If a sensory dictionary existed and you could look up and feel a perfect Carolina day……. today would be there 🙂

We finally had a break from the unusually high heat and humidity that’s been with us for most of September. Yesterday was actually cloudy and in the mid 70’s. That was a shock! And today… well, it’s why soooo many people choose to live in the Carolinas 🙂

For me, it was nature journaling day, and off to Oldfield we went, arriving at the Duck Pond just before 10 a.m. I was in heaven. Almost every kind of wading bird was along the far shore: Woodstorks, White Ibis, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Tri-colored Herons, juvi Little Blue Herons, a juvi Black-crowned Night Heron. Not to mention Anhingas, an Osprey and a Great Blue Heron nearby along the banks of the Okatie River.

What to draw first? A Great Egret caught my attention. It appeared to have just caught a fish and was having a bit of a time getting it down the hatch. The bird would arch its neck then pick a foot up and scratch its throat. I watched the egret for a long time through my bins. Sure wished I had brought my scope. I like viewing my subject through the scope and sketching it at the same time. I managed to do it with the bins but ’twas a bit awkward. Two hours pasted but, it felt like 5 minutes. Luckily I was able to take lots of photographs.

Love Bugs were everywhere! Rob and I noticed a few on Monday when we golfed, but yesterday and today there were thousands. Oh goodie. Extra work now washing the dead ones off of our cars. Their body chemistry corrodes auto paint! Not to mention if you sit on them you can not get the stain out of your clothing….. I’m on my third try at getting their stain out of my golf shorts.