Winter Walk in a Swamp Garden

I decided to begin my year doing one of my favorite things - touring the Swamp Garden at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Come along with me and I will share with you some of the special treats of winter in a swamp garden. There is so much hidden treasure that when I left I felt lighter and could breath easier. I will add a few pictures each day so come along and enjoy the tour.

I entered the park and before I could even get parked, I spotted a group of Peacocks grazing.  (is that what they do?)  So, I pulled over real quick and got as close as I dared to without frightening them.  After taking my requisite 6 or 8 pictures, I proceeded to the ticket booth. (I can NEVER take just one picture of something!)  In the summer when it is busy they have a person selling tickets to the swamp garden right there but this time of year, you have to go to the main ticket office and then get back in the car and drive to the swamp.  It is worth it!  My ticket for just the swamp was $8.  I know there is a way to sneak in but I feel like I get my money's worth out of this place and am happy to be able to be there.

I parked at the Audubon Swamp Garden and then used the code they had given me to open the big gate that leads to this great boardwalk.  You can see how brown it becomes in the winter.  And in the summer it is so green it almost hurts your eyes!

Searching for wildlife I almost missed this guy - he was swimming away from me when I saw him.

The trees were bare except for this large clump of mistletoe.

The sky was crystal clear and the sun was warm but my hands were freezing.  I kept searching the tree tops until I found what I was looking for -

This big heron is guarding her nest.  I always think of heron as "him" because they really look very masculine but don't you think this must be a female? 

Check back tomorrow for more!