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.
He seemed to have something to say, and I was expecting him to fly.
What?
I have no idea what caught his eye, but he did not fly.
He did, however, give the sky a good look.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
August 20, 2023
Another few Brown Pelican chick pictures… I’ve run out of things to say about them other than they are so interesting to see and I’m rooting for their survival.
The chicks need to be protected from the sun so the adults take turns providing shade. The darker brown on this adult’s neck is part of their breeding stage look.
Baby Pelican Cruise with Coastal Expeditions, leaving from Daniel Island on the Wando River side down to Charleston Harbor and the New Crab Bank just off Shem Creek.
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Charleston Harbor, SC
June 23, 2023
Some of the Pelicans were nesting at the base of Castle Pinkney. The fallen bricks weren’t a deterrent.
On another side of the castle the remnants of a pier had been reinforced with stone, also not a deterrent to the nesting birds.
A few other birds, including some Snowy Egrets were also using this rookery.
The chick in the center of this image has started to change color from the all white at hatching to brown.
Another view near the pilings.
Baby Pelican Cruise with Coastal Expeditions, leaving from Daniel Island on the Wando River side down to Charleston Harbor and the New Crab Bank just off Shem Creek.
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Charleston Harbor, SC
June 23, 2023
These bricks are on the Castle Pinkney grounds, maybe an old wall that fell, or debris from the castle itself. This older chick could walk around and had started to change into the adult brown colors.
An adult Pelican, sporting the dark brown breeding plumage on its neck, wasn’t far off, keeping an eye on the chick.
Baby Pelican Cruise with Coastal Expeditions, leaving from Daniel Island on the Wando River side down to Charleston Harbor and the New Crab Bank just off Shem Creek.
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Charleston Harbor, SC
June 23, 2023
This structure is part of Castle Pinkney in Charleston Harbor. Brown Pelicans are using the land around the castle as well as the castle itself for nesting.
The guide on this trip thought these two chicks had probably hatched within the proceeding 24 hours.
As we slowly went by I captured the pair with different backgrounds.
I researched Castle Pinkney when I got home wondering how thick that wall is. I did not get a definitive answer, but it is likely 2 to 3 feet (1 Meter) so these two young birds weren’t in immediate danger of falling backward. Forward of course looks like a huge risk.
Baby Pelican Cruise with Coastal Expeditions, leaving from Daniel Island on the Wando River side down to Charleston Harbor and the New Crab Bank just off Shem Creek.
Other posts from this adventureÂ
Charleston Harbor, SC
June 23, 2023
I went on the Baby Pelican Cruise with Coastal Expeditions on Friday, leaving from Daniel Island on the Wando River side down to the New Crab Bank just off Shem Creek.
Shutes Folly is a small island in the Charleston harbor channel, easily seen from the Charleston Waterfront Park and from Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant. The island has been various things over the years with the first fort constructed in 1810. The island is slowly being washed away by storms and the existing brick structure, Castle Pinckney, is falling apart.
Birds are very adaptive, several of the lookout windows were occupied by Snowy Egrets.
The mature adult Brown Pelicans have white heads, the all white youngster in the middle of the next image is this year’s chick. The parents and other adults in the community keep a close watch on the chicks that do not fly until they are at least nine weeks old.
Charleston Harbor, SC
June 23, 2023
It was a foggy morning and I had just missed the adult Great Blue Heron feeding the chicks.
The adult was showing signs of leaving…
…and away s/he went.
The chicks hunkered down.
One was a little more curious, soon they will be wing flapping.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
April 15, 2023
A Great Blue Heron youngster, not quite ready to fledge but sure curious about life beyond his nest.
Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
April 20, 2023
The Skinny Tree is hanging on and once again hosting a Great Blue Heron family.
There are three chicks, and amazingly all three appear to be thriving.
Other nests with triplets that I have observed over the years have at least one chick being much smaller and not surviving.
This year’s nest is pretty small compared to other years which will be a challenge for the family as the chicks grow.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
April 12, 2023
The tide was down and this young Black-crowned Night-heron was exploring in the shallow water.
My, what big feet you have!
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 16, 2022
