This day in the marshes belonged to the Wood Storks. There were flocks everywhere. The Storks live and breed here, however it’s still unusual to have large flocks scattered all over.
Storks are calm birds and don’t pay much attention to others joining them. This group had a decent amount of Great Egrets and a few Roseate Spoonbills.
I thought these shots were a nice representation of which animals actually live out there. This is just scratching the surface of the species we find, but it does give an idea of a typical marsh scene.
These photographs were taken in the Donnelley wildlife area within the ACE Basin of South Carolina.
Included in these images are;
An interesting shot here, even if it’s not an award winner..
At this angel the image was a little dark, which ultimately I liked.
Best viewed large, lots of critters here.
This is what one of those scenes that still amazes me. The number of different species, in one spot, is nothing short of astounding. (photos best viewed large)
The series was shot from a dike in Donnelley WMA, South Carolina. Water is low this time of year allowing all the locals to concentrate their feeding in shallow areas.
A Wood Stork had flown in off to my right. I was fortunate to have spotted his descent in time to follow the scene and capture multiple photographs.
It was a nice smooth landing, especially for a Stork.
The scene includes;
That’s an impressive group.
Another of those shots that catch my attention.
On the surface this just looks wrong. And yet this is every day life for these critters.
We might learn something from them.
The Spoonbills were up to their usual antics. Climbing on everything, pushing and shoving each other. The pink clowns.
Photos best viewed large.
Sometimes the old calm Storks just can’t take it anymore.
This was one of those times. Plenty of squawking and Stork bill snapping. The Spoonbill get some credit for snapping their own loud beaks.
Both these birds have large beaks that can sound like the Spanish castanets after a bit.
Finally a Stork charged them, and it was over.
As I expected though. A little while later the Spoonbills were back at the log.
A few birds feeding where a cut joins a large open marsh. The water is low making it hard to see the where the two meet, but it’s there in the background.
The water here will have fish of all types, insects, shrimp, and large crabs. An ‘all you can eat buffet’.
I see the follow bird species here;
Not bad for a single photo.
Interesting to note though, I don’t see a single Alligator.
Correction… Sorry I spotted two Alligator heads towards the back of the cut. I went back and looked again. I couldn’t believe there wasn’t any.
