If one turns a blind eye to the varied and significant evils of urban
sprawl, Hidden Falls offers the best of two worlds. Located smack dab between two housing subdivisions just five minutes from
downtown, its 40 or so acres included in and adjacent to a utility easement offer a safe haven for many critters.
Within walking distance there are, among other amenities, two schools; four supermarkets; fast-food, mall-food and fine
dining; multiplex cinemas; upscale shopping centers; two home-improvement warehouses; and, of course, a Super Wal-Mart. It
is no wonder then that what used to be a plantation before it was Hillbrook Dairy Farm before it was Hatcher Gardens before
it was the palette for a renowned landscape architect and conservationist, Hidden Falls is a nature-lover's dream well worth
documenting and conserving.
Click any picture to enlarge
or to see movies:
This was shot from a window in the family room.
Brian captured this bat for Sage to release.
This pair kept at it for days...
Sage watching Mama Turtle lay and bury her eggs.
Herons often join us for meals.
This shot was taken from a kitchen window.
This "Hisser" is not indigenous to Hidden Falls.
The colony was a gift to Sage from Cindy and Jim.
The texture of this little bee's head...
...makes clicking this image worthwhile.
This turtle wants Mother Goose's eggs.
Ever-present Kingfishers are noisy and bold.
This one saw stars a while after he hit a window.
This one is the wallpaper on Donna's laptop.
This one enlarges well...
Our friend Erwin with a fish...
...stranded during the dam's restoration.
This mantis was Sage's pet for almost two years.
This was taken on the day we released him.
Everyone needs a shower now and then...
This bugger is huge!
Look at the spines on his tail!
Click this to see a movie of Sage...
...documenting her "Nipping Turtle."
This is a 3-year-old frog named "Fatso."
Sage raised him from a tadpole.
We love our Cooters!
This one enlarges well...
This was shot from the kitchen sink.
This shows the proximity of the MBR roof to the dam.
This one enlarges well...
Just a couple weeks earlier...
...the snake would have found the post's nest.
When we first pulled into Hidden Falls' driveway on moving day, a rafter of wild turkeys stopped by to greet us. The red fox
with a bushy black tail frequents the Hourglass Courtyard at dawn. Both black and red river otters lope in pairs from the
woods down to the pond. A golden fox torments Ginger at dusk. Dozens of species of birds are checked off as sighted in our
birdwatching guide. With all these critters and many more still too bashful to have their images captured, this page is destined
to grow and grow.
The River Otters are fun to watch frolic.
Yoga Squirrel
Realeasing a pet baby water snake.
Changes in the environment bring out the curious.
This muskrat liked the cover of the open dam valves.
Sage kept this skink as a pet for over two years.
Sage named him "Striper" when she was five.
Click this photo to see a blooper reel...
Three snakes fishing together for better grip:
There are bright yellow ones, too...
Hummingbirds are constant companions.
This feeder is only two feet away from the iMac.
This is Darkblade, Sage's first pet leech.
Blue Jays often pester the Kingfishers
This one enlarges well...
This one enlarges well...
Sage busy at her "Inspiration Station"
Carolina Wren: SC State Bird
Cicadas are Brian's favorite insect.
What a cute smile!
Hawks dislike crows as much as we do.
We had never before seen this stage of a coat.
Twilight critters are the hardest to photograph!
We're eating sandwiches...
...our guest would probably prefer fish.
River otter catching lunch.
Click the snake to see a movie...
...of him eating his lunch.
This one enlarges well...
Lunchtime for a Red-Shouldered Hawk
That's a snake in her talons.
That's just pollen collecting downstream...
...though the ducklings do face many real dangers.
![pullin.jpg](http://webhosting.web.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=http://1696208.sites.myregisteredsite.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/pullin.jpg&target=tlx_pic43do&title=This "Hisser" is not indigenous to Hidden Falls.)
