Even though it is winter, with some nights down to and below freezing temperatures, many Alligators are still out and about during the day around the swamp.
Supposedly they don’t eat it when it is cold, their metabolism slowing in a process called brumation.
I still want to keep my distance.
Way at the back of the pond, under an overhang of trees a young Alligator assumed a pose I more often associate with sun bathing. We’ve had some warm days, but it is still winter and the water remains cold.
There is not much color around the edge of the marsh right now. All of the reeds have turned brown and most have fallen over. A Great Egret struck a nice pose in the middle of this drab scene.
I liked this foot up pose, even with that intruding dead limb across the bird’s neck. Over the last couple years this has been one of the favorite nesting trees for Great Blue Heron and Great Egrets so I expect I’ll be seeing a lot of that limb as breeding season unfolds.
Last year that limb had branches off it, that have either broken away or been pulled off for nest material and this would not have been a clear view. I think the remaining limb is too big for a Heron to break off and put in the nest but I won’t be surprised to see one try.
This Yellow-rumped Warbler, also known as “Butter Butt” paused as he was looking for snacks along the tree line of the rice field dike.
The warblers tend to be fast and elusive, usually working the inner branches as they move along a tree line.
It’s always a treat when they turn towards the camera, even though this is not the Butter Butt’s most colorful side.
With no leaves on the trees the Red-shouldered Hawks are easy to spot when they are around the edges of the swamp. Their red-orange color palette and size stand out even when they aren’t moving.
After first seeing this one I was able to get an unobstructed view from a little further along the trail.
He appeared to be looking for a snack as he studied the ground.
After about 20 minutes he flexed his wings and I expected him to fly, hoping it would be left to right in front of me.
Not to be, he settled in facing the other way.
Mindful that darkness was coming I stopped to take a few images of a Great Blue Heron overlooking the swamp from his tree perch. Sometimes the receding color in the sky is spectacular here; this night the color was more subtle.
Plantation House at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
An abstract sky over the Ashley River, Charleston, SC.
About 45 minutes before sunset, 12/18/2018.
The Charleston area daylight is down to 10 hours as we approach the last week until winter solstice, technically December 21, which I like to think of as “making the turn”. The flowers still in bloom stretch to get what sun they can.
These pink ones, Gerber Daisies I think, were surprisingly robust with very little actual plant to support them.
Roses will form buds and flower throughout the winter here, although they often don’t make much of a showing as a blossom when the temperatures flirt with freezing over night.
