Recently, Seabrook Island Birders enjoyed a Bird Walk with a Kiawah Island Resorts Naturalist in the fields around Freshfields and then on another day, a “walk” on Ocean Winds golf course. A recap of each is below. More fun activities are scheduled for December.
- Monday December 4, 2017 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Project FeederWatch Seminar
- Thursday December 7, 2017 – 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM – Winter Birds of Seabrook Island with David Gardner
- Saturday December 16, 2017 – Seabrook Island Big Day
Fields of Freshfields Village
On November 16, Seabrook Island Birders were honored to have a walk led by two naturalists from Kiawah Island Resorts. The walk took us to places we usually are unable to bird….the fields behind Freshfields Village. In the three hours together, an amazing 60 species were identified. The day started in “Field 14” which is across the Kiawah Island Parkway from Freshfields Village. We had to wait to enter the field for 9 Wild Turkeys to clear the drive. Watching them run and fly over the fence in to the plowed field was a treat.
The day only got better when we reached the pond where there were Great Egrets, White Ibis and Wood Storks. Hooded Mergansers and Buffleheads had also arrived for the winter. Greater Yellowlegs, Lessor Yellowlegs and Willets shared a pond to allow easy comparison.
When we crossed back to the “tomato fields” behind the car wash, my highlight of the day was seeing the Loggerhead Shrike perched atop a tree. The day was not over, however, as we continued on to the brush piles behind Andell Inn where the House Wren and Carolina Wren shared a pile, again allowing comparison. The final stop of the day was the fields behind the pond at Andell Inn. From the fields, we looked in to the pond where a Common Gallimule was seen.
The day ended as we observed Jake and Juliana capture Monarch Butterflies which they would tag for migration studies. The number of butterflies was amazing and only expanded our love of beautiful area we call home.
Ocean Winds Golf Course
On November 27, Seabrook Island Birders were once again hosted by the Seabrook Island Club at the Ocean Winds golf course. During this “walk” in golf carts, 32 species were identified. The day started positively by the observation of numerous Double-crested Cormorants on the pond by the first tee.
The Eastern Bluebirds were not to let their larger friends outdo them so volumes greeted us further down the path. As the day continued, many of the “normal” species were spotted. A Green Heron missed the memo to migrate south so was seen on the sixth hole (and another was seen on the thirteenth). On the back nine, a Pied-billed Grebe was seen and then the highlight of the day was the pond on the thirteenth hole.
This one pond had the Green Heron, a Common Gallinule, a Pied-billed Grebe and the highlight of an American Bittern. As we headed back to the club house, a Northern Harrier soared overhead as well as a Bald Eagle. The Eastern Phoebe, Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons and lowly Carolina Chickadees didn’t stand a chance in winning our hearts.
The species identified in the Fields of Freshfields included:
Bufflehead 2
Hooded Merganser 7
Wild Turkey 9
Wood Stork 15
Double-crested Cormorant 13
Anhinga 3
Brown Pelican 2
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 45
Snowy Egret 13
Little Blue Heron 5
Tricolored Heron 4
White Ibis 1
Black Vulture 15
Turkey Vulture 8
Osprey 2
Cooper’s Hawk 2
Bald Eagle 3
Clapper Rail 3
Common Gallinule 1
American Oystercatcher 3
Killdeer 2
Dunlin 1
Greater Yellowlegs 6
Willet 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 2
Loggerhead Shrike 1
White-eyed Vireo 1
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 6
Fish Crow 2
crow sp. 10
Tree Swallow 8
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 1
House Wren 2
Carolina Wren 7
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4
Eastern Bluebird 3
Hermit Thrush 1
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 3
European Starling 1
Palm Warbler (Western) 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 45
Chipping Sparrow 20
Song Sparrow 6
Swamp Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 12
Boat-tailed Grackle 3
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch 3
The species identified on Ocean Winds golf course included:
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Double-crested Cormorant 25
Anhinga 2
American Bittern 1
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 1
Tricolored Heron 1
Green Heron 2
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 1
Northern Harrier 1
Cooper’s Hawk 1
Bald Eagle 1
Clapper Rail 2
Common Gallinule 1
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 2
Eastern Phoebe 2
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 6
Tree Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 6
Carolina Wren 1
Eastern Bluebird 50
Northern Mockingbird 2
Palm Warbler 15
Northern Cardinal 2
Submitted by: Judy Morr
Photoes by: Ed Konrad, Charley Moore, Valerie Doane
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