Murrells Inlet, SC - Brookgreen Gardens, Sculptures and Wildlife Preserve - # - The Nature In Us

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A dream come true. Six hours on 300+ acres of gardens and sculpture (1400+ pieces) and wildlife preservation area. 3-25-11
Read my blog post for more info about Brookgreen Gardens.
View photos of Atalaya Castle, Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington's winter home, built while they were designing Brookgreen Gardens.

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VIDEO: White Ibis Feeding with Probing Bill - Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC 3-25-11
The white ibis lives in a variety of coastal freshwater, saltwater and brackish marshes, rice fields, mudflats, mangrove swamps and lagoons. The white ibis about two feet tall and has a wingspan of about three feet. The white ibis wades in the water sweepings its heads form side-to-side in search of food. It uses its long, curved bill to probe in the mud for crabs and crayfish. It swallows its prey whole. It also forages for food on land and it may also eat insects, frogs, snails, marine worms, snakes and small fish. Flocks of white ibis will move to different locations in search of food. Other wading birds often follow behind the white ibis and catch prey that's been disturbed by the probing ibis! It is entirely white except for its black-edged wings which may not be noticeable when the ibis is at rest, but easily seen in flight. The legs are long and gray, except during breeding season when they turn reddish-orange. The white ibis can be found on the Atlantic Coast from Virginia south to Florida and along the Gulf Coast west to Texas. It is also found in Mexico and Central America.

Great Blue Heron in Swamp - Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC 3-25-11
The Great Blue Heron suffered less from plume hunters and pesticides than other herons, and its numbers have remained strong. Swamps are forested wetlands. They may border a river with moving water or may be a pond of still water that is dry during some parts of the year. The moving water in this swamp is from the Waccamaw River. The plants in swamps have special adaptations that enable them to tolerate high water levels. Examples of trees you will see here are Tupelo Gum, Red Maple and Bald Cypress.

Cattle Egret Teaching Us About Swamp Habitats - Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC 3-25-11
A small heron of pastures and roadsides, the Cattle Egret is more at home foraging in grass than in water. It follows cattle, horses, and tractors to catch the insects they stir up. The Cattle Egret is native to Africa and Asia, and only reached the Americas in the late 19th century. It was first found in northeastern South America in 1877, having probably arrived there from Africa. It reached the United States in 1941, and started nesting by 1953. In the next 50 years it became one of the most abundant of the North American herons. It has occurred all the way to Alaska and Newfoundland, and has bred in nearly all states. See cattle egret video at beginning of album.

River Otters Swim Like Torpedos - Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC 3-25-11
The River Otter's survival in the wild is dependent upon pollution-free ecosystems. The otters habitat is a river basin, which is the area of land drained by a river and its tributaries. It comes closer than any other distinct area of land to meeting the definition of an ecosystem in which all things, living and non-living are connected and interdependent. From Rivers at Risk, The Concerned Citizen's Guide to Hydropower in Rivers: "When protected, rivers serve as visible symbols of the care we take as temporary inhabitatns and full-time stewards of a living, profoundly beautiful heritage of nature."

River Otter Closeup - Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC 3-25-11
The River Otter's survival in the wild is dependent upon pollution-free ecosystems. The otters habitat is a river basin, which is the area of land drained by a river and its tributaries. It comes closer than any other distinct area of land to meeting the definition of an ecosystem in which all things, living and non-living are connected and interdependent. From Rivers at Risk, The Concerned Citizen's Guide to Hydropower in Rivers: "When protected, rivers serve as visible symbols of the care we take as temporary inhabitatns and full-time stewards of a living, profoundly beautiful heritage of nature."

River Otter - Who Took My Towel - Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC 3-25-11
The River Otter's survival in the wild is dependent upon pollution-free ecosystems. The otters habitat is a river basin, which is the area of land drained by a river and its tributaries. It comes closer than any other distinct area of land to meeting the definition of an ecosystem in which all things, living and non-living are connected and interdependent. From Rivers at Risk, The Concerned Citizen's Guide to Hydropower in Rivers: "When protected, rivers serve as visible symbols of the care we take as temporary inhabitatns and full-time stewards of a living, profoundly beautiful heritage of nature."

First Fish, Carter R. Jones (b. 1943), Bronze, 2007 - Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC 3-25-11
Jones studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and then embarked on a period of study in Paris. After spending time at Brookgreen and observing the animals, he designed the 2004 Brookgreen Medal, which featured River Otters. This sculpture was created specifically for the Brookgreen Otter Exhibit. The whimsical group of a mother with two kits was modeled to appeal especially to children.

North American Alligator - Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC 3-25-11
The N. American Alligator is the largest reptile in N. America and can grow to 18 feet. Always found near water, this alligator inhabits several southern states including MS and LA. As with other reptiles, they are cold-blooded, which means they cannot generate their own body heat and must rely on the sun for warmth. This meat-eater feeds on nearly any type of animal such as fish, birds, small mammals and snakes. Normally hunting from the water, the alligator will actually lunge out of the water to reach its prey. If the prey is too big to eat whole, it can tear of chunks by rolling until a piece breaks free. To distinguish them from crocodiles, a close relative, look for the blunt nose and top row of teeth that are visible when the mouth is shut. Crocodiles have pointed noses and all teeth can be shown when mouth is closed. In the U.S. crocodiles are only present in southernmost tip of Florida and the Everglades.

Alligator on Bank to Sun - Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC 3-25-11
The N. American Alligator is the largest reptile in N. America and can grow to 18 feet. Always found near water, this alligator inhabits several southern states including MS and LA. As with other reptiles, they are cold-blooded, which means they cannot generate their own body heat and must rely on the sun for warmth. This meat-eater feeds on nearly any type of animal such as fish, birds, small mammals and snakes. Normally hunting from the water, the alligator will actually lunge out of the water to reach its prey. If the prey is too big to eat whole, it can tear of chunks by rolling until a piece breaks free. To distinguish them from crocodiles, a close relative, look for the blunt nose and top row of teeth that are visible when the mouth is shut. Crocodiles have pointed noses and all teeth can be shown when mouth is closed. In the U.S. crocodiles are only present in southernmost tip of Florida and the Everglades.

VIDEO: White Ibis Feeding with Probing Bill - Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC 3-25-11
The white ibis lives in a variety of coastal freshwater, saltwater and brackish marshes, rice fields, mudflats, mangrove swamps and lagoons. The white ibis about two feet tall and has a wingspan of about three feet. The white ibis wades in the water sweepings its heads form side-to-side in search of food. It uses its long, curved bill to probe in the mud for crabs and crayfish. It swallows its prey whole. It also forages for food on land and it may also eat insects, frogs, snails, marine worms, snakes and small fish. Flocks of white ibis will move to different locations in search of food. Other wading birds often follow behind the white ibis and catch prey that's been disturbed by the probing ibis! It is entirely white except for its black-edged wings which may not be noticeable when the ibis is at rest, but easily seen in flight. The legs are long and gray, except during breeding season when they turn reddish-orange. The white ibis can be found on the Atlantic Coast from Virginia south to Florida and along the Gulf Coast west to Texas. It is also found in Mexico and Central America.

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