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| Reflection of Bald Cypress -- Cypress Gardens, Moncks Corner, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
With one week left in the old year, Carl and I decided that we should take advantage of a Teacher's Pass, that was about to expire, which would allow us free admission to
Cypress Gardens in Moncks Corner, SC. Like many of the gardens in the greater Charleston area, Cypress Gardens is located on the site of a former rice plantation, Dean Hall. It had been a few years since out last visit. We had heard that they had expanded their trails and we decided that we needed to stretch out legs and check out those new trails.
We arrived early in the morning and began exploring first the Northern Nature Trail. This trail circumnavigates a swampy woodland which included the usual cypress and tupelo gum trees bordered also by several pines. This habitat is known to be a rookery for vultures. Though it was not nesting season, the vultures still used this area for roosting. Needless to say we saw MANY vultures -- both Black and Turkey.
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| Black and Turkey Vultures -- Northern Nature Trail -- Cypress Gardens, Moncks Corner, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
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| Black Vulture -- Northern Nature Trail -- Cypress Gardens, Moncks Corner, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
We returned to the Main Trail and we were very pleased with the general "birdiness" of this area -- Carolina Chickadees, American Robins, Yellow-Rumped Warblers, Ruby-Crowned Kinglets, Golden Crowned Kinglets, Pine Warblers, Brown Thrashers, Northern Mockingbirds, Northern Flickers, Downy Woodpeckers, Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Wood Ducks (very shy), Song Sparrows, White-Throated Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows, Tufted Titmice, Gray Catbird, Northern Cardinals, etc. Carl captured these 2 wonderful images of the 2 morphs of the White-Throated Sparrows: Tan-Striped and White-Striped.
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| White-Throated Sparrow -- Tan-Striped Morph -- Cypress Gardens -- December 26, 2011 -- Photo by Carl Miller |
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| White-Throated Sparrow -- White-Striped Morph -- Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 -- Photo by Carl Miller |
I have often found Northern Flickers difficult birds to photograph as they rarely sit still and they love the treetops. So here is my best effort of the day.
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| Northern Flicker -- Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
After exploring the Main Path, we ventured off down the Perimeter Trail where we saw Brown-Headed Nuthatches, White-Breasted Nuthatches, many American Robins, Yellow-Rumped Warblers, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, more Wood Ducks, of course and this Pileated Woodpecker.
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| Pileated Woodpecker -- Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
We backtracked back along the Southern Nature Trail where I found this fabulous fungus growing on a stump. Not sure how to identify it, I asked a couple of naturalist-friends for some help. Keith McCullough of
Charleston County Parks fame, responded that it was indeed a shelf fungus, likely in the phylum Basidiomycota. He said....
"Many shelf fungi are associated with wood decay and have a unique system of pores rather than gills. What you are seeing are basically reproductive bodies as other parts of the fungus are inside the wood, helping it rot away. They also lack a stem. Some do have gills, and a ventral image may be necessary for a specific ID. "
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| A Fungus -- Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
Since these were growing from a short, rotting stump, the ID made sense. Keith is hoping to learn more after sharing the photo with a mycologist friend. So there may be a follow-up comment in the future.
After the completing the Southern Nature Trail, Carl and I rejoined the Main Path again. Along both trails we encountered some very old camellia plants blooming quite nicely.
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| Camellia -- Cypress Gardens -- December 26, 2011 |
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| Camellia with bee -- Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
After exploring the gardens and the woodland trails, Carl and I were drawn into the courtyard by the sounds of exotic birds. Cypress Gardens has an area where they keep exotic birds that, to my understanding, have been given up by owners who could no longer care for them. We visited these curious, friendly birds a bit prior to entering the Butterfly House. The Butterfly House is a large green house full of exotic plants and with several species of butterflies flitting about. Carl and I were both captivated by what we learned of the life cycles of the butterflies as we could see different stages of development unfolding before our eyes! Carl took the following photos of the life stages of the different butterflies. The caterpillar below has hung himself in a J shape -- just before he forms his chrysalis.
