Month: February 2018

As mentioned in an earlier blog, Seabrook Island Birders scheduled five “walks” to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC).  And the group truly did participate!  Over the course of two days, 53 individuals participated in at least one of the walks.  80 different species were identified over the two days on Seabrook Island.  The great weather, great friends and great birding on these two days has many of us looking forward to our Learning Together on March 1 in the fields behind Freshfields.   We also have a Backyard Birding on March 14 on Deer Point.  Of course all scheduled activities can be seen the Activity Page of the Seabrook Island Birders web site (seabrookislandbirders.org).

The GBBC walks started at 8:00 AM Sunday with 8 people looking for ducks and other birds at the SIPOA Maintenance area and then on to the Equestrian Center.  35 species were identified at the Maintenance area including the ponds at the Waste Management area.

Yellow-rumped Warblers were greeting us everywhere but the Bufflehead and Hooded Mergansers and Ruddy Duck also were there for us.  A Downy Woodpecker also presented itself.  As we went on to the Equestrian Center, 14 species were identified there.

European Starlings and a Black Vulture were the only species added to the day’s list but the Eastern Bluebirds were abundant along with the expected European Starlings, American Robins and Killdeer.

The second walk of the day took us to North Beach were we expected to see a vastly different species of birds.  In the 41 species seen on North Beach, 28 were new for the day.  Red-breasted Mergansers, Forster’s Terns and Sanderlings may have been the most frequent bird sees, it was the Northern Gannets diving out at sea and the ability to idenitify a Great Black-backed Gull were probably the highlights of the walk.

The third walk was so much fun, an entire blog will be devoted to describe the walk around Palmetto Lake where the children of Seabrook joined us to learn more about birding.  The group was large enough we split in to two groups and went in opposite directions around the lake.  Each group identified 24 species but combined, 27 species were seen.  A highlight, besides seeing the enthusiastic children, was as the two groups met at the back side of the lake, an Osprey flew in and landed on a branch above our head.  All were able to observe it through the spotting scope and see it still held a fish in its right talon.

Sunday’s activities were completed with a drive/walk along Jenkins Point where the Great Egrets were beginning to show their breeding plumage.  An amazing 11 Black-crowned Night Heron were also seen with the difference between a mature and immature easily able to be seen.  The most “unusual” sighting of this final activity was using the spotting scope from Nancy Island, Rock Pigeons could be seen over at Rockville.  A total of 24 species were seen on this segment with the Rock Pigeons, a Wild Turkey and a Fish Crow being “firsts” for the day.

Monday’s participation in GBBC took place on Ocean Winds Golf Course.  23 people split into 3 groups to traverse the golf course in different directions using golf carts.  46 species were identified between the 3 groups with the group that started on the back nine seeing 37 species.  That group was able to see a Northern Gannet from the 14th tee, next to the ocean.  From that location, they saw several other shore birds not normally considered “golf course” birds.  Only group saw the Wild Turkey and as the group going forward on the front nine met the group going backwards on the front nine, an Anhinga, Great Egrets in breeding plumage and a Cooper’s Hawk were seen.  Most of the group only had time to cover 9 holes of the course but a few from the front nine were able to continue on to the back where they also saw the Common Gallinule, the Bald Eagle perched on the tree near the practice facilities, and an Osprey checking out the nesting platform near the Oystercatcher bridge.  Earlier, the Bald Eagle was seen perched above the nest on Crooked Oaks 3rd hole although no reports of chicks have been reported.

Overall, it was a great weekend to contribute to citizen science.  Detail lists of the sightings are shown below.

