We spotted two Tricolored Herons along one of the canals at Bear Island WMA last week. They appear to be juveniles, not quite sure of themselves.
The one in the image above and this next one both made movements like they were about to fly, but there they stood.
On our return twenty minutes later one had flown to a water control trunk where he had a good view of the water below.
He had his eye on me as I passed by.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
July 16, 2025
Here are some more images from our boat trip to Bird Key – Stono. Following up on my previous post, we didn’t see any chicks, but did see some amazing activity, including this Brown Pelican poised for a dive.
Landing on the island is not allowed during nesting season. In addition to the Brown Pelicans, numerous shore birds including Laughing Gulls and Oyster Catchers nest here.
Dogs are never welcome.
The shape of the island is constantly changing, with Pelicans hanging around on all sides, resting or grooming.
This expanse of sand that faces the open ocean has recently expanded but is extremely vulnerable to storm surge as well as the normal accreting and depletion that all ocean facing beaches experience.
June 14, 2025
Bird Key – Stono, a barrier island that sits in the mouth of South Carolina’s Stono River, between Kiawah and Folly Islands.
All photos taken from a boat.
Ted and I had the opportunity in June to take a guided boat adventure to see juvenile Pelicans. This year we were back at Bird Key – Stono Seabird Sanctuary which failed as a breeding colony last year due to predator activity.
A number of Brown Pelicans were sitting on nests at the top of a dune and unfortunately chicks were not visible, and may not have hatched yet.
We did get some nice in-flight sightings on the boat trip out.
And some Pelicans that weren’t on nest duty were standing around on the beach.
This beauty glided by us as we were making the return trip to land.
June 14, 2025
Bird Key – Stono, a barrier island that sits in the mouth of South Carolina’s Stono River, between Kiawah and Folly Islands.
All photos taken from a boat.
I was walking the path along the Ashley River at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and there he was, on broken limb directly over the path.
Based on the fuzzy look around his head this is likely one of this year’s owlets.
I passed underneath him and got a nice view looking back as he worked on some personal grooming.
A wider view shows how easy it would have been to miss him amid the dangling Spanish Moss and how closely his color and pattern match the tree limb.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
July 11, 2025
Cypress Wetlands is hosting lots of Wood Stork nests this season and there are good views into a few of them.
The chicks were in constant motion, figuring out how to manipulate their gangly bodies.
Another visible nest had three chicks, although I only got photos of two at a time. The parents were intent on their own grooming.
Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
May 7, 2025
Not the snazziest of birds, but finally I have captured a song bird in the classic splayed leg pose😁.
This young Red-winged Blackbird was unsure what to do next.
He made some calls to mamma but he got no assistance.
He looked around for awhile before taking the flying plunge and headed back into the underbrush behind him.
Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
August 2, 2024
This was my first time seeing White Ibis chicks. This pair were getting fed, with the adult regurgitating food for them.
As they mature the chicks will lose the stripe on their beak.
And and they gradually turn to all white in their first year except for the tips of their wings, as seen in the adult here.
Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
August 2, 2024
I last visited the Wood Stork Chicks at Cypress Wetlands in June. While many of them have fledged, this pair didn’t exhibit any flight intentions and were concentrating on their preening.
Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
August 2, 2024
I saw this pair of Tricolored Heron chicks a few times over the course of the morning, standing up and looking around.
They look big enough to start doing some “wingercizing” — flapping their wings to build strength and start to figure out how they work, but I didn’t see them do it.
Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
June 12, 2024
The adult Wood Storks appeared to be passing nest duty, after first inspecting their pair of chicks.
Not yet walking, the chicks were scrambling around probably hoping to get fed.
One adult flew off, which gave the other a bit more room to maneuver…
…check on junior’s grooming…
…and then get a little space away from the chicks.
Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
June 12, 2024
