This is the marsh side of the dike where the water flows with the tide at Donnelley WMA. There wasn’t much bird activity on this gloomy day.
On the other side of the dike the water level is controlled by management using the trunks. There were a few Alligators floating in the pond.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
August 2, 2025
The big pond at Donnelley Wildlife Management Area is popular with the Belted Kingfishers. In addition to having both a tidal marsh and a large pond to fish, there are a variety of spots the birds can perch to scope out the action.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 8, 2023
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
February 19, 2023
Belted Kingfishers often perch on rice field trunks.
I don’t often get this close before they fly off.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
November 4, 2022
Fall is here in look and cooler temperatures.
This trunk drains Lodge Pond, a sliver of which can be seen to the right.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 16, 2022
Another wooden trunk between some old rice fields, this one controls the flow of water from the canal in the foreground to the impoundment behind that dike. This set of trunks was replaced last year and only this side has the full pivoting door mechanism.
I knelt down to get the next image, where you can see open water in the impoundment on the other side. The grackle and the Tricolored Heron had moved on and the juvenile night heron took that opportunity to claim a post.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
September 14, 2022
This wooden trunk is the conduit for the canal water under the road between some old rice field impoundments, not far from where Snowy Egret Fishing on the Fly
Just before I took this series the Tricolored Heron nabbed a fish then landed back on the trunk support.
I waited, and waited then finally!
All that skittering on the water surface is from fish trying not to be lunch.
Unfortunately he flew close to the canal edge and I couldn’t get out far enough to keep the grass from interfering with my shot.
This time the heron kept flying down the canal with his catch.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
September 14, 2022
One of the young Black-crowned Night-herons that was gathered near the rice field canals, seen past a water control trunk.
Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 3, 2021
Just looking around, this Snowy Egret was watching the tide go out at a rice field trunk.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
August 29, 2021
This Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron looks like he’d been fishing, and maybe fell in.
He was perched in a little patch of sun on a water control trunk at the edge of an old rice field pond.
Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
August 8, 2021
