Wildflowers!

I've mentioned the Sea Pines Forest Preserve several times over the years. It's one of my favorite spots on Hilton Head.  In all our visits, we'd never visited when the Warner W. Plahs Wildflower Field was in bloom.  What a treat!  It was my first opportunity to try out the new camera.  How perfect!

For the record, red poppies are one of my all-time favorite flowers.  I never could have taken this picture with my old camera so you can imagine how pleased I was after I saw how this one came out.  Obviously I liked it so much that I had to make it my header!

                 

  

It was nice to see that Sophie enjoyed the flowers too!

The cheat sheet!

I am such a Bird Lover. Really. Big. Bird. Lover.

One of my most favorite places to see and photograph birds is at the Sea Pines Forest Preserve on Hilton Head Island.  I've posted about it before. We were there on Monday and I managed to get a few shots that I really like. Our purpose was to look for gators (Sophie's Kindergarten class mascot!) but it was much too hot and I think they were all at the bottom of the lake. We saw not a one and we usually see several. Anyway, it must be my antisocial side but nature and wildlife are my favorite subjects to photograph. I get so excited.  But these birds.....oh, these birds....they literally take my breath away.  Who gets to be THIS gorgeous???  

My camera is a simple point and shoot. Clearly. But I've already warned my family that, once I save up enough for a Canon EOS, they will have to set me free for several hours just so I can go to the Forest Preserve and take pictures of birds.  Doesn't that sound just heavenly?

Here are a few other shots from today that I like.....the non-bird ones....I'm not an artist or a painter but these images seem to me to be the type that would inspire someone to paint a lovely scene....

Hilton Head is just beautiful.  Of course. On Labor Day weekend, it's full of people. For me, the Forest Preserve is the quietest and most serene place on the island.  Yet, when we go, we're usually the only people there.  Am I the only one who finds that odd?  Am I really so different?  Are we? These are the kinds of questions I ask myself.

Sea Pines Forest Preserve

Since I've chosen to only talk about Hunting Island thus far when recounting our vacation, you might be thinking that I don't like Hilton Head much. But that would be wrong. There are many things I like about the island. I just tend to like places more undisturbed and natural. However, having said that, I think the powers that be work really hard to keep Hilton Head as natural as possible considering how commercialized it is. On the actual island, my favorite place is the Nature Preserve in Sea Pines.

The main attraction here is the alligators. On this trip we only spotted two. Last year we saw many. I'm not sure why this is. Last year we visited at dusk...perhaps that is the difference. Anyhow, my first alligator sighting was this tiny little guy peeking out of the water.....

I also LOVE the egrets. Look at this Great Egret. They're so graceful and majestic.

The Spanish Moss is particularly thick here. If you choose to drive through the preserve, you will see a lot of this. It's magical...

All three of us fell in love with this bird ~ the double-crested cormorant. We watched several of them heading out into the water and diving for fish. The best part? Watching them dry out their wings in between dives. Their wings aren't waterproof. It's so cool. They really are amazing!

The best part of the day? The comic relief provided by this sign..... It still cracks me up. If you're unfortunate enough to fall in or stupid enough to dive in, and if you're lucky enough to survive, we will slap your ass with a ticket. You either lose or you lose.