This week Amy suggested using the title from the book, “A River Runs Through it” by Norman Maclean as our photo challenge. What is so important about a river? It is a source of life for all of nature and also man plus it symbolizes the power of nature and fertility. I live close to the Kiawah River which runs between Kiawah Island and Johns Island and the mainland area surrounding Charleston, SC. The river is in a constant flux of change as well as the wildlife that depends on it for survival. The images below offer a glimpse into some of the life by the river.
This river is well documented since it is home to several pods of Bottlenose dolphins. These dolphins and their learned feeding behavior called ‘strand-feeding’ is very unique and rarely seen elsewhere in the world. They were featured in last week’s topic, Chaos.
“A river seems a magic thing. A magic, moving living part of the very earth itself.” – Laura Gilpin
The Willets (Tringa semipalmata), on the left, are a relatively large and robust sandpiper in the shorebird family. They breed in North America and the West Indies and winter in southern North America, Central America, the West Indies and South America.
The image on the right shows a few residents taking a mid-day break along the river bank. This group consist of a Brown Pelican with Royal Terns, Black Skimmers, Willets and Sea Gulls.
A few Brown Pelicans are resting near the mouth of the River after their morning catch. This entails diving head first into the ocean at a high rate of speed to catch fish just below the surface.
This American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) on the right, feeds almost exclusively on shellfish—clams, oysters, and other saltwater molluscs.
“Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not the fish they are after.” – Henry David Thoreau
It is common to see people Kayaking in the river or fisherman net casting.
“A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.” – James N. Watkins
This image near the mouth of the Kiawah River shows how the river is capable of changing the landscape and cutting it’s way through the sand and rock. It is an important part of this barrier island and has changed its course dramatically over the years due to numerous tropical storms and King high tides. This land area behind the tree, which is known as Captain Sam’s Spit, is s critical habitat area for migrating endangered species. Over the years much has been written about this area which is owned by developers who continue to fight in the courts for their right to build housing units, a bulkhead and dock along the shoreline. This construction plus the people it will bring in will be detrimental to the dolphin pods along with other wildlife that heavily depends on the river for survival. To read more about this on-going issue, Click Here, and also search the internet: “Captain Sam’s Spit South Carolina”.
All of the images above were taken close to the mouth of the Kiawah River where it empties out into the Atlantic. These last two pictures, taken about two miles upstream closer to our house, show the beauty of the river and surrounding area.
“Rivers run through our history and folklore, and like us as a people…We are a nation rich in rivers.” – Charles Kuralt