Seabrook Island — SIPOA/Club Maintenance Area – 33 species

Bufflehead 16
Hooded Merganser 3
Ruddy Duck 1
Wood Stork 1
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Killdeer 4
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Ring-billed Gull 6
Mourning Dove 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 2
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 8
American Crow 3
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 7
House Wren 2
Carolina Wren 7
Eastern Bluebird 7
American Robin 6
Gray Catbird 3
Brown Thrasher 2
Cedar Waxwing 9
Palm Warbler 3
Pine Warbler 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 15
White-throated Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 6
Boat-tailed Grackle 13

Seabrook Island-Equestrian Center – 14 species

Black Vulture 1
Killdeer 15
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 2
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 3
Eastern Bluebird 18
American Robin 12
European Starling 8
Palm Warbler 6
Chipping Sparrow 5
Red-winged Blackbird 2

Seabrook Island–North Beach – 41 species (+1 other taxa)

Bufflehead 35
Red-breasted Merganser 52
Red-throated Loon 1
Northern Gannet 4
Double-crested Cormorant 65
Brown Pelican 19
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 2
Osprey 1
Bald Eagle 2
American Oystercatcher 8
Black-bellied Plover 5
Ruddy Turnstone 3
Sanderling 50
Dunlin 120
Western Sandpiper 1
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Willet 18
Bonaparte’s Gull 5
Laughing Gull 83
Ring-billed Gull 10
Herring Gull 9
Great Black-backed Gull 3
Forster’s Tern 220
Royal Tern 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 6
crow sp. 3
Tree Swallow 400
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
Eastern Bluebird 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
Pine Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 13
White-throated Sparrow 1
Eastern Towhee 2
Northern Cardinal 3

Seabrook Island — Palmetto Lake – 24 species

Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 3
Snowy Egret 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2
Black Vulture 10
Turkey Vulture 1
Osprey 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 2
Tufted Titmouse 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Eastern Bluebird 6
American Robin 75
Northern Mockingbird 1
Cedar Waxwing 8
Palm Warbler 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 13
Chipping Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 2

Seabrook Island — Palmetto Lake – 24 species

Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 1
Ring-billed Gull 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 4
American Crow 2
Carolina Wren 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
Eastern Bluebird 10
American Robin 65
Northern Mockingbird 1
Palm Warbler 8
Yellow-rumped Warbler 35
Chipping Sparrow 6
White-throated Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 3

Seabrook Island — Jenkins Point Rd – 24 species

Hooded Merganser 35
Wild Turkey 1
Wood Stork 1
Double-crested Cormorant 6
Brown Pelican 1
Great Egret 14
Snowy Egret 5
Tricolored Heron 6
Black-crowned Night-Heron 11
Turkey Vulture 4
Bald Eagle 2
Laughing Gull 1
Ring-billed Gull 1
Forster’s Tern 2
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 6
Belted Kingfisher 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
American Crow 3
Fish Crow 1
Tufted Titmouse 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 4
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 3
Boat-tailed Grackle 2

Seabrook Island — Ocean Winds Golf Course – Front Nine – 31 species
15 Hooded Merganser
5 Double-crested Cormorant
2 Anhinga
1 Brown Pelican
2 Great Blue Heron
7 Great Egret
1 Little Blue Heron
1 Black Vulture
1 Cooper’s Hawk
2 Bald Eagle
1 Red-shouldered Hawk
1 Mourning Dove
2 Belted Kingfisher
9 Red-bellied Woodpecker
2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
7 Northern Flicker
1 Eastern Phoebe
4 Blue Jay
5 American Crow
2 Fish Crow
4 Carolina Chickadee
6 Tufted Titmouse
2 Carolina Wren
2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
11 Eastern Bluebird
6 Pine Warbler
8 Yellow-rumped Warbler
4 Northern Cardinal
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
20 Boat-tailed Grackle

Seabrook Island — Ocean Winds Golf Course – Front Nine – 24 species

Hooded Merganser 23
Wild Turkey 1
Double-crested Cormorant 6
Anhinga 1
Brown Pelican 1
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 5
Little Blue Heron 1
Cooper’s Hawk 1
Bald Eagle 1
Mourning Dove 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 2
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 2
Carolina Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Eastern Bluebird 6
American Robin 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Northern Cardinal 3
Red-winged Blackbird 1

