u/-knave1-

Every August-September, thousands of white ibis, cattle egret, great egret, little blue heron, and anhinga flock to this pond and nest in the thousands. It truly is a sight to behold!

Each night around sunset they start flocking together in droves and it creates so many awesome opportunities to capture their beauty 😍

I try to use more experimental framing to create more intimate photos.

Is it too much?

Watched two teenagers toss trash off the ground at this gator, where it went from trash that could've been cleaned up to trash that will now break down in the pond and inevitably create more micro plastics within an already fragile ecosystem.

Not only that, but the gator immediately swam right up to the dock afterwards, which tells me that it's accustomed to people throwing food at it. So now this behavior has been enabled and could've(and likely will in the future) result in harm to the gator.

This behavior from people is terribly common and extremely disappointing.

Unfortunately I was too far away from the idiot kids to do anything about it, as they were gone when I arrived to the spot.

Thinking of selling prints and I wanted to get an idea for what people would generally like better

Great Egrets are probably my favorite bird for the simple fact they are SO photogenic.

What's your favorite bird and why?

What's the funkiest bird you've ever seen?

I don't do a lot of landscape photography, but I tried my best to get unique angles and framing in the great Appalachian Mountains!

We haven't been back since Helene, since most of the parkway has been in repair. Glad to say it's more beautiful than ever and this was easily the most amazing trip we've had to Asheville!

Most people like the brewery scene and the downtown aspect, but we were on the parkway almost daily, just soaking up the scenery!

My wife and I recently made our way through WNC and saw so much wildlife, it was insane! At least a dozen black bears and even a mouse on top of a mountain!

We typically go to WNC every year(mainly in the Asheville/Pisgah area) around early summer for my birthday, but ever since Helene a lot of our favorite places to go have been closed to the public.

I have to say that this was easily our favorite trip!

It was just the most beautiful, picturesque landscapes imaginable. The Rhododendrons were in full bloom, the bears were everywhere, and the waterfalls were flowing strong.

We had an absolute blast and can't wait to plan another trip!

Some moody photography of mine from the last week. Hope you guys like it!

I have autism and struggle a lot with anxiety/depression, so going to the pond and watching the birds go about their day really helps soothe my emotions.

I went birding yesterday and saw almost too many birds to count. It was exhilarating and helped me forget all my "real world" responsibilities. It helps me reach a point of bliss that I often forget exists.

I've gone to therapy a couple times and while I don't have debilitating depression, I do still struggle with it from time to time. I've never had a therapist that truly could get to the root of the issue and I kind of gave up. But in doing so, I picked up birding as a hobby and it has healed me more than any therapy session.

The modern world keeps us so busy and tired that it's good to just be a part of nature for a few hours and be at peace.

Anyway, thank you for listening to my TED Talk~

All photos taken by me.

Gear: Sony a6700 with 70-350mm lens.

Watched this dumbass bird fly away from an attempted homicide and then fly RIGHT BACK DOWN next to the gator, only to squawk at it.

Really fits the description of "bird-brained"

Reading Pride and Prejudice beneath a canopy of sweet gums alongside a local wildlife preservation area.

Hearing the call of our local Kingfisher as he darts around, surrounded by blooming mimosa trees and dappled lighting made me feel the utmost cottagecore vibes, but perhaps it's only my imagination.