Out of habit I always study the marsh carefully when out walking. It’s also a good idea to pay attention to the salt marsh on the other side of this dike.
The mud is not very pretty, but you never know who you might find walking with you.
I was thankful this Great Blue made no move to exit. These were grabbed as we escaped from the onslaught of starving mosquitoes. No time for any setup.
A few moments later I found why he was focused on something else. I noticed some big raptor sized bird moving through a pine stand on the waters edge.
While these are huge animals some of the raptors here are super sized too. A large hungry Eagle have been known to take a chance with them.
Spoonbill are one of the most photogenic birds. When they sit and just watch us their colors, and of course the unique bill, still make great photographs. There’s no need for them to be doing anything at all.
(Best viewed large)
No large groups this July, which is prime time for Spoonbill.
These two have been staying around the same general location though. There’s always a chance for a few images of them.
One of several birds photographed in a short period of time. The marsh light, and the dull background made for some interesting images.
Black-crowned Night Heron, ACE Basin, South Carolina.
While not an image that fits well into the header of the site I do like the photograph.
Great Egret Early MorningACE Basin, South Carolina.
It has been hot, humid, and there’s no end in sight. I have noticed birds losing feathers and not looking their best for a while now.
None of us do well when the heat is triple digits out here.
As we drove out into an open air part of the road we spotted birds high and circling in the air. This was a short dike maybe 1/4 mile (.4 k) long. A quick backup under the tress and we walked out to look around.
Without thought we always look around the water as we step out on a dike. The photograph above is what we spotted to our right.
Mom and some ‘kids’. A female with young is one of the times you stop and pay closer attention. Any animal with young should be considered.
She moved just a little closer to the bank, but not quite on the mud which was fine.
Below you can see just the head of a second baby on the right.
Glare on the water was terrible so these were all I shot. I think we counted 10 babies in all.
The female was watching, guarding, but not upset at all so we kept walking to find some other action out near this marsh.
Below is a quick shot of why we stopped in the first place.
Swallow-tailed Kite.
This bird is more difficult to photograph than a Peregrine Falcon (and they dive at over 225 miles an hour).
This is a native of South America, but will come to the Lowcountry to breed in the summer. Their diet is mainly Dragonflies, that they catch in flight, with their claws, and consume while flying to catch more. They even drink in flight by skimming over the water.
Any bird that can catch a dragonfly with their feet is fast and can twist and change direction immediately.
They usually fly high so you do the best you can. But it is work to get any photographs unless they are resting.
ACE Basin, South Carolina.
As I battled with mosquitoes in the canal I kept an eye for things other than the juvenile Ibis I was watching.
Behind me the canal was empty, and then it wasn’t. They move with no sound, no ripples, just surface. Really impressive.