Seabrook Island — Ocean Winds Golf Course – Back Nine – 37 species

Hooded Merganser 5
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Wood Stork 2
Northern Gannet 3
Double-crested Cormorant 18
Brown Pelican 3
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 4
Snowy Egret 1
Tricolored Heron 1
Green Heron 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3
Osprey 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Common Gallinule 1
Forster’s Tern 1
Royal Tern 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 6
Fish Crow 13
Carolina Chickadee 11
Tufted Titmouse 7
Carolina Wren 5
Eastern Bluebird 11
Gray Catbird 2
Brown Thrasher 1
Northern Mockingbird 3
Pine Warbler 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 17
Northern Cardinal 11
Red-winged Blackbird 18
Boat-tailed Grackle 8
House Finch 3

Seabrook Island — Ocean Winds Golf Course – Back Nine – 24 species

Hooded Merganser 6
Double-crested Cormorant 19
Brown Pelican 1
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 1
Tricolored Heron 1
Osprey 1
Bald Eagle 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Common Gallinule 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 7
Carolina Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 1
Eastern Bluebird 8
American Robin 25
Northern Mockingbird 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 4
House Finch 1

Submitted by: Judy Morr

Photos by: Charlie Moore and Dean Morr

Audabon’s Great Backyard Birdcount didn’t officially begin until Friday February 16, but 10 Seabrook Island Birders started the long holiday weekend early with a visit to a very large ( 12,000 acre) backyard of the Bear Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and then Donnelly WMA (another 8,000 acre).  Both of these WMA are closed from the end of October through February 10 for duck hunting.  It was hoped that a lot of ducks would still be there when the group visited shortly after the season reopened.

The group met while still dark with hopes to reach Bear Island before the Tundra Swans left for the day.  The weather forecast was promising and the group had an indication it may be a good birding day when a gas stop in Jacksonboro was the first massive sighting of the day.  A conservative estimate of 25 Black Vultures and 15 Fish Crows were hovering in and around a tree behind the station.  On to Bear Island for some ducks!

David Gardner (our fearless leader) recommended we make our first stop at Bennetts Point, just outside the gate to Bear Island.  He had seen reports a Eurasion Wigeon was a recurring resident of that pond.  Shortly after setting up his spotting scope, he saw the red head of the Eurasion Wideon among the 540 American Wigeon.  While counting the ducks, a flock of Tundra Swans gracefully flew in from Bear Island and glided in to the same pond.  Not to be outdone, our first flock of American Avocets also flew in to the area.  In less than a half hour, 26 species were seen.  As we left the area to turn in to Bear Island, a Bald Eagle was seen perched in a tree, as if to assure us we’d only just begun a great day.

The rest of the morning was spent going from impoundment to impoundment of old rice fields along dirt roads.  Minimal walking was required to see the 68 species.  The number of ducks became almost overwhelming with over a dozen species being seen with many in high quantities.  Ducks obviously were not the only species seen with White Pelicans providing an arial show as well as Northern Harrier.  The beautiful American Avocets were seen again in greater numbers.

The final stop of the day was at Donnelly WMA which is between Bear Island and Highway 17.  A good view of Eastern Meadowlarks and Vesper Sparrows may have been the highlight of this stop after seeing so many ducks earlier.  Purple Martins surprised us by going in to their boxes (It’s breeding season already?).

A Rusty Blackbird, 4 White-breasted Nuthatch and 7 Brown-headed Nuthatch were also seen.

The final specie sighting of the day were Rock Pigeons on a wire along Highway 17, between CawCaw and the turn on Main Road.  The tired birders were pleased with their day and looking forward to participating in the Great Backyard BirdCount on the weekend.

