Tag Archives: Winter

A Touch of Yellow

Forsythia is not a real successful bloomer in the South Carolina Lowcountry. I suspect it just doesn’t get cold enough, and that’s ok with me! When I do see it the display is not the bold statement I’m accustomed to that heralds a New England spring.

Yellow Forsythia
Yellow Forsythia

I spotted some last week that put on a very modest display.

Yellow Forsythia
Yellow Forsythia

January 31, 2023

Alligator In The Knees

…and showing off his teeth.

Alligator
Young Alligator, about 4 feet long ( 1.25 Meters)

Alligators will crawl out of the water and just plop down about anywhere, seemingly without a plan, even wound around some cypress knees.

Alligator
Alligator – working on temperature regulation with his mouth open

Don’t believe anyone who tells you that Alligators aren’t active in the winter. It was a warm day, feeling like spring but still the middle of winter.

He just laid there as I was watching this pile of Yellow-bellied Sliders.

Yellow-bellied Sliders
Yellow-bellied Sliders

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
February 1, 2023

January Jonquils

Now in my seventh January in South Carolina I remain delighted by the winter blooming jonquils that pop up in unexpected places. In New England these would be a sure sign that spring was right around the corner. Here, winter, although shorter, is just getting started.

White Jonquil
White Jonquil

Most of the ones I’ve seen this year are yellow.

Yellow Jonquil
Yellow Jonquil

These were along the heavily wooded “nature train road” at Magnolia Plantation.

Yellow Jonquil
Yellow Jonquil

Early afternoon last week some dappled sun was reaching the blooms.

Yellow Jonquil
Yellow Jonquil

Resurrection Fern, On Brick

Resurrection Fern is the common name of the species Polypodium polypodioides, a plant  that grows on the surface of other plants and trees, and is most well known on Live Oaks around the Low Country of South Carolina. It springs to life when it rains, then slowly dries up, appearing dead.

Conversation with New Zealand blogger Ms. Liz about her post of a fern at Exploringcolour.wordpress.com/ has inspired me to work on ferns today. I thought I’d start small.

Resurrection Fern on Brick Wall
Resurrection Fern on Brick Wall

These fronds are typically 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 centimeters) in length (National Wildlife Federation) and this particular collection was smaller.

Resurrection Fern on Brick Wall
Resurrection Fern on Brick Wall, Dried Magnolia Seed Pod

The images in today’s post are of the fern growing on this  brick wall that encloses a cemetery plot. A one inch (2.5 cm) plus rainfall the day before had worked its magic and the fern was looking quite lively. I suspect squirrels use this wall as a lunch spot accounting for the partially chewed Magnolia seed pod.

Resurrection Fern on Brick Wall
Resurrection Fern on Brick Wall, Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC

I’m using the term Resurrection Fern loosely here, as it appears to me there are multiple variations and I know nothing about more specific identification.

Resurrection Fern on Brick Wall
Resurrection Fern on Brick Wall

Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC
December 31, 2021

I’ve posted about this fern a few times and it’s not uncommon for it to appear in other images along side a bird. Other Resurrection Fern Posts

 

Roseate Spoonbill With a Stick

This Roseate Spoonbill really wanted to sit in the Spoony Tree with his stick. I didn’t see him arrive, but think he just flew up from underneath the tree.

Roseate Spoonbill With Stick
Roseate Spoonbill With Stick In the Spoonie Tree

Who knows why, it’s not breeding season yet and he doesn’t look like he’s of breeding age based on still having pin feathers on his head.

Roseate Spoonbill Flying With Stick
Roseate Spoonbill Flying With Stick

He took off when the Cormorants started squawking at him.

Roseate Spoonbill Flying With Stick
Roseate Spoonbill Flying With Stick

The Anhinga was not impressed when he came right back.

Roseate Spoonbill Flying With Stick
Roseate Spoonbill Flying With Stick

He headed across the dike, where he promptly landed in the mudflats and abandoned the stick for some fishing.

Roseate Spoonbill Flying With Stick
Roseate Spoonbill Flying With Stick

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
December 25, 2021

Tricolored Heron In Flight

It was a treat to see this Tricolored Heron fly by me rather slowly and in a straight line.

Tricolored Heron In Flight
Tricolored Heron In Flight

I more often see them in something of a panic mode, flapping and squawking.

Tricolored Heron In Flight
Tricolored Heron In Flight

The squawking can be fun to photograph but is often accompanied by erratic flying, which is not so easy to catch.

Tricolored Heron In Flight
Tricolored Heron In Flight

These were taken in early January when the marsh reeds and grass were just brown.

Tricolored Heron In Flight
Tricolored Heron In Flight

January 3, 2021