3rd day is a charm...

I know you're wondering what the heck Im talking about lol...so it was Friday morning I got up and that was the 3rd day of a rare bird being reported in the exact same spot...I had slept in and having coffee when I read it on the ebird rare sightings for SC.  Only 2hrs and 15 mins drive..hmmmm by the time I arrived it was 1 PM! BUT sunny breezy the prefect day to go on a Twitch.  

In the Eastern corner of Charleston County is where the Santee River empties into the Atlantic Ocean...there's several places here I've been hoping to go check out but just never have gotten around to doing so this summer was SO HOT.  As  you can see it is chock full of mature old growth trees, since it was once part of 2 plantations! Eldorado, and Ormond Hall.  The Nature Conservancy acquired the land in 1974, its 24,000 acres of Coastal plain, flood plain, and contains Carolina Bays, odd small depressions filled with water!

I arrived so late in the day I only explored one area and not very thoroughly either! There's a boardwalk I really wanted to explore, but I was dead tired when I finished walking around about 5 pm sat down to eat my sandwich and began my drive home...if the weather was not going to turn sour I would have stayed over they have a Fabulous campground FREE!

each site is huge and nestled under the moss covered live oaks! All primitive so you're on your own if you stay here..beware of generators in hot weather.  MY Interest was in the 3 large impounds East of the visitors center and museum.  

Right away there was heron to greet me Little, Tri Color,  and Great Blue...all busy hunting for a meal some having success.  










And there's reptiles...

check out those golden eyes...

The Golden Rod and other plants still in full bloom was a treat 

Monarch butterfly

Double Crested Coromorant

Pied Billed Grebe 

The Big Well Trail was where the rare bird had been showing up so I took the trail.  It circles around the 3 impoundments.  

Parking is close to the trail so I drove over and parked by the boat launch area..right away small birds were darting in and out of the sedge and rushes.

If you're familiar with the Sharp Tailed Sparrow "Nelson's" you will recognize this guy...he didn't come out fully in the open I got 3 shots and each one filled in a piece of the puzzle.  It's been so long since I am seeing sparrows that it's like starting over!  We also had the Swamp, and Field come out for photo opts.

One of my fellow birders felt this could be a clay colored sparrow but no black outlines of the check patch so I called it Field Sparrow but then ebird reviewer saw it and said it's an Immature White Crowned...a state bird for me so yeah! 

                                                                     Gr Yellow Legs

We had Gr and Lesser Yellow Legs, Dunlins, Stilt Sandpiper, Least and Western Sandpiper, Short Billed Dowitchers,

Maybe some long thrown in too...couldn't tell you the difference!

Egrets, Night Herons, Semi-P Plovers,

Black Bellied Plovers,

Had Prairie and Palm Warblers peeking in and out of the tall flora along the trail edges...

Prairie Warbler 

Palm Warbler 

Wilson's Snipe

Fly Over Wood Storks 

I hoped for a Sedge Wren...couldn't nail one down but found my favorite the Marsh Wren 

And although we found our target right away I saved it for last wish my photos could have been better but he stayed just out of good range,

Hudsonian Godwit!  
That link takes you to the range map so you can see how far out of his normal range he was!

I had the place to my self for a while but then these other nice people joined in the search, everyone went home happy! 

The 2 people with their back to us in this photo run an Adventure Guide Service.  They will soon be taking a group to Costa Rica.  That's Paul on the left and his lovely wife Amanda on the right.  We spent a couple hours birding together and what a pleasant meeting it was.  If you want to check them out look for them here..

Epic Nature Tours 

... these young people give me HOPE.


  

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

October is Hard

...for me, the moon in my house must be falling...

I have been birding a little... my radius continues to draw the regulars nothing new so far this month...I hope it will improve as the migration goes forward. So I've been on warbler watch and I'll share some of what I've found along the way not all were photographed...none of these came out of my 5 mile...because I didn't want to miss all the good stuff that is out beyond the 5 mile. 

                                                           Olive Clouded Skipper

Eastern Phoebe 

American Redstart female

And a male

White eyed Vireo

And the first Ovenbird I've seen a long time!