Jacksonboro Gas Station – 2 species

Black Vulture 25
Fish Crow 15

Bennetts Point – 26 species

Tundra Swan 25
Gadwall 40
Eurasian Wigeon 1
American Wigeon 540
Mallard 4
American Black Duck
Mottled Duck 6
Pied-billed Grebe 6
Tricolored Heron 16
Bald Eagle 1
American Avocet 12
Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Mourning Dove 3
Downy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 3
Tree Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 2
Carolina Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Eastern Bluebird 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
Pine Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 11
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Common Grackle 2
Boat-tailed Grackle 1

Bear Island WMA – 68 species

Tundra Swan 31
Blue-winged Teal 4
Northern Shoveler 65
Gadwall 380
American Wigeon 180
Mallard 13
American Black Duck
Mottled Duck 8
Mallard/Mottled Duck 3
Northern Pintail 1
Green-winged Teal 136
Bufflehead 1
Hooded Merganser 7
Pied-billed Grebe 15
Wood Stork 2
Double-crested Cormorant 6
American White Pelican 3
Great Blue Heron 5
Great Egret 11
Snowy Egret 5
Little Blue Heron 5
Tricolored Heron 16
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
White Ibis 3
Glossy Ibis 2
Black Vulture 6
Turkey Vulture 5
Northern Harrier 1
Cooper’s Hawk 1
Bald Eagle 3
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Common Gallinule 5
American Avocet
Killdeer 2
Wilson’s Snipe 6
Greater Yellowlegs 3
Lesser Yellowlegs 2
Caspian Tern 3
Forster’s Tern 1
Mourning Dove 4
Belted Kingfisher 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 2
American Kestrel 1
Eastern Phoebe 2
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 3
Tree Swallow 115
Carolina Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 3
Carolina Wren 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
Eastern Bluebird 12
Gray Catbird 1
Brown Thrasher 2
Northern Mockingbird 2
Pine Warbler 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 7
Savannah Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 5
Swamp Sparrow 2
Eastern Towhee 2
Northern Cardinal 7
Eastern Meadowlark 1
Red-winged Blackbird 120
Common Grackle 80

Donnelly WMA – 58 species

Blue-winged Teal 4
Gadwall 6
Ruddy Duck 1
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Double-crested Cormorant 3
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 3
Little Blue Heron 2
Tricolored Heron 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3
White Ibis 1
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 3
Osprey 1
Bald Eagle 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Clapper Rail 1
Sora 1
Common Gallinule 12
American Coot 1
Killdeer 25
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Mourning Dove 3
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 2
Pileated Woodpecker 2
American Kestrel 1
Eastern Phoebe 3
Blue Jay 12
American Crow 6
Purple Martin 2
Tree Swallow 10
Carolina Chickadee 7
Tufted Titmouse 3
White-breasted Nuthatch 4
Brown-headed Nuthatch 7
Marsh Wren 1
Carolina Wren 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
Eastern Bluebird 22
American Robin 9
Northern Mockingbird 1
Pine Warbler 11
Yellow-rumped Warbler 7
Chipping Sparrow 28
White-throated Sparrow 1
Vesper Sparrow 30
Swamp Sparrow 4
Eastern Towhee 6
Northern Cardinal 8
Eastern Meadowlark 120
Red-winged Blackbird 47
Rusty Blackbird 1
Common Grackle 2

Submitted by: Judy Morr

Photos by: Charley Moore

This past Saturday, seven SIB members braved a brisk morning with temperature hovering around 40 degrees for our second Backyard Birding event at the home of Lee Hurd on Loblolly Lane.  Our first visit was in the heat of July, so it was interesting to view the different species found during our cold winter!

On Saturday, the group observed the 18 species listed below, ten of which were not seen last summer.  Can you identify twelve of those birds in the slide show below? (Answers are below)

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Thank you Lee for hosting us again! Thank you Dean for the great photos!  Thank you Russ, Dean and Christina for “leading” this SIB learning together event!

Be sure to visit our website to view our upcoming birding activities and sign up to let us know you will join us!

