I am certainly not making light of this pandemic. I hope all the measures taken by our officials will help stop the spread! So this was our last day as sis called it the Big Push to see how many birds we could see while she is here. New flight is leaving Wednesday at 2 pm so we have the rest of Monday and Tuesday to spend together...
inside the Visitors Center
I left us at Congaree National Park. We had a great day. Went home tired! We reviewed our photos and spruced up our ebird list, and stayed up late to see all the news on closings due to the Virus. Now our town has issued a curfew! Tuesday on the way out we saw a Goose in the vernal pool in the clear cut!
That was fun! It is one of my goals to have birded every county in my State of SC. There's 46 counties, and I need to bird 19 of those counties...and one of them is a neighboring county! I have seen many birds in Lexington county but never kept a list or turned it in...so we chose to go to Saluda Shoals Park. It's a family styled park with lots of picnic areas, and walk/bike paths and the River is good for paddlers.
We had our picnic first since it was lunchtime when we arrived...
It's hard to know if you have a virus or not with all this Pollen around! Notice it on the surface of the little turtle pond. Even the turtle's back is covered.
The Red Shouldered Hawk...landed near us to see what we were up to...
Then he followed us to the river..
Sis spotted this Osprey across the river snacking on a fish he caught...
And a State Bird for both of us kept us scratching our heads at first, the Orange Crowned Warbler...
I've never seen the orange that it's named for...I guess it's like a Kinglet and raises it whenever he feels threatened...
And this Black and White Warbler was so obliging...I feel instantly under his spell.
We had an eastern Bluebird waiting on us to return...We had one more stop for the day...we had seen on the Rare bird list a Pacific Loon had been seen and the photos proved it. Since I needed it for my life list we headed to the Rusty Anchor Marina on Lake Murray, a huge lake in Lexington and Richland County.
Where we scanned loon after loon. All were Common Loons. I tried like heck to make this one into a Pacific...but it's so obviously not one...
no chin strap!
But it was close! These are however beautiful birds so we enjoyed looking at each one they were FAR away except a few came close...
We had a long string of Red Breasted Mergansers on the opposite side...
So we gave up and headed home.
I looked at every shot I took not once but twice, just didn't see it...and Wednesday after taking Sis to the airport I went for a second look since I was withing 9 miles of the spot..
I looked at every shot I took not once but twice, just didn't see it...and Wednesday after taking Sis to the airport I went for a second look since I was withing 9 miles of the spot..
More gorgeous Common Loons, and no new reports of a Pacific...I drove back a few miles to the Dam area of Lake Murray, where a Horned Grebe was seen yesterday and he was still there and what a beauty...he is coming into breeding plumage or molting...
White tip on end of beak...ruby red eyes...
I wish Sis had been there to see it with me! I'm keeping an eye out on the rare report to see if that Pacific Loon pops up again. So I finally created a bird list for Lexington County and now I need only 18 more counties! I had such a wonderful time with my Sis...we did exactly what we wanted to do nothing more and nothing less. While the world went bonkers around us, we BIRDED! I hope we can all just go out and do what we love to do until this thing blows over. I am semi-sequestered at home now. I will however visit my favorite birding spots when the mood strikes me.
Tomorrow it is going to be 85 degrees...and it's Spring!
I know 3 dogs that need baths!
I know 3 dogs that need baths!
PEACE
Every day is a new Adventure.
What as the thing that looked like a rock with a basket on top? You girls sure had a great time birding. To bad she had to cut her visit short but with this crap going on you never know if they cancel flights even in the states. The birds in your area and a little beyond and so gorgeous. Stay safe
ReplyDeleteHI JO, yes they kept saying on the news how the airlines were cutting domestic flights so she figured best to go while they were still flying...and she had a plane nearly to herself..no one sitting on her row but her! we did not come into contact with anyone at the park, and they closed the bathrooms and the public buildings so the trails was the only thing open..we tried to figure out what that thing is, we decided it is a piece of art! It's made of clay on bottom, and the top is woven of wild grape wine.
DeleteAt least you are isolated from people. I have just read that yesterday some popular tourist spots were jammed with people. Because of the fine weather after all our rain lots decided to go out, I hope we dont all pay for it. I can totally understand wanting to go out in the fresh but you have to be sensible. As usual Sondra some good birds there and the Commom Loon is an attracive bird.
ReplyDeleteHi Dave exactly we didn't have any close encounters with others...the crowds at the Florida and SC beaches did surprise me, but now the warm spell is over so Im pretty sure they all went home! I love loons, and it was fun to look through these flocks.
DeleteIt was good to get out with your sister, I am sure, provided you did not come into contact with others. I fear this Coronavirus is going to affect our lives for many months to come, so it may be your last contact with her for quite a while. Stay well and keep birding!
ReplyDeleteHi David, yes everyone who was out and there was not many stayed to themselves, as did we. I hope it won't be months as people can not do without a paycheck that long. My son works 2 jobs and one has closed down for 3 weeks...it is going to affect his life in a very negative way.
DeleteHello, birding all the counties, that is an awesome goal. Pretty park and trail. Love the hawk images and the Warblers. The Loon is beautiful and I love the Horned Grebe too. I am sure road trips around your state could be fun times. Take care! Enjoy your day, wishing you a great new week!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy setting little goals for myself...and this one of course is all for my own little bag of happy things. For a while I did all the waterfalls in the state, I got most of them not the ones on private property tho. There's still a few I need, so that is something I need to get back to doing.
DeleteThose birds are wonderful... I don’t know how you always see such a great variety wherever you go *and* always get such good pictures. Too bad your sis had to go home but what a great time you two had together. I hope her flight was reasonably comfortable and safe.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sallie, sis got home safely after a long day of but she had the whole row on the plane to herself, so she was happy. She had one long lay over in Dallas and everyone was practicing the personal space rule of thumb so she is happy to be home safe and sound. She is actually fostering a dog for a month as their shelter closed down only feeders and cage cleaners they found most dogs a foster home for the duration of the lock down.
DeleteThat is great she’s doing that! I read that some shelters in NYState have adopted out all their dogs and cats ... people are home so they have time to work with a new pet I guess is what they think!
DeleteHa, I was going to ask what that giant acorn thing was too but I see you answered already: art. Why not? Your goal to bird all the counties is worthy! I'm trying to do that with Oregon and I still have three to go which are all very far away. Stay safe!
ReplyDeleteHI Jen, Same here it's counties that I only drive through on my way to someplace else. I decided that when I am in a town to do a look at the wires above, the sidewalk and the yards of people and the fly by's can actually be called birding. I am hoping to do that. So on Saturday I added 12 species to a county I didn't have and 6 in another.
DeleteIncredible - Such Lovely Photos - Thank You
ReplyDeleteCheers
Thank you kindly...I enjoyed seeing your photos of the Mesa, still lots of snow up there.
DeleteI've just caught up on your last two posts, we had a case like that in the south of the country, nobody could figure out how the person caught it but I guess that's how it spreads. Don't get me started on the toilet roll panic buying!! Your days out with your sister have been great to follow and there are some lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteWe've just gone into lock down here so i'm garden birding for at least the next 3 weeks! I hope you and yours stay safe.
Yesterday I was birding out in the country where there is no one else, it was drizzling rain but I felt good about out and about...today it's pouring so Im inside and took my van in for some repairs and new tires. The men at the garage were sitting in rocking chairs with nothing to do...
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ReplyDeletenice blog
This was one trip to remember, Sondra. It was the best decision to travel back while they are still flying. I love the loons in the pictures. It was a surprise for me to see the turtle's back with so much pollen. We are licensed experts for Talking parrot sales chennai
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