I don’t know how they know, but this bird sure was aware something was about to happen.
Oh, my mate, you are back!
Double checking to make sure I know you…
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
January 17, 2025 — before the snow and big freeze
While I was watching the White Ibis feed a Great Blue Heron flew from his nest in the big island to grab some building material. He was wading around in the swampy area to the left, selecting and discarding a number of choices. Finally he emerged with this teeny stick.
Ravenswood Pond, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
January 17, 2025
Wading birds require a lot of preening to keep their feathers healthy. This is the same Great Blue Heron from yesterday’s post, taking a break from working on attracting a mate and focusing on his feathers. And yoga-ish bend and turn. The sky was a boisterous mix of clouds that afternoon.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
December 17, 2024
… just a little.
This Great Blue Heron appeared to be trying to attract a mate, but he wasn’t really giving his all. He gave that one short call and that was it. He’s got some serious work to do gathering sticks if he wants a female to give him more than a passing glance. The males start the nests around the rookery, with the females providing improvement instructions when she chooses a mate.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
December 17, 2024
A Great Blue Heron has staked a claim for a prime nest site in the Skinny Tree.
A few nest materials have been added, and now there is nothing to do but hold the territory.
Usually the males start the nests before the females return to the rookery area for the season. This could be a male that is in hopes of luring a female to his creation.
Or this could be the next step, the female guarding the nest spot while the male is off doing his thing. Either way there is a lot of waiting involved in getting a new family started.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
December 17, 2024
This is one of my favorite spots even on a dull, grey day. The pond surface was smooth, making a nice reflection with the bit of color left in the trees. The silvery Spanish Moss and leafless branches bring thoughts of winter.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
December 8, 2024
A few Great Blue Herons have come back to Ravenswood Pond, showing some signs of claiming nesting territory. This one was flying up and down the pond with great purpose. His competition was doing the same then after about a half hour they all flew off together, maybe to get breakfast.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
November 27, 2024
Several of the Juvenile Great Blue Herons have left their nests around Magnolia Plantation. This one didn’t go far and was practicing his hunting skills when I passed him last week. His much smaller sibling was still in the skinny tree nest and I don’t know if the adults will continue to feed this one or if he is completely on his own now.
He exhibited the patience these herons are known for and he had some success…
… including being able to discard the vegetation he snagged…
… while keeping his prey.
Gone in one swallow!
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
May 24, 2024
A Great Blue Heron was wandering the bank of the big old rice field pond. This bank was raised a few years ago when the pond was dredged to better accommodate the nature boat that Magnolia operates as part of their tourist operation.
It hasn’t been a pretty place to take photographs in the interim, but this year a variety of “weeds” have taken hold. You can still see some of the dredged mud behind the heron, but it does make a nice backdrop for our view of the bird.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
April 30, 2024
Dappled sunlight filtered through the trees to light up a spot where a Great Blue Heron landed in front of me.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
April 28, 2024
