Tag Archives: Mammal

Juvenile Armadillo

July 10, 2019 Ellen Jennings 6 Comments

I wasn’t that surprised to spot this juvenile Armadillo as Ted had just seen an adult in the nearby woods. I was surprised that he didn’t run or jump. He didn’t even seem to know or care that I was there. Not that I was making that much noise but wild things tend to know we are there way before we know they are.

I watched him as he industriously rooted around in the soft ground hoping to get a full body view. The pine cone in the next image was of standard size, maybe six or seven inches (15 – 20 cm), giving a sense of his size.

Armadillos have poor eyesight and this little one never lifted his head to have a look around, just kept on digging and rooting for lunch.

Animals

I See You

May 13, 2019 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

This Raccoon didn’t run when he saw me, but didn’t waste any time reversing direction either. I only got the one image before he disappeared.

Animals

Grey Squirrel, Red Snack

February 12, 2019 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

This Eastern Grey Squirrel was enjoying a colorful snack on one of the inner pathways at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.

Animals

Dolphins Strand Feeding, Junior Watching

November 19, 2018 Ellen Jennings 8 Comments

This trio of Dolphins charged the beach head on instead of from the side as I’ve usually seen.

The Dolphin on the left was hanging on tight to his catch.

As they continued to chase the fish herded to the water’s edge the Dolphin in the middle got a fish.

I didn’t notice it at the time, but a juvenile Dolphin was watching from a safe distance. I wonder if the Dolphin on the left was holding this catch to feed the youngster or if he/she was just too busy getting back in the water.

Later that morning I did see the mother and juvenile working the shore in what looked like teaching of the water swirling methods.

11/06/2018

Animals

Dolphins Strand Feeding: Big Catch

November 7, 2018 Ellen Jennings 5 Comments

The fish were easy to see as they flew through the air, tossed about by the powerful water surges created by the Dolphins.

Dolphins Strand Feeding, Fish in the Air

Most of the fish manage to flop back into the water but this one was about to be lunch.

The fish appears to be dead or knocked out.

But a moment later he leapt into the air…

and ended up in a Dolphin’s mouth.

The images in a slideshow, if you prefer; click an image to get started:

Dolphins Strand Feeding

Animals

Dolphins Strand Feeding: Success

August 7, 2018 Ellen Jennings 10 Comments

After the fishless stranding of my last post, I was fortunate to witness another strand feeding with the fish jumping wildly.

Three Dolphins had driven the fish to shore and the fish did their best not to become lunch.

The next photo is heavily cropped, but I wanted to show a closeup of the Dolphin – fish encounter. I’m not certain the Dolphin got this one, but it seems likely.

The frenzy only lasts a few seconds, then the Dolphins roll/flop back into the water, continuing to splash with their tails.

Animals

Dolphins Strand Feeding

August 6, 2018 Ellen Jennings 5 Comments

A number of Dolphin pods in South Carolina catch fish by a process known as strand feeding. Singly or in groups, they drive fish to the shore, aka strand, usually at a steep bank, then nab the fish.

To stay at a distance that is safe for the Dolphins doesn’t always result in the best images, but it sure is interesting to watch. I didn’t see any fish during this stranding.

Animals

Marsh Rabbit With Good Salad

July 6, 2018 Ellen Jennings 4 Comments

This Marsh Rabbit found a patch of grass that he didn’t want to give up. He saw me before I saw him when I first passed by and I jumped when he sprang into the water at the edge of the marsh with a big splash.

I didn’t expect to see him again, thinking he’d either moved further from the trail where humans pass regularly or had been lunch himself for a nearby alligator after creating all that commotion.

To my surprise when I returned he had come out into the open to have some more of that grass. It didn’t look like much to me but he was consuming his salad with gusto.

Animals

Deer Fawn

June 7, 2018 Ellen Jennings 8 Comments

Tucked into the roots of a Cypress Tree this new born fawn was hunkered down, surrounded by water.

I’m not sure how he got there; it would have been interesting to watch and know what was on the mother’s mind.

A few hundred feet away was a watchful pair of eyes and listening ears. This one seemed way to small to be the mother, perhaps it was an older cousin.

Nature

Fox Squirrel

May 11, 2018 Ellen Jennings 6 Comments

About twice the size of a grey squirrel, the Fox Squirrel can be found scattered around the coastal areas of South Carolina. This was the first time I got a really good look at one and some pictures other than a fleeing butt end.

He jumped from the ground to the side of the tree just like a common grey squirrel would. I was ready for him to go up the tree, but instead he just sprung off into space and zipped away.

The body of the Fox Squirrel can be grey, black or brown. All of the color variations share the black face mask and white nose and ear tips.