We left our river place in Wicomico Church, VA at 5:20 a.m. The weather had turned from yesterday's balmy, sunny, and calm, to cooler, cloudy and windy. We stopped for breakfast before getting onto I-95 heading due south. The temps gradually warmed and the sun made an appearance by the time we arrived at the Santee National Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina mid-afternoon. We drove to the Cuddo Tract of the refuge on the north-eastern shore of Lake Marion.
We took the 7.5 mile wildlife drive that meandered through open fields, swamp, long leaf pine, ditches, wetlands, and forest. After hearing the familiar song of Pine Warbler, Carolina Wren, American Crow, Red-winged Blackbird, we paused at swampy wetland when a loud unfamiliar cackling cry broke the silence. Too far away to get a decent photo but close enough to see distinctive details, we saw several Common Gallinule probing the muck with their stout red bills. A lifer for us!
At the border of young long leaf pine and mixed softwood forest we heard the chattering of a Red-headed Woodpecker. The bird flashed by and then gave us excellent views.
Later in a cypress and mixed softwood swamp we spied a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker pecking at a maple.
Driving through "Alligator Alley" we saw an 8 foot denizen of the appropriately named area of the refuge.
Near the American Alligator, an Eastern Phoebe flitted around pumping its tail.
And a Northern Mockingbird found a lofty perch on a snag.
Rounding out our visit to the Cuddo Tract we saw two Luna Moths involved in some up close and personal maneuver on a slender branch.
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