Red-shouldered Hawk Shines on Sign!

A relaxing walk in the park can produce some nice surprises and excitement, especially when I have my camera and am looking for birds to photograph. 

Such was the case last weekend during a stroll around the old Kings Grant Golf Course.

From a distance, I spotted a large bird perched on a Do Not Enter sign. I quickly surmised it to be a Hawk, a red-shouldered one. 

I took some pictures from behind like the one above, then slowly moved in the shade of a tree to see the bird’s face. I’m sure it saw me. These raptors don’t miss much I am sure.

The Hawk proved a good model! It let me take all the photos I wanted and didn’t fly away until I walked away. 

We saw a second Red-shouldered fly to a nearby tree. I wasn’t able to photograph that one but am very pleased with the ones I took of this beauty. 

Views from the Ravenel Bridge- Spectacular!

 

A recent walk across the majestic Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge offered a bounty of beautiful photography opportunities for this shutterbug. 

Sunday, Oct. 1 was an ideal combination of nice weather, puffy cloud cover, busy boat and ship activity plus an expansive view of Charleston, its harbor and points beyond in Mt. pleasant and Sullivan’s Island. 

My Canon SX70 lens was drawn to pleasure boats and the long wakes they left speeding toward the bridge.

Charleston- the Holy City- glistened in the distance. 

My book, “Stories from the Underground: The Churchyards of Charleston,” explores the old city’s rich, interesting and diverse history through the prism of its religious burial grounds. 

Check out this book (and my previous ones) at the link above or on my Amazon site. 

Beach Boats Abound (And a One-Legged Bird)

 

Going to the beach, soaking in the sun and atmosphere in late September! Not a bad place to live and way to live, in my opinion.

I do apply the sunscreen and wear a wide-brimmed hat, so I’m well aware of the sun’s hazards. Believe me, I’m aware. 

Bald Eagle Highlights Fall Nature Excursion

 

I didn’t see too many birds in a trek Sept. 23 to the Santee Coastal Reserve Wildlife Management Area, located north of McClellanville.

However, encountering a Bald Eagle early in the visit made the outing a huge success. 

We parked near the visitor center (old hunt club) and walked to the fishing pier. I had just spotted an Osprey and took the photos you’ll see if you keep reading. 

To the left of the trail in what looked like a dead or dying tree I saw America’s national bird. 

Can you see it? 

Bet you can now. On my Canon SX70 I switched to the HDR (high dynamic range) setting figuring the setting would pop. 

I was pleased the Eagle didn’t fly away.