Recently many of our photographs have been taken in the marshes by the Ashley or Stono rivers. Seeing the landscape up close is much different than a wide view of the marshes themselves.

The image above is a line where the canebrake, grasses, and canal meet. For a size perspective click to enlarge the photo. You will see both a Great Blue Heron and Great Egret in the canal.

This heron above was in the same general area. Cane in the background dwarfs the heron, who was probably almost 5 feet tall.

There is no way to walk across this marsh, however based on an app on my phone I can estimate it is about 1 mile wide, maybe a 3 mile walk around the main dike. The marsh does continue for miles down the Ashley river.

Above an egret lands in the canebrake. Again a large bird, but about to disappear.

The last photograph here makes it clear to me why getting the images in a marsh is so satisfying to me. The area is huge, beautiful and hostile at the same time. Capturing just a single bird here is a privilege.