Tag Archives: Landscape

Sunrise at Boneyard Beach

It’s an almost 1/2 mile (675 Meter) trek to the beach, most of it through an open marsh with this one dead tree standing at the edge of the walkway.

Sunrise, Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area
Sunrise, Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area

One small fishing boat cruised back and forth parallel to the beach.

Sunrise at Boneyard Beach, Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area
Sunrise at Boneyard Beach, Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area

Brown Pelicans and some terns and/or gulls were feeding.

Sunrise at Boneyard Beach, Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area
Sunrise at Boneyard Beach, Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area

A few dolphin passed by, too, but alas no photo.

Brown Pelicans Flying at Sunrise
Brown Pelicans Flying at Sunrise

Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 19, 2023

 

Sunrise at Bear Island, Wider Views

A couple more pre-sunrise images of a marsh at Bear Island. I could tell the color wasn’t going to be much so worked on getting the dewy grass in the foreground.  While avoiding a giant ant hill.

Marsh Just Before Sunrise
Marsh Just Before Sunrise

The water was like glass, but there wasn’t much to reflect in it.

Marsh Just Before Sunrise
Marsh Just Before Sunrise

Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 21, 2023

Sunrise at Bear Island

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.

Alligator In Pre-sunrise Glow
Alligator In Pre-sunrise Glow

A Great Blue Heron announced his presence.

Great Blue Heron at Sun Up
Great Blue Heron at Sun Up

The same GBH passed a pair of Tricolored Herons going the other way.

Herons Up Early
Herons Up Early

Just before the sun topped the tree line the orange intensified.

Here Comes The Sun
Here Comes The Sun

Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 21, 2023

Empty Spoonie Tree and Belted Kingfisher

We didn’t see much for birds on Saturday at Donnelley Wildlife Management Area. The Spoonie Tree, so named because Roseate Spoonbills like to perch in it when they are around, had no birds when we arrived.

The Spoonie Tree, No Occupants
The Spoonie Tree, No Occupants

The elusive Kingfisher was in her usual spot on the water control trunk.

Female Belted Kingfisher on Water Control Trunk
Female Belted Kingfisher on Water Control Trunk

However, she relocated to the Spoonie Tree when she noticed us.

Female Belted Kingfisher on Spoonie Tree
Female Belted Kingfisher on Spoonie Tree

A wider view of the Spoonie Tree’s spot in the marsh.

Female Belted Kingfisher on Spoonie Tree
Female Belted Kingfisher on Spoonie Tree

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 21, 2023

The Spoonie Tree, August 2023

I’ve been posting about the slow demise of the Spoonie Tree for a couple of years and remain amazed that it is still standing. I took this image on Sunday, before Hurricane Idalia passed by.

The Spoonie Tree, August 27, 2023
The Spoonie Tree, August 27, 2023, occupied by a Great Egret and a Belted Kingfisher

Compare that to this image, taken in April when the water had been let out of the pond. The main limbs are still there but some of the smaller branches are gone and more of the bark has dropped.

The Spoonie Tree, April 2, 2023
The Spoonie Tree, April 2, 2023

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC

The Spoonie Tree, Slowly It Tilts, 2023 Update

I’ve been posting about the slow demise of the Spoonie Tree for a couple of years. I stopped by on a quiet day at the end of February.

The Spoonie Tree With Cormorants, February 28, 2023,
The Spoonie Tree With Cormorants, February 28, 2023

A few Double-crested Cormorants were the only birds around and the scenery was mostly brown.

The Spoonie Tree With Cormorants, February 28, 2023,
The Spoonie Tree With Cormorants, February 28, 2023

I was reminded I had taken those shots and not processed them when I was there last week. I was  rather surprised that none of the wading birds took a break from feeding in the name-sake Spoonie Tree.

The Spoonie Tree, April 2, 2023
The Spoonie Tree, April 2, 2023

Those that flew off after eating went into some trees further back in the pond.

The Spoonie Tree, April 2, 2023
The Spoonie Tree, April 2, 2023

The tree lost a branch, but it is mostly intact compared to this image from May 2022.

The Spoonie Tree, May 9, 2022
The Spoonie Tree, May 9, 2022, A Turkey Vulture and two Black Vultures

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC

Cabins at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens

The sun was working its way up, lighting up this wisteria bloom, though not yet reaching the grounds around the cabins.

Wisteria at Cabins
Wisteria at Cabins

These cabins housed enslaved workers when Magnolia was a working rice plantation and are now part of the “From Slavery to Freedom”  tour.

Tung and Half Moon at Cabins
Tung Oil Blossoms, Half Moon at Cabins

This smaller building was likely used for cooking.

Kitchen Building
Kitchen Building

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
March 14, 2023