Taken in a local rookery.
I sometimes think they stare at a spot in the hopes something edible will magically appear.
Great Egret In A Cypress Tree
Category Archives: Marsh
Stork, (Over) Old Rice Fields
There is no shot of the rice fields, just the Stork fly by. However, I was on a dike between the marshes and old rice field. Here 99% of all stork shots are flying in the other direction.
He surprised me and I almost didn’t take any shots.
Below you can see the green tint on the black wing tips. The light must hit the wings a certain way for that to be visible.
He continued going in the ‘wrong’ direction ultimately landing in the back end of the marsh. Where of course there is no access.
ACE Basin, South Carolina.
Rainy Day Egret
Rain is a standard afternoon occurrence, and at times it can feel pretty good.
Today, actually temperature near 100, index around 115 !!
Everyone will be playing in the rain later.
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
The whistling ducks are a subfamily of the duck, goose and swan family of birds. They are not true ducks. (Wikipedia)
Like many animals they have expanded their range and now we see them breeding in the Lowcountry.
They still need to learn to hide better. Above is the best I’ve seen them do. Typically the whole family is sitting out in the open… not good around here.
Fishing, Great Blue
It must have been a good spot since this Heron stayed and kept diving down for the small fish.
The morning was hot and hazy and I would have thought the birds tucked into shade somewhere. However, quite a few Herons and Egrets were still out.
This particular Heron looked to be young, so he may have had to work harder for fish.
ACE Basin, South Carolina.
Wood Stork Investigates A Marsh
The Wood Stork is found in subtropical and tropical habitats in the Americas, including the Caribbean. (Wikipedia). However, like everything else things have changed. You can find them in the Lowcountry most all year. A cold January they might go to Florida for a month. But we might too.
If you should walk up on a Wood Stork, be prepared to have a huge bird look you in the eye (around 5 feet).
Wood Storks circle as high as an Eagle but like this one a low fly by is how they check out places to land.
A few different Storks came by but all went off towards the furthest marshes.
Over A Swamp, Heron
This is a young Great Blue.
As long as they can find food the young birds will stay close to what they know.
Sooner or later each one goes out a little further until this years brood is scattered.
A Surprise Anhinga
His head popped up, hanging onto a nice size fish. I had no idea he was swimming nearby.
Unlike other diving birds Anhinga use their sharp bill like a spear.
Like all these birds the fish is head first to avoid sharp gills.
This time the bird has him perfectly positioned… and it was gone in a flash.