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                                            Victims of the Alligators of Carolina WARNING: THESE PHOTOS MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN OR THOSE  INDIVIDUALS SENSITIVE TO ANIMALS HUNTING AND FEEDING ON OTHER ANIMALS                                                  RELAXING IN SOUTH CAROLINA If you embrace the hypothesis some naturalists embrace that the relationship between the numerous alligators that populate the south and shore birds is mostly symbiotic, this may shock you.  It's true that many of the birds in the southeast prefer to build their nests over water and alligators resultantly cruise those waters preventing racoons and snakes from getting to the birds eggs and chicks. That would indicate a relationship that benefits both....

This was the gist of the ticker that caught my eye on tv during WPDEs news today.  Occasionally alligators make their way into the ocean, which of course makes the news so I wasn't completely surprised. Scientists hypothesize they do this to shake off the barnacles, while others think it's to find food. So this ticker today was no surprise, also taking into consideration that a lot of people get pets for their children to enjoy during vacation.  Then they let them go, presumably to "thrive" in the wild, though thriving is usually not what happens.   There's no end to the unusual but logical reasons a Boa Constrictor would be found on a SC beach. Turns out however, that I missed "Ford," which followed "Beach," but making this headline even more intriguing.  Even more interesting was that the snake was identified as a rare Albino Boa from South America, according to WPDE.  Curious for the details, I visited the WPDE website for the full story and...

  CONTEMPLATING IMMORTALITY IN THIS HEAT WAVE  Wood Storks, Reflecting on This Day Where They Normally Hunt Stress Free  They may also be contemplating their immortality as an alligator arrogantly cruises, just a little too close. It wasn't long ago that this species of storks was declining in numbers because their habitats were dwindling due to development. Now, increasing in numbers in SC, little did they know developers weren't their only enemies. Even the relentless heat wave in the country now pales in comparison. Wood Storks also have very rigid requirements for raising their young, passed down from generations so imprinted in their DNA.  They insist on being near water, preferring to make their nests directly over water.  If a draught happens or water dries up or they determine conditions aren't just perfect for raising their young they will abandon eggs, nests, even young chicks so it's no wonder their species has such a hard time surviving. This was a g...

  ODE TO "RADAR" On July 2, 2014 Radar was a beautiful and healthy Great Egret A few years later, Radars age and perhaps his lifes work took its toll Admittedly, this isn’t the norm for my nature photographs as there’s no intriguing background artistically colored by the setting sun; no special textures in the shot, or unique behaviors displayed. In this case however, it's an important photograph that documents what this Great Egret ultimately sacrificed for our fragile ecosystems.  Egrets are popular here, but this one is probably like none you’ve ever seen or will ever see.  This Great Egret became an icon to everyone who saw it. If you’ll look closely, you’ll notice thin wires coming out of his back and in this shot, a transmitter implanted under his feathers is visible.  Radar did his part. He's the perfect example to explain to children how humans are working with wildlife to help preserve our fragile environment. This was also the last time we saw this Great Eg...

During the Pandemic, I hunkered down and decided to expand my little outside corner of the planet into something that could keep my hands and mind occupied but away from the stresses plaguing us all. I dug in, literally and studied and perfected a wildlife garden that to this day provides a wonderful and rewarding respite. In my efforts, I discovered a rather surprising and heretofore unrecognized gem in the world of wildlife gardening.  Palm trees of all things, especially the flowering Jelly Palms add a lot more than beauty and atmosphere to your landscape. The stately palm remains beautiful but also stays the same through most of the year, including the cold months in the deep south.  Suddenly however, sometime in Spring or Summer-depending on the particular species, a long pod develops on this particular palm, and then slowly begins drooping toward the ground.  After a short time, this 3ish foot long pod will suddenly pop open to reveal this beautiful spray of intrigu...

                                                                                                                 BINDING NUPTIALS Of the over 45,000 species of spiders, even if you're not a fan of arachnids, this one will blow your mind This week, I had the good fortune to be invited to exhibit my paintings and photographs in coastal South Carolina again.  Seacoast artists gallery is an impressive gallery located at 3032 Nevers Street in The Market Common, and where they will hang.   The Gallery is made up of over 70 talented artists who are juried and showcase their works there, which are in a wide variety of mediums. Market Common is a growing and up-and-coming area with a diverse composite...

The ice embellished seed pods on this Crepe Myrtle made a provocative and most unusual background for this January 22nd photo and surprised a year-round resident Bluebird in South Carolina Winter Storm Jasper was not "for the birds."  It was a serious storm that caused power outages, closed schools, and dropped record amounts of snow, sleet and freezing rain, as well as caused a record-breaking number of flight cancellations, as it barreled across the US this past week.  And it didn't stop when it plowed into the southeastern coast.   The ice it brought caused flight delays and hazardous road conditions in coastal South Carolina, a dilemma for residents, and resident and migrating birds as well.  The city's website and news stations issued frequent updates on the status of the storm, since these storms are rare and infrequent.  A statement on the city's website reported that, "Myrtle Beach and other southern cities are not as equipped as our northern states...

  Birds of a feather do flock together, however this particular bird was oblivious to her obvious uniqueness.  I discovered this beautiful goose recently and learned she’s not only rare but probably new to the northern Myrtle Beach area as to date, unreported.  And while the rest of her species appeared to be accepting her, her coloration was completely different.  This Leucistic Canada is a Prime Example Why We Should Never Let Anything - Especially Our Appearance, Deter Us From Pursuing Our Dreams and What We Feel Destined to Be and Do in Life I felt fortunate that I was able to get her to pause briefly, and she appeared to be coyly posing for her 5 seconds of blog fame. In this case it was important to get the shots perfect to be able to present her true and unique coloration. I also included a few of her flock very close by so you can see the similarities and the unique and rare differences. After some research I identified her as a Leucistic Canada Goose, a sp...

There's no way to describe the amount of talent displayed at the annual Sea Coast Artist Guild’s "Art in Common" event September 11 - 12 2021 at Valor Park in Market Commons.  It was obvious we all needed a break from the confines and angst the Pandemic has caused us all and it didn’t hurt that the hurricanes far away from us brought us some breezy, cooler, but sunny weather.  It was also obvious how relaxed everyone was and clearly enjoying being out with their friends and cohorts again. As I wandered the grounds, I was impressed not only with all the creativity but with the diversity of this talented group.  Art ranged from the sublime and soothing to the wacky and whimsical.  And don't we all need that, depending on the day so I'm already looking forward to their next Spring show scheduled for April 2022.  Check the Sea Coast website (below) for the exact dates and times.  Kristen, in her Golden Zen Boutique booth was a delight and added her obvious cre...