First week of 2021

... on Sunday the sun came out.. I had to split firewood that day and it was windy, hence the sun...but Monday I stood in a socially distanced line to pay my property tax with my $600 bucks, then headed to the newly opened Riverfront Environmental Park. I have history with this park, but I will go into that some other time. There was like a list of about 20 rules I spared you that with my photo...the usual stuff. 

It was muddy from all the rain and lots of standing water on the trails but I didn't let that stop me from walking the loop and enjoying the sunshine. 

This is the city's waste water plant but the park has it's own name so I put it on ebird with the correct name.  The ponds in the park are the original pond, that long ago was ONE big square pond, with a long pipe going out to the middle of the pond....this is by the river where of course the "clean" water is released, and I used to live on this land..It was called Bramblewood Plantation, .and we rode our horses back here many times however back then it was all woods around it.  But now it's this,,,

     A city project, the land was donated to the city 

The brush alongside the ponds produced lots of Song and Savannah Sparrow.  I had hoped to see the one White Throated Sparrow the only other active birder in town had spotted but I didn't see or hear it.  

                       Savannah Sparrow

                           Song Sparrow

One Great Egret popped down for a minute, but he didn't like me being there and flew away soon after...

And he left this behind...

Two Great Blue Heron's were around they had a spiff and one flew away..

I think if we behaved more like birds we would get along better, when  you're at a picnic table and someone else sets up right beside you, just go over and run them off...All good again and no hard feelings and they don't lay in wait to kill you later.  

This really dark Immature Bald Eagle gave a quick fly over 

I spotted this Chinese Lantern the unripe berries of the plant is toxic/poison..

The Wateree River is at the back of the park, the old ferry used to be here prior to any bridges being built...this old  photo is on the sign there...and then the rubble you see is the remains of the old iron bridge, washed away in 1908 flood. 

The river is high now due to all the rain we have had...you can launch your canoe or kayak here.

 

The Cell tower is in use..

Someone's House Boat,.

Beware of Snakes and gators!!

Then Tuesday I needed to make good use of the couple days of sun and partly sun so went for a hike and some birding at Sandhills, Im section hiking the Tate's Trail in the park,,,And today I did the section between Pool D and lake 12. 

This turned out to be a favorite section for me...

Good view of open water...

Finally pulled my FOY White Throated Sparrow out of the bush....just barely

I turned back here after the bridge the trail continues on to lake 12, I will save that section for later. And start at Lake 12...

Red eyed Eastern Towhee

Looks like coyote or fox scat, and a lot of either Possum or Squirrel fur and some bone in it...at first I thought it was owl pellets, but nope. 

Belted Kingfisher

pool D

Female Eastern Towhee

After the hike I went to explore some of the roads I haven't explored before, with open gates, and most of the time they are closed and  come spring they will close again....

That was after 

I sat in my car and had lunch since the wind was cold...the sky was pretty to watch as the clouds changed up quickly.

Thru the windshield it looks warm,,,,

Lunch Buddy...dark eyed Junco. 

the new road connected with the road I had done last time (rd 8) that took me up onto Mary's Hill, I checked the elevation this time...

524 ft 

That's  1/10th of a mile high. 

Then some clouds rolled in, it began to get colder and darker so some passing shots on my way out of the park...

And then on Wednesday I headed to my favorite Sparrow field....McBee WMA  And I had 6 species of sparrow...

Song, Field, Chipping, Fox, White Throated, and Towhee. 

The trail...only DNR vehicles allowed to drive in so I huffed the dirt road. Alongside the Russian Olive and Plum bushes...

Eastern song Sp.

Chipping

FOX Sparrow

almost hide Field Sparrow

Couldn't get photos of all of them they were hiding out pretty good,,,just barely peeking out of the brush.  

So that was fun, And some Brown Headed Nuthatch's was out in the  open...

Maybe they sleep there on the chilly nights?

So 3 days of Sun was good. 

Thursday: the Gift

 AND if you think there is only bad in the world...WRONG, look what arrived at my house Thursday afternoon...I almost fainted, because this is a wish list item for me, and due the generous and kind nature of one of my favorite and super generous long distance friends, my world just opened up BIGGGGER than ever..

Can you believe she taped this up in a box and sent it to me?? I almost don't know what to say...I'm so thrilled by the gift but importantly by your friendship. 
JEN, YOU ROCK...she payed forward this wonderful gift, 

what a great Surprise...
you will enjoy it so please check out her super inspiring bird blog on my sidebar, I Used to Hate Birds. 
Wow this is just, just, just..... so great! 

ta-dah,,,its a real beauty...

a new eye to the world 

She also sent me some other really cute things in the box...It was like Christmas all over again. Super Stoked over this...:o))

-----------------------

And about the Coup attempt on Wednesday..

That was not them taking our house from us, it was US taking it BACK!! In 2016 when they took it, we did not riot, we did not accuse or lie, we waited and then we acted...we took it back with dignity, they threw the blows not us. 
That is the important thing to remember here...

I been speaking out against TRUMP from the get go and so have all of you....I was not surprised by it, but I was sickened by it. MAY we never go through such as that again...we have to speak out and let our leaders know how we feel about the ones in congress who supported him and still do...it's not gonna fly in this democracy...OUR vote does matter and they can try to lie about it but we have to stand  up to them (those who would say we didn't vote, or cheated or whatever) even  if it takes waiting in line all day We need to make sure our elections are taken seriously and encourage our state leaders to close all loop holes, and make sure no one can ever say it's was rigged. Sadly, Im that blue dot living in a red state, I speak out I tell people how I feel about their repressive attitudes and the idea of using a dictator to attempt to destroy a democracy. I hope my state can slowly change it's attitudes. Brute force and ignorance does not work. Lets us now have Peace we have earned it. WE set things as right as we could with our votes Thank You GA, I wrote to both my horrible senators and told them that we are not forgetting they supported the leader of a COUP attempt and don't ever think they would get my support, never.  It may give them something to think about. Here is the vote broken down, so I plan to write each and every person who voted YEA on that AZ Objection these are the people who supported Trumps LIE, 

https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202110

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.