Light pollution keeps us from seeing much of the sky’s offerings at night anywhere around Charleston. We had a fabulous opportunity to go out to Bulls Island last night at the new moon with the milky way fully extended above us.
I read up all sorts of tips and tutorials; in the end just doing it was the best teacher.
On the negative side I could not get sharp focus on the stars so my images are all soft and I didn’t get to a place with a good foreground element. On the plus side, it was a fabulous experience seeing the milky way, listening to the ocean, and taking it all in. I definitely want to do it again.
Milky Way Over North End of Bulls Island
Some swaying sea oats lend some visual interest:
Milky Way Over North End of Bulls Island
Canon 7D Mark II
Canon 24mm, F2.8, ISO 3200, 20 seconds
Bulls Island, Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, SC
September 24, 2022
Ted and I went on a fundraising / educational trip to Bulls Island to promote the Loggerhead Turtle nesting spearheaded by the Coastal Expeditions Foundation. Money and citizen knowledge are two things that are helping these turtles successfully nest in Cape Romain.
We were treated to an amazing and unexpected experience when one of the wildlife technicians that monitors the nests released five hatchlings that had fallen behind their nest mates. I waded into the water for a unique view, but not standing still as the sand shifted beneath my feet.
Loggerhead Turtle Hatchling Going Into Ocean – about 2 inches (5 cm) long
Loggerhead Turtle Hatchling Going Into Ocean
Loggerhead Turtle Hatchling Going Into Ocean
The next wave swept him away and I got one shot of him paddling off.
Loggerhead Turtle Hatchling In Ocean
Bulls Island, Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, SC
July 24, 2022
Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge is the most significant nesting site north of Florida on the Eastern seaboard. Over 3000 nests are laid on the barrier island beaches of this refuge each summer, and it takes a legion of volunteers and two wildlife technicians to handle the task of protecting and categorizing every loggerhead nest.
Every year, this program needs to be fully funded from outside donations and grants to pay for the seasonal salaries of two wildlife technicians and two interns. The Coastal Expeditions Foundation handles this $50,000 commitment through fundraisers and grass roots donations.
Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, extending 22 miles along the South Carolina Coast, is a rich mosaic of barrier islands with forest and ponds, vast salt marshes and intricate waterways. This diverse and dynamic system supports over 293 bird species and a myriad of other wildlife. Over fifty percent of refuge lands are designated a Class I National Wilderness Area.
In early May I went on a combo boat – hiking trip with fifteen enthusiastic adventurers into the Congaree National Park, about 18 miles southeast of Columbia, the SC state capital.
Congaree River
After traveling up the winding Congaree River from the Bates Bridge Landing we went into the forest to see some amazingly large, and old, trees.
Congaree National Park
Very big trees!
Congaree National Park
Photography in the forest that shows the relative size is hampered by–the forest.
Congaree National Park, Cypress Knees Everywhere
We ate our lunch with a couple of the biggest, including this one.
Congaree National Park, Cypress Knees that were several feet tall
Much of the forest floor was muddy, and slippery. And yes I fell. Holding my camera high
Working with images that have sparkly water is a challenge and I don’t take nearly as many as I used to, knowing they’ll likely get deleted.
Ruddy Turnstones on Sand Bar
This day on our water trip to see the baby pelicans our captain commented how he always liked to see the sparkles, and how the light dance on the water appealed to him.
Ruddy Turnstones on Sand Bar
A pair of Ruddy Turnstones on a just exposed sandbar gave me a bit of a subject so I took a few shots.
Ruddy Turnstones on Sand Bar
A little further on a clump of grass growing from another sandbar caught my eye.
Coming back from seeing the baby Brown Pelicans we spotted several small pods of Bottlenose Dolphins in the Kiawah River. They are just plain fun to watch.
Ted and I went on the same guided boat adventure as last year to see the juvenile Pelicans at Bird Key Stono Seabird Sanctuary. This trip was much earlier in the young birds’ lives as they are still in the nests.
Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono
These pictures are taken from a bobbing boat; I did learn from last year and upped my shutter speed to 1/1600.
Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono
There are thousands of birds on this island right now, and as you might expect there were always some in flight. The parents have to go for food, and swoop in and out constantly.
Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono, Maybe a Cloudless Sulfer flying over
The chicks are still in the nests, which are collections of sticks/reeds, with the young being protected by an adult from the sun. As you can see in the center top a few are starting to move around.
Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono, Dragonflies
Laughing Gulls are also nesting here and were flying all over, constantly chattering.
Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono
June 1, 2022
Bird Key, not much more than a sandbar, is a barrier island that sits in the mouth of the Stono River, between Kiawah and Folly Islands.
