Like the Anhinga these birds must leave the water to dry their feathers. Here the bird is shaking and flapping to get dry.
I’m not sure why but the number of Cormorants in the marsh looks to be less this year. No proof, just a thought.
This was the only one I noticed all day.
I wouldn’t swim here either, maybe the most Alligators in one area is under this tree.
A view from the middle of the Hog Island road, in a wildlife management area.
At the end is hundreds of acres of marshland. However, this is not a park and in fall the grasses and reeds are twice as tall as a person. I couldn’t see much.
BTW, at the end here we are always careful. This is one of the few places a large Alligator is openly a aggressive.
This juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron sat in a dark, and muddy, spot.
The canal here runs through a big marsh and water flows with the tides. It’s fresh water being pushed by the wide flat marsh. It also can push into the old rice fields when a wooden water gate (a trunk) is open.
The light here was dim but perfect for catching the ruby colored eyes of a Night Heron.
This gnarly old tree has become the main resting place, safe haven, for birds in this marsh area. At times a flock of a single species will roost, other times everyone picks a spot.
The tree, and the island it sits on has been under water a lot this year. It’s looking a little tired.
How often do you get to photograph a full take off, and landing, at the same time! Not something that happens a lot.
The Heron wanted to get the top spot in a tree. There was an Egret and Spoonbill already here. Rather than jump using the branches he took off and flew over them, gaining the high ground.
I was already focused on the bird when I noticed the ‘bent knee’ signal. I started shooting right away. I wasn’t using a fast camera here so I was doubly pleased to catch this.
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The Heron was pretty pleased too. Took the best seat without any argument from the other birds.
There’s a story here, big surprise.
I cross a rural bridge whenever we travel to the one of the large marshes. It’s the type of bridge that has a steep incline, like to have a sail boat pass underneath. The river and inlets look to be rapids, maybe knee deep. But maybe some day, who knows.
The scenery is spectacular, a wide vista of marsh and rivers. I am convinced there will be wildlife everywhere each time we cross.
Never! Ever! Nothing.
Except the other day, this beautiful Bald Eagle on this ugly pole. Beauty all around, he picks this. At the top of the humpy back bridge.
I was shocked to see him, and of course as I stopped (never other cars, but you never know) he turned and we were at eye level.
I got the famous Bald Eagle ‘stink eye’ look for bothering him.
That’s it. I was dismissed, told to move on.
I did.
This prompted us to stop rather than continue to a larger open marsh area.
ACE Basin, South Carolina.
This Bald Eagle arrived just as I was finishing a sunrise shoot. A pair had been circling behind me but the setup for a wide sunrise does not work for wildlife, at all.
When I finally changed gear my first ‘target’ was a Great Blue Heron fishing under some pines lining the marsh.
When I was a little closer, and at a better angle, I noticed the Heron looking up. One of the pair seen earlier had landed while I was busy.
The Heron quickly left but I was shooting this bird instead anyway.
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