Red-winged Blackbirds are year round residents in the Lowcountry. I guess they don’t make much noise in the winter.
They make up for it when it’s warm.
They Love These Marshes
Tag Archives: South Carolina
Shy Alligator
I took a few shots of this guy as he went by. Then I waited. He looked to have a purpose.
He did.
As the water filled with floating grasses he started to climb on.
Of course he sunk right down, he weighed probably 500 pounds.
And that’s where he stayed. Half in, half out.
I fall for this every time.
On A Cypress, Great Egret
When I have the opportunity to photograph these birds with a dark background I’ll always go for the shot.
The contrast is what I am trying to capture.
Of course it doesn’t always come out like I think it should.
However when it does I think it tends to be of a portrait than wildlife image.
OK Boomer
Boomer…
A Moment Later He Disappeared
The Egret flew right into the thick Palms.
Then he disappeared from view.
I guess there was a reason, not a common (or safe) place to sit around. I did catch a glimpse of another already there…a rendezvous?
Alligator In A Rice Field
A large number of the South Carolina coastal marshes were once rice fields. Rice, unless wild from a long time ago, is long gone.
However, the Alligator is still there. An old approximate ‘guess’ by the state was around 100,000.
The large ones are out in far marshes like this. But smaller ones can be found in any fresh water pond.
These photographs are from another recent day when things were quiet and I walked down to catch some ‘gator shots’.
This one was moving around slow by the ‘trunk’ that lets water flow out to the tidal marsh. It’s usually an easy place for them to fish.
ACE Basin, South Carolina.
A Test Flight
He didn’t go far this time. A quick circle. However, each time is a little longer and further.
You see, if he goes too far one of the adults might come back and he misses out on a free meal.
Typical teenager.
Watching The Children, Alligator
It’s the little ‘chirping’ sounds that give them away every time.
Usually you can’t spot the very young ones without their noise, and movement. This group was very young, probably no more than a few weeks old.
I counted five, but there could have been twice as many in the weeds. They were only about 6 – 7 inches long.
Alligator is the only reptile that will stay with young after they hatch. I’m sure the female was near though I never did see her.
For now they are the prey not predator. They need protection for at least a year, but stay near ‘mom’ for around three years.
