The Carolina Lowcountry is not known for fabulous Fall color for good reasons. We simply do not have great quantities of the types of hardwoods that produce that kind of color. Closer to the salt marshes, the less color we seem to have as Palmettos, Live Oaks and cedar predominate. Last Sunday, however, Carl and I enjoyed some rusty reds in our walk at
James Island County Park. The Cypress trees here have developed some lovely, coppery hues.
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| Cypress color -- James Island County Park -- November 17, 2013 |
Our self-appointed mission last Sunday was to hopefully relocate an Eastern Screech Owl which has been seen a couple of times on the Bird Walks. Though we did find the tree on which the owl has been known to perch, he was not there. We continued to look as we hiked along the trails. Just as Carl was gesturing into a deep wooded area and was saying, "You know, that seems like the ideal place to spot an owl," we peered into the deep wooded area .... and we saw .... NOT an owl .... BUT this wonderful, rusty-breasted Red-Shouldered Hawk!
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| Red-Shouldered Hawk -- James Island County Park -- November 17, 2013 |
It was not the hoped-for owl but, indeed, I was delighted to see and photograph this beautiful buteo! From the coppery glow off of the cypress to the rusty red of the Red-Shouldered Hawk, I can relish some Lowcountry Rusty Reds in the park!
It is now late November and we are seeing some color on some hardwoods around James Island this weekend. Fall color always arrives late here. Yes, it is time to venture out again to see if I can capture digitally more of these fleeting, but lovely shades. Who knows, maybe we will find an owl this time too!
Cathy, sorry you didn't see the Eastern Screech owl. He's very elusive, when Chet and I saw him that Thursday the 14th we hadn't seen him for about 2 years, but every month since had made sure we looked at the tree. It was a great spot, indeed! Glad you saw the beautiful RS Hawk - we once saw him at eye level just off the path a year or so ago.
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