Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and the Audubon Swamp in January

         One of the birdiest locales in the SC Lowcountry, and thus a favorite for me, is Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, here in Charleston, SC.  Carl and I typically visit it most often in the Winter and Spring months.   In fact, I just scrolled through my old posts, certain that I have already blogged about this birder's and wildlife lover's paradise, and I am shocked to find that such is not the case!  How can this be?!  This neglect on my part is to be rectified here and now, and in a few more posts to come. 

          You will see if you visit the link above, that Magnolia Plantation is indeed a former rice plantation built on the Ashley River in the early history of South Carolina.  This property is still owned today by the Drayton family descendants who maintain it as an important cultural, historical, horticultural and wildlife site.  The gardens are fabulously beautiful and I love to visit them from February through April to enjoy the blooms of the camellias, the irises, the wisteria and the azaleas!  The landscape is both romantic and serene with the majestic Live Oaks and the Cypresses in the gardens, surrounding the plantation house, along the river, and in the Audubon Swamp Garden, my favorite part of this large property.

           What Carl and I love most about this place is the opportunity to see at fairly close range the diverse birdlife.  Thus, on January 16, we decided on an excursion to Magnolia Gardens, as we wanted to see some of the ducks that winter there.  In January, the SC Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the National Wildlife Refuges have yet to open their properties to the public.  So to satisfy our desire to see and photograph ducks in January, we head to Magnolia Gardens.  Though the species are not as diverse as they are on the refuges and in the DNR Wildlife Management Areas, the ducks are also not as shy.  They are used to people walking along the paths.  And as long as they do not stray from the property, they will not be hunted. 

Blue-Winged Teal and Green-Winged Teal -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

Least shy among the species are the Blue-Winged and the Green-Winged Teal.  You can also find several Gadwall, American Wigeon and Wood Ducks (year-round) in the Swamp.  Out on the impoundment along the river, I have seen American Coots numbering in the 1000s as well Pied-Billed Grebe and a few Northern Shovelers at times.  Because the Teals make it so easy, we spend a good bit of time observing and photographing them in the Audubon Swamp Garden.

Green-Winged Teal -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

Green-Winged Teal -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

Blue-Winged Teal -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

"Move over boys!" -- Female Green-Winged Teal coming to claim a spot on the log -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

"Goal achieved! -- a nice stump, indeed!"  -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

 

Green-Winged Teal -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

            Carl and I also saw some nice Gadwall and American Wigeon on this visit but with the fluctuating light and their tendency to remain more aloof, their photos were not blog-worthy.

            A favorite bird for us that we generally can find in great numbers from January through early April at Magnolia Gardens is the Cedar Waxwing!  This is probably because this bird can generally find plenty of berries to eat!  This particular year has also yielded a surplus of American Robins.  Both species provided us with quite a show on this visit as they gorged themselves!

American Robin -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

Cedar Waxwing -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

            The Cedar Waxwing above exhibiting the orange-tipped tail is likely a first year bird.  It is believed that these youngsters molted into these tail feathers (rectrices) as nestlings at a time when they were ingesting the exotic Morrow's honeysuckle fruits which contain red carotenoid pigment, rhodoxanthin.  This plant fruits in June and July.  It is believed that the orange coloration is a result of the red pigment from these fruits in combination with the normal yellow carotenoids also ingested in June and July.  Adult birds which molt their rectrices in September and October, when the berries are no longer available, will grow in the normal yellow-tipped tail feathers. The first appearance of orange-tipped rectrices occurred in the early 1960s and seems to coincide with the introduction and subsequent spread of this plant in the areas where the Cedar Waxwings breed.

Cedar Waxwing -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

Cedar Waxwing & American Robin -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

"Its a party!" -- Cedar Waxwings & American Robin -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

            

Can he swallow it whole? -- American Robin -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

The Cedar Waxwings struggled a bit more with the size of these berries than did the American Robins -- Magnolia Gardens January 16, 2012

Cedar Waxwing -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

Cedar Waxwing -- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens -- January 16, 2012

           Certainly other bird species caught my attention during this visit to Magnolia Gardens as well.  For example, how could I resist not photographing the elegant tail feathers of an exotic white Peacock, found in Magnolia Gardens' petting zoo?  A work of art, indeed, by Mother Nature!

White Peacock tail feathers -- Magnolia Gardens Petting Zoo -- January 16, 2012

A little personal grooming by a white Peacock at the Petting Zoo at Magnolia Gardens -- January 16, 2012

            I was also able to capture some other birds throughout the gardens, such as this delightful Carolina Wren, 

Carolina Wren -- Magnolia Gardens -- January 2012

...... this regal Osprey,

Osprey -- Magnolia Gardens -- January 16, 2012

..... the cute little Carolina Chickadee,

Carolina Chickadee -- Magnolia Gardens -- January 16, 2012

...... a very busy Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker,

Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker -- Magnolia Gardens -- January 16, 2012

Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker -- Magnolia Gardens -- January 16, 2012

 ..... this bold Northern Cardinal,

Northern Mockingbird -- Magnolia Gardens -- January 16, 2012

 
.... this watchful Red-Shouldered Hawk,

Red-Shouldered Hawk -- Magnolia Gardens -- January 16, 2012

.... and a fearless Northern Mockingbird.

Northern Mockingbird -- Magnolia Gardens -- January 16, 2012

             Thus concluded this bird-rich visit to Magnolia Gardens, with this fellow examining me as much as I was observing him.  Truly, I have not done this place justice in describing simply the birdlife seen on this one January day.  Therefore, you can count on more posts about this wonderful place which will include more on the gardens and the gators, as well as the house and the egret and heron rookery in the Spring in the Audubon Swamp!