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| Caterpillar in J shape just prior to forming chrysalis -- Cypress Garden Butterfly House -- December 26, 2011 -- photo by Carl Miller |
The next photo shows a chrysalis. You can see a wing formed through the shell!
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| Chrysallis -- Butterfly House -- Cypress Gardens, SC -- Photo by Carl Miller |
In this final photo (greatly enlarged), you can see eggs which we saw deposited by a Dryas Julia Butterfly. The actual size of the egg was about the size of a 12 point font period. Yet, Carl's enlargement shows its corn cob knobby appearance not visible to the naked eye!
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| Butterfly eggs greatly enlarged in photo -- Butterfly House, Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 -- Photo by Carl Miller |
While Carl focused his camera on the butterfly life cycle, I took aim at the small exotic bird species. Unfortunately, the names of these birds escape me. The volunteer could tell me the names but she could not tell me which one was which. Perhaps, one of this blog's readers will come to my rescue and post a comment to let us all know. Here are the cuties!
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| Little exotic bird in the Butterfly House -- Cypress Gardens -- December 26, 2011 |
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| An exotic quail in the Butterfly House -- Cypress Gardens -- December 26, 2011 |
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| Little exotic beauty in the Butterfly House -- Cypress Gardens -- December 26, 2011 |
These little beauties were feeling quite amorous and we saw several of them mating and elsewhere in the flower beds we found some eggs.
Though the exotics were incredibly cute, they were not the show-stoppers in the Butterfly House. They did not quite have the personalities of this next pair of captive birds whose home is the Butterfly House. That distinction goes to Cypress and Tupelo, a pair of captive Wood Ducks! They did not come as a pair to the Butterfly House. I did not hear the whole story but I understand that they came separately and are a replacement for "Woody," a captive wood duck that had preceded them. Both ducks are unable to fend for themselves in the wild so they are here, the very pampered residents, who are very much acclimated to interacting with humans. Both enjoyed chattering with us humans and pretty much annoyed each other as they vied for attention. Though the macho (male) Cypress was indeed a looker, I confess to preferring (the female) Tupelo's sass and free spirit. Here's Cypress!
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| Cypress -- Butterfly House at Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
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| Cypress being fed some crickets by a volunteer -- Butterfly House at Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
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| Cypress -- Butterfly House at Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
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| Cypress -- Butterfly House at Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
And not to be outshined, here's Tupelo!
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| Tupelo -- Butterfly House at Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
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| Tupelo -- Butterfly House at Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
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| Tupelo loved playing in the pool with the koi and turtles -- Butterfly House at Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
And here they are together!
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| Tupelo and Cypress -- Butterfly House at Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 2011 |
To end the Butterfly House set, here's a turtle close-up.
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| Red-Eared Slider at the Butterfly House in Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 |
Carl and I ended up staying at Cypress Gardens much longer than planned. Who knew we would be mesmerized by the life cycles of butterflies and the antics of a pair of clownish Wood Ducks? We prefer to see wild animals in the wild and not as captives. Yet, we can learn much about animal life and their potential for personality in this setting that would not be visible to us otherwise. This setting for these ducks in the Butterfly House assured us that this captive pair received much stimulation and interaction, if not downright pampering. A Butterfly House such as this one serves as a great educational resource for young and old alike.
We are looking forward to another visit soon to Cypress Gardens. With Spring coming, it is perhaps soon time to venture out there to see reflections of azaleas in the dark waters of the Cypress Swamp and to hear the Prothonotary and Parula Warblers sing! In the meantime, we cherish our winter images of the natural beauty of this dynamic wildlife habitat and garden.
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| Winter Swamp reflections -- Cypress Gardens, SC -- December 26, 2011 -- Photo by Carl Miller |
So many great pictures by Cathy and Carl (sparrow, chrysalis). Bravissimo les photographes américains!
ReplyDeletePhilippe.