                                             Palm Warbler

Eastern Wood Peewee

Scarlet Tanager Non breeding male, a county bird for me..

Summer Tanager Immature Male

Young Eastern Bluebird

A Northern Parula 

A Spice Bush Swallowtail Caterpillar

One of the deer went into the old barn...I think they like it in there...

Sadly my Mom fell again and she got some really awful cuts as she hit the door frame on her way down.  With old fragile skin it just ripped it to pieces...She went to the ER and was back home a few hrs later, but she will be house bound for a while till she gets able to use her walker again...

That morning we had taken her with us to the Congaree National Park..she didn't really want to go but we made her go anyway...

She had her 95th Last week...

...this reminds me of meringue on Mom's Banana Pudding.

She actually did not enjoy the outing and demanded we take her home so we did...home is not always a safe place to be...she has forgotten how much she loves a day out and about in nature... I hope I never forget all the great times I've enjoyed sharing nature with my Mom the tree hugger...taken Dec 19, 2010 on the same boardwalk!

I know you all have read many blogs featuring my Mom...I've been sharing our Adventures for many years so I will keep you posted on her recovery.  She has a strong will and spunk and  I know she will try hard to get over this set back...if love alone could mend her she would be healed instantly. 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

AUK TOE BURR

My "first week of October" got off to a really slow start! Seems I just couldn't get myself in gear.  I had a birthday I'm another year older...so there's that.  Aging makes everything harder...compared to my younger self.  Not comparing me to anyone else just to myself, what is hard for me may be easy for you, what is easy for me may be hard for you, that changes with time for us all...

what's missing in this photo?

Yep it was a challenge to get that line down...but now it's gone to the trash I wrapped it up in a brown bag so hopefully when it gets to the landfill no bird will get into it there and I also found that piece of weed eater line, and tossed that in too.  And notice spider's web still intact!


How many ducks? click to enlarge

I have yet to see the first arriving sparrow! Saw some low counts reported on the lists of coastal county residents but none here. We had this scorching record braking heat wave this week and it is now it has come to a close...Thank goodness, really hope that's the end of it, we have 8 months now before it comes again in 2020!




See the kayak stands on the far left of this shot?  Park employees put these up about 4 yrs ago...BUT the distance is too far apart for the kayaks they rent...the kayak will fall off... they never came back and to change to the proper distance apart...Question? When you make a mistake do you just shake your head, walk away, and never try to rectify it? 

Eastern Phoebe

Took this at the new County Park last week...this is the Wateree River...and I just noticed the arm of a guy (far rt) who was metal detecting...in the water! Never saw someone do that before.  This rock should be full of cormorants or gulls, yet---?  I see some white wash wonder who made that?

Had this immature Bald Eagle at my radius  hotspot today,  pretty far away

And last week when I checked the Racetrack pond, the volume was low, looks like a young a Red Shouldered Hawk on the ground hunting frogs, insects, and who knows what else...

red shouldered hawk, based on the reddish patches at the shoulder

Im digging those leg feathers...

Cattle Egret hang out with cattle, but mules really should not be put in pasture with horned cows!

Notice huge gash on mule's rump...and the sharp points on his pasture mates horns!  Strange bedfellows sometimes can be dangerous.



We're fostering 2 youngsters they come every day to the field and they overnight here too...they graze, play, and sleep...I didn't go outside to try for photos, thru the window shots is what I have..this is today's nap time. They still have spots and my research tells me they lose the spots at 3-4 months of age so these are brand new creatures taking their turn at life on Earth.  Each one having their own personal experience...as I look at the little deer he is experiencing the smell of the grass, the warmth of the air, the rustle of nearby birds, and they hear me walking around in my house with their big ears.  They are having thoughts and they are here with intention not by accident...they know who they are and where they are and what they are doing. They are living beings with family and friends, and a purpose in life. 

Sometimes an adult is nearby.  I have some old horse watering buckets.  A cool drink would be a good thing and I think they would appreciate it.  

Wood Duck Quizz = 6 one just visible on the far right in front of the shrub

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.