Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly, perhaps recently emerged based on the translucence of the wings.
Unfortunately his head isn’t in sharp focus, but the wings and shadow are interesting.
Francis Beidler Forest, SC
April 7, 2023
If you wait long enough an Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly will open and close its wings.
Their outsized heads tend to make nice shadows in the right light.
Wings closed is their most common position when I have seen them.
They do chose some interesting leaves to land on, including this poison ivy.
Francis Beidler Forest, SC
March 31, 2023
Audubon Center at Beidler Forest, Harleyville, SC
April 4, 2023
Eastern Pondhawk Dragonflies are ground perchers and are often well camouflaged by fallen leaves and other detritus.
This one nicely posed up on two different fallen tree branches.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
March 30, 2023
I spotted this sun drenched Camellia bloom way down the trail I was walking.
As I was photographing it I realized I was being watched:
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
March 30, 2023
