Random stuff...

I spend a lot of my free time these days trying to match up old photos with old blog post...so IF you see any weird posts pop up and then disappear that's what is happening.  I recently said Summer is Flexing her Muscles and so the heat is rising, afternoons are good to be inside with the AC on while I do my photo replacements...I almost have it down to a scientist, ALMOST...

Eastern Towhee at the Cemetery 

 We need some rain so Im watering the plants every day that is a chore but we have not had humidity so it dries out very fast, the last 2 days we had some humidity and even a tiny shower.  Then last night it poured...so my plants are happy.  Saw this today when I went out, 

I was happy to see they put up a blinking light and these cones to slow people down and they had 4 signs at this intersection...I hope the cows are home safe.  

The Vernal pool was busy with Green Herons all busy looking for frogs...last yr they nested nearby and I think this year they nested here again, I saw 6 in total today..in fact a few of them could have been young ones, they fledge at 30 to 35 days after hatching.  

Im trying out a new to me camera.  I was about ready to give up and relist it, because I need a bigger view finder.  I Love my old camera but now it's giving zoom motor problems.  SO if I don't keep this Nikon B700 I will sell it on ebay and purchase the same Panasonic again, I really love my old camera. (Panasonic Lumix FZ80) It has a huge view finder, it's easy to use, the buttons are all in a logical place...its fully manual if you want, and it's pretty tough and stands up pretty good to my abuse.  I think it's the sand and pollen that has ruined the zoom motor as that lens feeds out it picks up contaminates, especially in spring. I do try to clean it off. 

This was taken with the FZ 80 Carolina Wren in my yard

This was taken with the B700 Chipping Sparrow at the Cemetery 

The B700 is 20.1 Megapixel, the FZ 80 is only 18.1...they both have 60X zoom, and 4 K video.  

I dont want to rush my decision, because I like it better now than the day I first started using it about 3 weeks ago.  Because of the smaller view finder I'm not able to spot birds up in trees as quickly so that is a Big Minus.  It  has taken me this long just to become familiar with the menu of the camera.  And I still don't understand all of it. 

This I took with the B700

This one below with the FZ 80

Quality wise it's about equal but ease of use the FZ 80 is much faster, easier to find the buttons in a quick grab, and just overall I enjoy using it more.  Even with the zoom motor failing it zooms faster. 

So that's something I have to decide.  

I have my very own Blue Jay, he sits in my window tree so I call him my Blue Jay, 

There is racoon visiting my yard again...I tried to photo him thru the window glass and it's at last 50 ft away so not a good shot but I saw movement and zoomed in and that's what I saw...

I know Annie has been going out for barks lately...I guess she saw him. 
I did relocate 4 squirrels outta my yard over the weekend.  3 males and one non nursing female. There's 4 more that are making me crazy so they may be going soon.  This time of year the forest is full of food.  

Solitary Sandpiper at the vernal pool...


A couple weeks ago I took my bike to McBee...the sand is deep there but I had a go at  it.  And I have been trying to figure out how to access a pond that shows on the map in the management area...it looks interesting, I found a service road but the area is fenced and the gate is locked so I need to speak to one of the rangers and see how to get in there...While I was searching I found several  Hooded Warbler, the males would not sit still for a photo but this female did...

If the males hadn't been singing I would never have known this was the female...

So a quiet week in my world...next week is supposed to be cooler so I hope to get out and explore more.  I had my final shot last Thursday.  

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Bluff Unit Hike

It's getting harder and harder for me to keep my blog anywhere near current...I don't know exactly why.  I'm not as organized as I once was, I don't spend enough time preparing, I am tired from all the hiking  I do so  it means I fall asleep on the couch rather than organizing and sorting thru the many photos.  With all that said, as in my last post the, Vlog, I am doing more hiking and putting miles on my boots . 

This means you take what you get, and so mixed media helps me tell MY story of Santee Bluff Unit... another long day of hiking probably put in 6 miles that day and it was warm and a pretty stiff wind was with me most of the day.  Near the parking area I was overrun by warblers way up in the canopy.  Warblers discouraged me so much at one time I gave up birding for several years.  But this time around I'm not taking it personally.

