gratography

always a cute pic...that's a female mallard and her ducklings...they are the most common ducks in the United States,including at local ponds.

https://greennature.com/ducks/

Those a Peking ducks. They are common domestic ducks at local ponds and lakes. They are also the types of ducks commonly used in meals.
https://greennature.com/ducks/
more on the wild ducks

It certainly looks like a widow spider, which species, I"m not sure.
Clemson University reports the following.
"The Southern black widow is found throughout South Carolina. It is easily identifiable by the shiny, black, bulbous body with the abdomen bearing a red “hourglass” marking on its under surface. In some specimens, there are additional red spots on the top surface of the abdomen. The Southern black widow usually is found outdoors under stones, logs, or other dark, protected areas in and around buildings. The Northern black widow is found in the mountains and the Piedmont of South Carolina. The Northern black widow looks similar to the Southern black widow, however, it lacks the “hourglass” marking on their underside having, instead, two red spots.

The brown widow is a widespread species found in the tropical areas. In the United States it was introduced into Florida and is now found throughout the state. The brown widow’s range has been expanding northward and it has recently become established in parts of South Carolina. In the late 1990’s, it had been reported in Charleston and Beaufort, although infrequently. Since the summer of 2002, more reports of their presence have been made in numerous areas of South Carolina"

Take a look again at the markings on the spider for you to be sure.
https://greennature.com/spiders/

Ohio has two species of Argiope spiders, the Black and Yellow Garden Spider Argiope aurantia and the Banded Garden Spider (Argiope trifasciata) males look a bit different than females.

Looks like the Black and Yellow Garden Spider, what do you think?

Argiope spiders often go by the name garden spiders or writing spiders, and they are credited as the inspiration for one of the world’s most popular spiders, Charlotte of Charlotte’s Web.

https://greennature.com/spiders/

I also have a difficult time with many of the conks. Yours is too hard to tell for me. I do think you are correct in the fact that Artist Conks are much more flat and usually brown on the top. So I don't think Artist Conk.Maybe tinder conc, they look like hooves.

https://greennature.com/mushrooms/

Well, if you saw it in South Carolina, it might even be the official state insect, the Carolina Wolf Spider. They are the largest of the wolf spiders.

https://greennature.com/spiders/

Very nice picture. It might be a Cinnabar-Red Polypore. I'd be more certain with a bottom view. The bottom of the mushroom also has a nice reddish hue. They are found on a variety of hardwood trees.
https://greennature.com/mushrooms/

Based on the size you mentions, the color of the abdomen, the dark legs, I would guess Desert Blonde Tarantula.

Fall is the primary time for breeding season, the males tend to wander. Also, if it's raining, or recently rained, the water can drive males and females out of the ground nests.

https://greennature.com/spiders/

Was it smaller than your average dragofly? It sure looks like a male Seaside dragonlet. The fact that you saw it on Hilton Head provides a clue for the Seaside portion of the name. They are fairly common up and down the east coast. The females, like many of the species, have brown to tan bodies.

https://greennature.com/types-of-dragonf...

Sure does look like a Willet to me. They are very common along most coasts in the US, and they often are loners or hang in very small groups.

I've seen them from Florida to Washington state. They do breed inland during the summer in the West, allowing some people to spot them near fresh water areas.

https://greennature.com/birds/