The causeway leading onto Bear Island wildlife crosses a large ‘pond’. Winter it’s home to Tundra Swans and White Pelicans, other times Egrets, Herons, and many Eagles.

Bear, and surrounding land, was once part of the Middleton Planation holdings (many posts here, we live nearby). Usually we think of plantations as big houses and land. Land is true, but much of the property owned was spread out and had no buildings at all. Enslaved people camped on the land, worked, and then returned to the main plantation. This place would have been horrible to work. Hot, wet, insects, many hungry large critters, just bad in general.

The pond is named after Mary Izard Middleton, wife of Arthur Middleton a signer of the US Declaration Of Independence. Mary eventually did have a house here later after Arthurs death.

Bear Island is now a state owned wildlife management area. South Carolina government is not exactly a ‘well oiled machine’, it’s a poor state. However the wild life management areas here are considered a model for other states. Ironic…

Taken with an OM-1 (1), OM 12-100 pro.