Black-Throated Blue Warbler

Its one thing to just see what's right in front of your eyes it's another thing to get out in the forest, the woods, the fields and search for the hidden ones. Strolling along a paved trail is not normally where you find me.  Sometimes but rarely...Im out there in the mosquito infested swamps, the open sun bleached fields, and gator infested ponds.  I heard one lady was recently attacked when a gator  sneaked up on her!

If they come down to my level great if not there isn't much I can do about it.  I've tried to learn as many calls as I can but honestly sometimes they all sound alike!  Or maybe they're trying to talk with their mouths full?

BTBW 

And as you heard they are all calling at once it's very confusing...and lovely! I ate several of these they were delicious..along with some ripe Black Berries. 

So this hike starts out under the dense canopy then, it abruptly enters into a large open area.  This woodsy area has a lot of water and the birds like that.  

Even the Yellow Rumped Warbler Gets prettier about this time of year.

There is swamp too...I think these are Water Tupelo

You can get a feel for how thick the canopy is from this vantage point..

Female Northern Cardinal 

If you walk to the edge of the swamp along the boardwalk you get a view of the open water the cat tails and reeds line the edges...  

Double Crested Cormorant dries off



The water here is Brackish full of tannin from the various trees that live in the water and all the leaves they drop...

Painted Bunting 

At the edge of the forest right before it opens up is where you can find these Painted Buntings...and when the visitors center is open they visit the feeders.  Listen to his song in the video...and you can  hear another one answering on the other side of the tree line. I had trouble with Vimeo, so I hope this video shows up...

Then you enter the open sky area...and Bam there's a Red Shouldered Hawk sailing across the sky!

The sounds are amazing as I hear Eastern Meadowlark, Red Winged Black Bird, Prairie Warbler, and others singing loudly! 

I reach the open Photo Blind, and Im happy to have a spot to rest as I have come about 2 miles by this point...and I've driven 2 hrs to get here so time for a little rest some water and a snack. 

Right away I see the White form of the Little Blue Heron silently hunting in the reeds.  As well as the Blue form.

Blue Dragon 

And then out of no where comes this little American Coot, there's lots more on the back side of the water too...

This Green Heron didn't seem to mind me being close as long as I was quiet sometimes it's just the noise we make that puts Wildlife off...

The Great Blue Heron nest is overflowing with big lanky chicks, this is a little shakey as  you can hear the wind is quite strong and I'ts hand held, so Im not about to carry a tripod on a 6 mile hike.  Vimeo is starting to scream that I have to go pro so Im only allowed 2 uploads there this week.  Hope you can see these 2 big chicks all snuggled down in their nest. 

And it just is not SC if you don't see at least one Alligator, I saw way more than one this day..this one is quite large so probably quite old, and quite deadly for the unaware.  

and right after I snapped that photo this happened...

HE scared me to death he exploded into the water so fast I only saw the churning water. 

...and since this is a National Wildlife Refuge I had to wonder about this sign?

OKAY let me not get blown to bits I think someone has a very weird sense of humor. 

I continue on following one of the trails around the canals and marsh 

...and hear this really musical bird song, up high is an immature male Orchard Oriole...he has a bright yellow gold breast.  He is way up there!!

I come across this little Spotted Sandpiper, doing his runway style of walking 

ok, ah yeah more things to be leery of...and I'm always aware of where Im placing my foot I don't want to step on a rattle snake or a water moccasin or a  wasp nest or a fire ant hill....



way in the back too far away for a decent shot was some White and Glossy Ibis,



Then back into the grasses, I had Savannah Sparrow...



I will follow this maintenance road back.





The Eastern Meadowlark jumps  up out of the grass to see what I am doing...



there is this cute wildflower patch near the edge of the field...and this looks like California Poppies,



This is where I can find the Prairie Warbler on the edge of the woods, near the secondary growth..



