Photographing this iconic spot at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens with Azaleas in bloom is all about timing. The flower blooms, the light, the stillness of the water, the absence of people on the bridge– all things we have no control over. It’s a lovely spot and I tend to take a few captures whenever I pass by, even if the flowers aren’t in bloom.
Taken 3/22/2019
The sky was filled with fluffy white clouds and the water was still, making beautiful reflections.
Both images were taken from the more manicured short side of this rectangular man-made pond, looking towards the far end. The corner where I took the first one widens a bit into an overflow outlet where I was standing.
The second image was taken from the other end of that short side. The trees standing in the water and small island are home to many of the wading bird nests I photograph.
April 5, 2019
The old rice fields along South Carolina’s coast that are maintained as part of the wildlife management areas are connected by canals and the water flow is controlled by opening or closing a series of “trunks.”
Taken March 28, trees are budding and leafing out all around but there are still a lot of brown dead reeds from last year on the edges of the canals.
This second view is the same canal from a slightly different angle without the trunk.
Or… Is This My Best Side?
The dike bank curves a bit so I was able to get views from a couple of angles.
And the head shot, with just a bit of tooth showing.
Images with reflections are some of my favorites to capture. In this case I couldn’t get the bird and his reflection in the image as he was too high up in the tree. So just the reflection will have to do.
This was taken at the end of February before the trees started to leaf out.
The sun was rising on a juvenile Glossy Ibis, Wood Stork and Little Blue Heron standing in a shallow pond.
The Ibis got the signal to go!
I love these reflections, especially the upside down Ibis.
A Little Blue Heron plodded in the shallow water of a pond right in front of me.
He was very deliberate in his steps.
His forward motion hardly made the water ripple.
2/25/2019 Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
A slow and methodical hunt was in progress.
A Green Heron was wading in water up to his chest, bent over in the stalking position, stretching out his neck.
Bam!
The snack he captured was so tiny, I wonder if it was worth all that time and effort.
A few Great Egrets were swooping over the pond as they vied for mates or nesting spots in the nearby trees.
Great Egret Flying Over Alligators, TurtlesSome were gathering sticks for their nests but they were easily distracted when another Great Egret invaded their space.
Great Egret Flying Over TurtleOccasionally I’ve seen a large Alligator snap at a bird flying overhead without making contact, but these smallish Alligators and turtles ignored the aerial displays going on above them.
Great Egret Flying Over Alligator and TurtlesAfter seeing the Tundra Swans in the fog we drove around a perimeter road at Bear Island Wildlife Management Area Sunday morning. We came upon this line of Roseate Spoonbills and pair of Avocents standing in a shallow pond.
The Avocets flew off and the Spoonbills milled around.
The fog didn’t dissipate much, even by 9:30 am, but the light was shifting and oddly the air didn’t feel wet. The Spoonbills didn’t seem to mind and performed their usual behaviors.
We have been seeing groups of up to 25 Roseate Spoonbills in a few locations in this general area. Interestingly they are all juveniles with fully feathered heads. As they mature over three years their pink color darkens and they loose most of their head feathers.
