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Brookgreen Gardens

Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina is a must-see stop if you are in that part of the country. According to its website –

In 1931, Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington founded Brookgreen Gardens, a non-profit 501(c)(3) garden museum, to preserve the native flora and fauna and display objects of art within that natural setting. Today, Brookgreen Gardens is a National Historic Landmark with the most significant collection of figurative sculpture in an outdoor setting by American artists in the world and has the only zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums on the coast of the Carolinas.

We had half a day to spend there as we were pushing on to Florida as part of our week-long roadtrip. I would suggest that if you get the chance, you should plan for two or more days at Brookgreen. It is that large with so much to see. The sculptures alone could take a whole day. And the formal gardens, the natural areas, the art gallery, the various animal displays and there is even a butterfly house. We missed that.

We were there in the middle of the day with high harsh light. It was hot and humid – probably the most humid day of our trip. Not the best conditions for making good images. We were pretty well spent by the time we left and headed down the road to Savannah.

My first alligator sighting of the trip

I love these delicate irises

Layer upon layer of lush growth

This sculpture was very popular

Patterns in light, water and foliage

There are many contemplative spaces at Brookgreen

Live oaks and Spanish moss

Contrasts

Frogs, doin it next to magnificent pool with another cool sculpture

Tadpoles

Lots of lizards like this anole climbing on Diana

I wonder what kind of butterfly this will become?

There are several sculptures of Diana and she is always vengeful

Diana’s dog

Poppies – another favorite of mine.

From Winter to Fire Season

Before we left on vacation, there was still a foot and a half of snow in our yard. Our road went from slush to ice to mud depending on the temperature each day. Walking was difficult because the snow was soft and wet.

When we returned on Sunday the snow was all gone and wildflowers were starting to bloom. We were grateful for spring.

Yesterday, all that changed. Someone’s burning brush pile got away and fire raced up the hillside pushed by high afternoon winds. As I drove home from town I could see the flames on the hillside above our house and I could see that our neighbor’s place was threatened. I wondered if there would be a road block and worried about the dog that was still in the house. In my driveway I found a person in a phone company truck who had been knocking on doors to warn people. When he realized no one was home and there was a barking dog inside, he stayed in case he needed to get her out of the house. There were many fire trucks and firefighters already in place and a bulldozer too. Their response and hard work kept the fire from spreading more. Our neighbor’s place was spared because he has a good sized expanse of gravel around it.

Hopefully the bitterbrush and wildflowers will come back and we won’t see an invasion of noxious weeds.

 

The scene from here on March 27

 

It was a hot fire that luckily, was contained by hard work and lots of water.

 

At the neighbor’s place. The burning pile in the background used to be five cords of firewood.

 

The fire burned all around his place

 

Our house is down the hill from this point 

 

 

Here is a link to a video of the fire and firefighting efforts.

 

Exploring the Cypress Swamps

We spent a day visiting Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and the Six Mile Cypress Preserve. Both places were full of wildlife and exotic (to us) plants and trees. They also feature boardwalks for safe and dry walking conditions. Also lots of good interpretive material to teach us about this exotic place. Much of Florida is developed for human habitation so these preserves represent small islands of what Florida used to be.

 A Red-shouldered Hawk, related to, but smaller than Red-tailed Hawk

We saw lots of kinds of turtles. I think these two are cooters

Watch out for this guy

Lunch?

Somehow the turtle escaped!

I think he was giving the wildlife watchers the evil eye because most of us were rooting for the turtle.

I need to find out the name of this snake. We saw several black racers but this one has a pattern on its face so it must be some other species.

Butterflies are so hard to photograph

I loved seeing the air plants and bromeliads in their native habitats!

Wood Stork

Green Heron

There were lots of kinds of fish. Some are introduced species, dumped out of people’s aquariums.

Another kind of turtle whose name escapes me. Ken will remember.

I think this one is a painted turtle like the ones that live here.

Lizards were always rustling in the brush. Also hard to photograph.

 

Little Blue Heron

Common Moorhen, similar to an American Coot

Yellow-crowned Nightheron

Small alligator, less than three feet long.

The egret in front was chased all over this pond by the other egret and a heron. We couldn’t figure out why its presence was not appreciated.

Glossy Ibis, very similar to White-faced Ibis

Coming in for a landing

Anhinga

The Anhinga uses its tail as a rudder underwater

White Ibis

Anhinga and turtle in the late afternoon sun

White Bird Pond

After two and a half weeks on the road, we are back at home in the Methow Valley. Here, a warm day is sixty degrees and wildflowers are beginning to bloom and the snow is gone. The trip to the southeast was quite an adventure taking us, mostly me, to new places and climates; seeing new birds and other wildlife.

All of these images came from one small pond at the Six Mile Cypress Preserve near Fort Meyers. It has been a dry winter and spring in Florida so birds are concentrated in some locations. This pond was maybe fifty yards across and when we arrived there were at least 70 white birds and one Great Blue Heron. The white birds were White Ibis, Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets and Wood Storks.

 

Lots of end of the day grooming

 

 

 

Spanish moss makes for an especially pretty stick. It might even attract a mate.

 

 

I wonder if she will like me if I bring her a stick?

 

Yup, still gorgeous.

 

Every feather in its place

 

 

This one took grooming lessons from a dog I think.

 

 

 

These Wood Storks in the trees above us were very restless, constantly moving about. The two are engaged in active noisy bill clacking at each other. I don’t know if that means they like each other or they don’t like each other.

 

 

 

 

Beach Life

It agreed with us

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