“I Want My Mommy!”

Yesterday afternoon I saw this baby alligator pop it’s little head up out of the swamp and take a look around. I believe he was looking for his mom because she was indeed keeping watch nearby tucked back into the reeds where you could barely see her.

There were also a few more little ones that I could see hidden even farther back in the reeds but only this one ventured out into the water. I know mom was keeping an eye on the entire brood and this could get interesting as we get further into Spring and the weather starts to really warm up! 

Baby Alligator Pops Up In Swamp

Nice Day For Sitting…And Flying

It was a beautiful warm sunny day today along the South Carolina coast, and our friend the bald eagle was out taking advantage of the Spring like weather.

I spotted him relaxing in a pine tree along side the salt marsh and I’m not sure which of us was enjoying being out in the sunshine more! Soon however, he jumped off and flew across the marsh and I watched as he soared off to his next destination…

Bald EagleJumps Off From Pine Tree

Bald EagleJumps Off From Pine Tree

Bald EagleJumps Off From Pine Tree

Bald EagleJumps Off From Pine Tree

Bald EagleJumps Off From Pine Tree

Bald EagleJumps Off From Pine Tree

Bald EagleJumps Off From Pine Tree

Some Things Never Change

Well, once again, we see that two snowy egrets are incapable of fishing together in the same area of the salt marsh. One snowy almost always feels compelled to chase off another. I don’t even think that it’s necessarily anything personal, it’s just what they do…snowys being snowys. 

Snowy Fight in the Salt Marsh

Snowy Fight in the Salt Marsh

Snowy Fight in the Salt Marsh

Snowy Fight in the Salt Marsh

You Could Put An Eye Out With That Thing!

This great blue heron came zipping by me so close and so fast I only had a chance to bang off this one frame. It turned out that I captured just the front half of the bird as it flew across the salt marsh but that was the business end!

I’m glad I did not need to go to the hospital Emergency Room and have to explain to the doctor that my injury was the result of a blue heron smacking me with it’s wing as it jetted by! 

GBH Close Fly By

Ibis At Sunset

Still Fishing

A while back I was watching this young brown pelican fishing in the salt marsh. I thought I saw something unusual on the bird and when I examined the images later I realized that this pelican had a fishing lure stuck under the front portion of it’s right wing.

Sadly we see this type of thing far too often especially here along the coast. Birds can easily get stuck with hooks and tangled in fishing line. Hopefully this pelican can somehow manage to work the lure free from it’s body. But for now it seems to be able to fly and fish normally which is a good sign… 

Pelican Fishing with Lure

Pelican Fishing with Lure

The Big Arrival

Great Blue Herons almost always feel they have to make a huge production out of everything. This one was no different as he arrived in the salt marsh among the oyster beds with a dramatic flourish. Normally you might think the effect is wasted if no one is around to be impressed, but not to these big guys. Blue herons quite often seem to be perfectly content impressing themselves! 

GBH Arrives In Salt Marsh

Crab Salad

Recently some friends were discussing a recipe for crab salad and it was mentioned that using fresh genuine crab rather than imitation was important for best taste. That prompted me to head to my files where I came up with this photo of our good pal Mr. A enjoying a nice crab salad prepared his own special way. He not only likes it fresh, he also prefers it a bit on the crunchy side.

Although this particular recipe is officially endorsed by our alligator friend, I understand it may not be ideal for everyone. So please feel free to adjust the ingredients to prepare your own variation of this dish as necessary! 

Alligator Eating Crab Salad