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| Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
On our hot sultry days in South Carolina, it can be difficult to find the motivation to go out to favorite birding destinations. The heat and humidity of our beloved Lowcountry can sap the life out of you until you feel like a limp, damp rag -- weak from heat exhaustion. Funny thing though, this summer, our temperatures have only rarely climbed into the low-to-mid 90s. And where are the hordes of mosquitoes that normally limit our outings to the areas sprayed by the Mosquito Patrol? I am truly appreciating this summer due to the lower temperatures and the lack of mosquitoes. As such, Carl and I are venturing out more this summer. Thus, Sunday a week ago, July 21, Carl suggested that we go to Magnolia Gardens. The skies were cloudy but the rain showers were not forecast to occur until the afternoon. Overcast skies would make for better photography conditions for shooting all of those white birds -- Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Cattle Egrets and Little Blue Heron chicks -- in the rookery if any were left! It seemed rather late in the breeding season to have much of an active rookery. Nonetheless, with rain gear loaded, we set forth.
As we walked from the parking lot towards the rookery, the sounds and the smells emanating from the Audubon Swamp promised us a slew of birds. Indeed, the rookery did not disappoint. Most of the birds were concentrated on a small islet next to the boardwalk in an area which has not, to our knowledge, hosted a large number of nests. The Great Blue Herons were largely absent as they begin nesting in late January and early February. I expected the same to be true of the Great Egrets. But apparently there were some late nesting birds this year and a few still had fledglings that were expecting a meal delivery.
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| Great Egrets and other smaller unidentified herons awaiting food in the rookery in the Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
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| Young fledgling Great Egrets awaiting a meal delivery -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
As is sometimes the case with herons, these Great Egret siblings were not so very cordial with one another.
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| Young Great Egret siblings contending for a parent's attention -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
In fact, the video below shows a bit of the violent animosity often exhibited between siblings. Both of these fledglings had just been fed before I began recording. The parent had wisely retreated to a snag out of the picture. He had more fish to feed but needed time to bring it forth to regurgitate into a voracious beak. Why hang out with the fussy children when it is quieter on a nearby branch? The video will show one sibling being harassed by the other and how the former chose to separate himself from his aggressor. Towards the end of the clip, you will see the parent return and the chicks fly up to meet it. I am sorry to say that the feeding itself takes place behind branches but you can see a bit of it. The actual feeding process appears to be very violent. Can you tell who gets fed and who does not? Watching this makes me think that herons and egrets have the most difficult parenting job with the orneriest children!
We were surprised to find some very late nesting anhinga in the swamp. Perhaps they have a very long period for nesting and some begin much later than others. We have seen Anhingas building nests in April and feeding relatively large chicks by mid-May!
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| Female Anhinga on nest in the Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
I loved watching the affectionate nuzzling between this pair.
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| Anhinga pair-bonding in the Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
Carl captured this video of a female feeding her chick!
Anhinga video by Carl Miller -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013
Most of the Wood Ducks have much larger chicks (and fewer also since ducklings serve as a food source for other critters) in July. But this hen was leading about this adorable and sleepy clutch of 11 newly hatched babies! If you play full screen in the video, you can see the babies closing their eyes.
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| Newly hatched Wood Ducks following their mama -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
When egrets and herons first leave the nest, they begin by climbing and hopping around the branches of their nest tree. They are not truly capable of long flight. We call this behavior "branching." Another egret species tending to branching chicks in the rookery were the Snowy Egrets. In the photo below, you see a parent (the bird behind the other two) attempting to feed one chick while another squawks loudly (on the right).
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| Snowy Egret feeding his chicks -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
In this next photo, the parent has made a break for it. But you can see a chick below him giving chase.
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| Parent Snowy Egret above has broken away from his clamoring kid below after feeding him -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
The Little Blue Herons deal with the same kind of clamoring kids. They might appear to be quite calm and sweet as in the children's group shot below...
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| Little Blue Heron siblings -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
... or in this shot of this blue-eyed darling stretching his wings.
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| Little Blue Heron fledgling exercising -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
Do not let these serene appearances fool you! The "devil child" lies within!
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| Little Blue Heron fledgling wanting his lunch -- Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
They pursue their parents raucously and aggressively when the parent comes in with a meal.
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| Little Blue Heron parent pursued by his children at meal delivery -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
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| Little Blue Heron parent feeding his chick -- Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
Job done! This parent is about to leave in search of more food.
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| Little Blue Heron preparing to depart after feeding the chicks -- Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
This final video shows how rapaciously the older chicks will go after their parents at feeding time and depicts the seemingly violent manner in which herons and egrets deliver food to their young.
Another species that nests in this rookery is the Black-Crowned Night Heron. Here a chick quietly hangs out.
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| Black-Crowned Night Heron chick -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
Cattle Egrets also nest here but I did not see their chicks.
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| Cattle Egret -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
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| Cattle Egret -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
One final heron that breeds in the Audubon Swamp Garden is the Green Heron.
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| Green Heron -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
The Green Heron hides its nest quite well. I have rarely seen a nest here but I have noted plenty of fledglings such as this very cute one.
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| Green Heron -- Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
This completes a review of the species of herons and egrets seen in the rookery this day. In addition to these birds, I also was captivated by the photographic possibilities offered by the flora blooming in the swamp garden at this time. These particular summer blooms certainly add to the semi-tropical ambiance of the swamp. I can claim nearly no expertise in plants but two specimens appeared to have hibiscus-like blooms. If anyone out there can help to identify these plants, I would be most grateful and will share the information! This first one's huge blooms -- 7-8 inches across -- grew on very tall, leggy stalks from the moist swamp soil.
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| Large unidentified bloom from the Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
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| Large unidentified bloom from the Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
The buds of the bloom above are depicted in the photo below.
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| Buds of the unidentified bloom above in the Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens, Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
Another hibiscus-like bloom that challenged me photographically is below.
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| Hibiscus-like bloom in the Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens, Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
I attempted to capture the fuzzy stigmas on the hairy styles of the pistil in relatively sharp focus without a macro lens. A larger version of this photo shows the fuzz and hairs better. Still a macro lens would have done a better job.
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| Hibiscus-like bloom in the Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
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| Close-up view of the pistil of a hibiscus-like bloom in the Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC July 21, 2013 |
Another beauty blooming along the path's edges was this eye-catching lily. Again, if anyone can identify this specimen, please let me know and I will post the information for all.
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| Lily -- Large unidentified bloom from the Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens -- Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
Another bloom of this same lily was harboring this small, but wary katydid.
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| Katydid attempting to hide-out in a lily in the Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation Gardens, Charleston, SC -- July 21, 2013 |
The critter quickly saved himself from the up-close-and-personal shot as I approached. Oh well! Another day, another katydid!
Ring-a-ding! The lunch bell (aka: a phone call from Carl who was shooting elsewhere) was ringing. We had arrived at our designated departure time. Thus concluded another trip to the famed and favored Magnolia Gardens! I can now recommend to all a mid-July visit to the still very active rookery. Thankfully, our cooler than usual summer morning helped our enjoyment considerably. The overcast skies not only kept the temperature down but also aided our photographic endeavors on the white birds. Whether you are a photographer, birder, gardener, or other nature-lover, you will find the beauty to be serene and the wildlife activity to be engaging here in the always delightful Audubon Swamp Garden of Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.
This is great!
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