And there is yet another boardwalk on the other section of the trail I take for my return hike through the swamp again.



A Black and White Warbler looks down on me 





And closer to the edge of the other side where it's more dry turkey oak I hear and find the elusive Ovenbird,,,






I did not pass one single person to have to back 6 ft away from this is the kind of day I love, just me out in nature living in the moment and enjoying myself.  Im happy to be able to share some of my experiences with others who may not get the chance to do this...but would like to.

The Ovenbird Sings for us....

Okay how many of you, show of hands, like me, who watch the hearing impaired professional who pantomimes the speeches being given by the Governor when he/she updates us on the CV-19?  I find myself not even listening to the governor speak, I'm just watching her and all the faces, and gestures, and movement she is relaying, it's really cool!!

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

FALL Equinox

3.2 Billion birds have been lost since 1970, 30% of the bird population in North America gone! Sparrows, warblers, blackbirds, hit the hardest.  Cats kill 2.6 billion a year!! Habitat loss and development is the main problem according to the study.  How depressing...we can each do our best to keep our lands/yards as wild and bird friendly as possible. We are their only hope.  Ordinary citizens making good choices and spending their money with companies that are environmentally friendly is the best solution we have to do what our leaders won't...Green spaces MUST be encouraged, and more citizen ownership of special lands needs to happen! Our Government can't be trusted.

                                   early morning in Mother Nature

I can't recall a more trying week...you ever get the feeling every rock you turn over has an ogre under it? That's been my experience lately.  All I can hear in my head is NO NO NO...I must turn this around to YES YES YES.

                                                      

This is an American Chestnut tree!  The only ones I know of around here!  And the nut is inside this very spiny hull.

I think this is a yellow bellied pond slider....he was one of the few that didn't dive for cover as we drove by him at the refuge on Friday!  

The mist was back at the lake when I checked it this morning...very eerie looking, this photo although it's kind of a cool photo alarmed me a bit that piece of fishing line in the tree was out of my reach I do have a plan to try and get it down tho...because this is a man made hazard for birds!

Notice how a spider used parts of it to support his web.  I couldn't reach it without falling in the water.  But I will bring a long pole with me and get it down.  

the early morning mist really adds some drama 

And the golds of the wildflowers add drama to the ordinary roadside...

And what would we do without Goldenrod?  

I got another stamp in my State Parks book when we visited Little Pee Dee State park in Dillon County.  I really enjoyed this park and want to go back.  In 2016 there was a lot of flooding in our state, And the dam of this lake broke...and this year they reopened the lake after rebuilding the dam...

There is a campground and I forgot to take photos of the campground!  Some nice sites right by the lake, looked awesome i can see myself enjoying that.  We had a refreshing picnic break, it was humid the day we were there that has changed since then we think the humidity is gone, it will be back on Thanksgiving day always is hot and muggy on Thanksgiving.  

looks like a rebuild of the fishing pier too... we had a Solitary Sandpiper down by the spillway area with some Killdeer.  A lifer for Sis...

It threw me because it seemed so much smaller than I normally see them!  

 

And the Green Heron was also playing on the rocks...

The Immature Little Blue Heron with his greenish legs

we added up 7 Little Blue Herons around the lake...

We had Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, and Kingfisher on the lake too...

A really curious Summer Tanager female in the trees came to see what all the fuss was about when we phished at a Black n White Warbler.  The Warbler was not still for a photo,,,,so we kept trying to phish him into submission and we also drew the attention of the Yellow-Throated Vireo a lifer for my sis!  And the first time I got a photo of one! 

What an awesome bird!

 

There is even petrified wood here!  

And at least one woodsy rental cabin, pretty cute looking too...

There's trails to hike, the lake to enjoy, a campground, picnic areas, and they will resume boat rentals when some of the vegetation dies off that crowded into the lake when the dam was broken...

im Little Blue Heron

Cloudless Sulphurs

We do want to visit this park again!  It's about 80 miles Northeast of us, and worth the trip! Summer is Over!

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.