Tag Archives: Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center

American White Pelicans in Flight, Closer Pair

Continued from American White Pelicans in Flight

Some of the American White Pelicans flew closer to me as the others circled around.

American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight

Both Sexes (From All About Birds)
Length: 50.0-65.0 in (127-165 cm)
Weight: 158.7-317.5 oz (4500-9000 g) — that’s 10 to 15 pounds!!
Wingspan: 96.1-114.2 in (244-290 cm)

Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center, SC
Visitation is by guided tour only, managed by SC Department of Natural Resources
November 22, 2022

American White Pelicans in Flight

A large number of American White Pelicans were feeding in the old rice field ponds at the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center on Tuesday. They took off in small groups, circled around and resettled a bit further away from us.

American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight
American White Pelicans in Flight

Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center, SC
Visitation is by guided tour only, managed by SC Department of Natural Resources
November 22, 2022

Snow Goose

We spent the night at an ocean front hotel on Pawleys Island to be closer to the starting point of our Tuesday adventure at Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center. While enjoying coffee on the balcony and hoping for sunrise images a Snow Goose flew by. Surprise!

Snow Goose Flying By, Blue Morning
Snow Goose Flying By, Blue Morning

Later that morning at Tom Yawkey a flock of at least eight Snow Geese flew by.

Snow Geese
Snow Geese

The flock formed a V and disappeared.

Snow Geese
Snow Geese

Human access to the barrier islands that make up the Tom Yawkey property is limited, making it an excellent  stopover and wintering ground for many migratory birds.

November 22, 2022

Brown Dragonfly

On our photography tour at the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center I saw a few dragonflies, that mostly eluded me as they fed at high speed.

Dragonfly
Dragonfly

This one took a rest on a nicely placed reed. Just as I was getting in place with a good angle for the background I felt a sharp bite on my leg. Ants! Needless to say that was the end of those pictures as I spent five minutes getting the little buggers off me and out of my shoes.

Dragonfly
Dragonfly

Wildflowers and Guests

South Carolina’s Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center is composed of 31 square miles on two barrier islands and include some open fields where these wildflowers were blooming earlier this month.

Wildflowers
Wildflowers

The field was surrounded by a wet ditch so I didn’t get real close, but a few plants were growing on edge of the dirt roadway.

Pink Wildflowers
Pink Wildflowers

It was very breezy that day and only a few tenacious insects were flying around. This was good for keeping mosquitoes away but not so good for photographing bouncing blossoms.

Pink Wildflowers and Bee
Pink Wildflowers and Bee

An unknown caterpillar was munching his way to the top of this plant.

Wildflowers Stem and Caterpillar
Wildflowers Stem and Caterpillar