Lowcountry Fall: Finding Bits of Red, Gold & Purple in a Whole Lot of Gray, Green & Brown

Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- Ravenel, SC -- December 1, 2012

         Inspired by bits of Fall color outside my window here at home -- the Gold leaves of the Grapevine and Orange-Red leaves of my neighbor's Crepe Myrtles -- Carl and I decided to search for a little more color this past weekend in our county parks.  As indicated in my previous post, The Rusty Reds in the Park, evergreen trees such as Live Oak, Southern Magnolia, and Pine, predominate in our Lowcountry landscape.  We knew we would not find large swashes of color but rather splashes here and there. 

         Unfortunately, the weather was most uncooperative Saturday with overcast skies at Caw Caw Interpretive Center.  Without bright light, normally vivid colors dull.  Our morning was far grayer than the photo above which was taken last December.  This is perhaps what we would have experienced at Caw Caw on Saturday with brighter light.  Nonetheless, we were at Caw Caw for birding and photography also!  Birding Caw Caw is always a delight -- gray skies or not!  I took advantage of the bird walk led by naturalist Chet Morse to enjoy the camaraderie and extra sets of eyes of fellow birders.  Carl set off for his own photographic excursion.  

         My favorite birds of the day were a Brown Creeper (just a fleeting glance as he disappeared around the tree) and then this Hermit Thrush feasting on Yaupon berries.

Hermit Thrush -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 23, 2013

Using a big lens on a moving bird in low light may result in a blurry bird!  Thankfully, he and I both were able to hold relatively steady for the next shot!

Hermit Thrush -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 23, 2013

        If you are curious about the outcomes of Carl's photographic excursion, here is his best photo of the day from Caw Caw.

Young alligator -- Caw Caw Interpretive Center -- November 23, 2013 -- Photo by Carl Miller

         Though both Carl and I were quite content with our Saturday outdoors and the camaraderie shared with fellow birders and photographers on the bird walk, we still felt a need for a Fall Foliage Fix.  Thus, when Sunday morning dawned  with bright blue skies, we headed back out to another park -- James Island County Park -- for more bird-watching, photography and walking.  After a SLOW walk around Caw Caw, I was eager to stretch my legs and lift my heart rate.  The brisk temperatures and blustery wind provided further impetus to us to MOVE.  With the strong wind, we were not really expecting to have a very birdy morning.  And yet, surprisingly, we found little pockets of shelter from the wind that proved to be quite birdy.   

         Our first encounter with color came in the form of this lovely Little Blue Heron.

Little Blue Heron -- James Island County Park -- November 24, 2013

Little Blue Heron -- James Island County Park -- November 24, 2013

        Then, right next to the playground, in an area sheltered from the wind, we had quite the flurry of small songbirds: Carolina Wren, Yellow-Rump Warbler, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Blue-Headed Vireo, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Cardinal!  So many birds all around us, and we did not know which way to look or which way to point our cameras.  The colors though in this corner clinched the decision for me photographically.  I wanted to capture the songbirds with a colorful backdrop.  Here are my favorite shots. 

Blue-Headed Vireo -- James Island County Park -- November 24, 2013

Yellow-Rumped Warbler -- James Island County Park -- November 24, 2013

Yellow-Rumped Warbler showing his signature yellow rump! -- James Island County Park -- November 24, 2013

Yellow-Rumped Warbler -- James Island County Park -- November 24, 2013

        Towards the end of our walk, we found one Sweetgum tree showing off in a small space all the bright colors of Fall -- a lovely, coveted artist's palate of color in a sea of green! 

Multiple Sweetgum colors! -- James Island County Park -- November 24, 2013

Multiple Sweetgum colors! -- James Island County Park -- November 24, 2013

         After a heavenly weekend of Fall birding in an Lowcountry autumnal palate of grays and greens with splashes of color, Carl and I finished off our morning at a favorite breakfast spot to enjoy a favorite Southern Lowcountry comfort food: eggs, grits and sausage!   It was a perfect conclusion to a cold, but colorful morning of birding and photography.