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.
I took a bunch of photos as I moved along the curving path to try to get closer.
The Bald Eagle seemed to be lord of the manor, looking very dignified and distinguished!
Talk about being out on a limb!
The big picture setting of the regal Osprey.
I would not want to be on the business end of that bill!
I guess this outing had pretty good birding after all! A flashy Belted Kingfisher was also hanging out along the trail. In this image, one was perched on a rice trunk. More on those important wooden structures later in this post.
These birds don’t usually stay in one place too long. This gal flitted all over the place. Alesia spotted it on a power line.
Yes, I said gal. The female of the species has a colorful orange-brown belly band. This is unusual in the bird world in that the males are usually more colorful.
I chuckled at the All About Birds website description of a Belted Kingfisher as a “large, big-headed bird with a hefty bill.”
Not the most flattering wording! This is a favorite bird of mine that I would describe as chatty, energetic, gregarious and gorgeous.
A few more birds seen on this day: a pair of Anhinga. Not a “fun” fact but the name Anhinga comes from Brazil meaning “devil bird” or “evil spirit of the woods.”
“Water Turkey” and “Snake Bird” are other nicknames for this rather odd-looking bird that I would not describe as gorgeous.
These are Great Egrets. They were preening and hanging not far from the Bald Eagle.
We arrived at the fishing pier just as this man was reeling in a catch.
On his line were two Blue Crabs. Too small to keep he said. He told us he had also caught Red Drum and Flounder but they were also under the length limits.
Hope his luck improved!
The pier offers a sweeping view of the South Santee River. This spot is not too far from the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean.
The building was closed on this day, Saturday.
A peek through the door revealed a large comfortable-looking living room with reminders of critters that reside in the rugged region. The old gun club is a big place at 7,800 square feet.
The vast property, 24,000 acres, includes signs of long ago previous dwellings.
A neat feature at the Santee Coastal Reserve is this example of the large wooden trunk structures that were used to control the flow of water into and out of the rice fields.
It’s a simplistic design but one that worked in the 18th century…
…and continues to do the job in the 21st century.
The trunks sometimes need to be repaired or replaced. These are in a storage and fuel area.
The entrance to the reserve is lined with beautiful live oak trees.
There is definitely lots to photograph here!
The Spanish Moss is rich and thick here.
But I was careful not to touch it or let it touch me because the moss can have lots of little bugs such as chiggers.
At 24,000 acres, Santee Coastal Reserve WMA is vast and there were parts we did not see. That may be a reason to return later in the year. Next time with bicycles perhaps.
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