• Hooded Merganser  1 (C)
• Anhinga  2 (G)
• Brown Pelican  1 (B) *
• Black Vulture  1
• Bald Eagle  1
• Mourning Dove  3 *
• Red-bellied Woodpecker  1 *
• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1 (A)
• Blue Jay  3 (I) *
• Carolina Chickadee  4 (K) *
• Tufted Titmouse  5 (E) *
• Carolina Wren  1 (H) *
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2 (F)
• Northern Mockingbird  2
• Pine Warbler  2 (D)
• Yellow-rumped Warbler  18 (J) – Also known as a “Butter Butt”
• Northern Cardinal  2 (L) *
• House Finch  1 

* Designates species seen at this location July 2017

’Twas a four-course celebration on this second anniversary of the initial Seabrook Island Birders members’ meeting in 2016. There was a migration (birding term) of SIBers and guests into The Lake House for a sold out event with 140 attendees — the first of five SIB evening programs scheduled for 2018. The first course attraction (an activity comparable to the current flow of American Robins stripping trees of red berries on the Island) was an extensive array of cookies, cakes, and carrots which could be washed down with wine.    

This was followed by Charley Moore, outgoing chairman of the SIB Executive Committee, initiating a brief annual business meeting. The 2018 Executive Committee members were noted as well as the proposed slate of committee officers. By motion and apparent unanimous voice vote, Chair Dean Morr, Vice Chair Nancy Brown, Treasurer Judy Morr,  Secretary Melanie Jerome, and Chair Emeritus Charley Moore were elected.  Dean Morr then recognized and thanked those who were leaving the Committee — Donna Lawrence, Charles Russo, Lydia McDonald, Flo Foley, and Marcia Hider. Following comments about the upcoming SIB birding events, he presented Charley Moore with a gift certificate recognizing his SIB co-founding efforts and two years of excellent leadership.

Now for the entree. Stephen Schabel, Director of Education at the Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw was introduced for the evening’s presentation. Among his opening comments he said that changes in the global environment, whether it be of climate, human activity, or habitat, tends to affect our birding population first. Birds cannot effect what happens, but they must adapt to those changes or perish. The list of those species which are extinct is long and many more are currently endangered. Then he began his introductions of the five caged birds which he had brought with him.  

The first was a Harris Hawk — a bird native to the Southwest and Mexico, but this one had been born in captivity. He noted, as the bird was flying around the room, the typical hawk characteristics of grasping feet (talons), curved beak with overbite, and bi-molecular eyesight. The eyesight is ten times better than that which we enjoy as humans. Female hawks are usually larger than the males and often there is little difference in coloration of feather between males and females. In response to a question, Stephen said all birds have extremely high metabolism and must consume between ten and twenty percent of their body weight in food daily. For this bird, the food in the wild is small mammals. The hawk was encouraged to return to his cage when his dinner, a small dead chicken, was tossed inside.

The second bird, an American Kestrel (formerly known as a sparrow hawk) is the smallest (about four ounces) of our falcons. The three native falcons — also the Merlin and the Peregrine — are very colorful and are fast fliers.  Males and females are similarly colored. The Kestrel often perches on utility lines in areas with open fields as they search for the primary food of insects. That requires good eyesight. Because of their small size, they are also subject to being prey. Cooper’s Hawks will take Kestrels. As part of their protective camouflage, the Kestrel has two black spots, simulating eyes, on the back of their head. Amazing what Mother Nature provides to protect her own. What she cannot do, however, is assure a continuing habitat of open fields for feeding. Therefore, this species is declining in numbers. The Kestrel never left Steve’s hand.

Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture – Glen Cox

Stephen Schabel placing the Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture into his crate – Patricia Schaefer

The Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture (a cousin of our Turkey and Black Vultures) was led to the stand and eyed the audience. These birds grow to full size in seven weeks, but are not mature adults until three years of age  — a long adolescent period. Vultures are world-wide scavengers whose diet is road kill and the remains of creatures which have otherwise met their demise. Feathers on their head would get in the way of their food gathering habit, so Mother Nature provided that they have no feathers on their heads. Ugly, but appropriate. Vultures have an exceptional sense of smell which is essential in their search for food. Our bird was in flight around the room and then found a roosting spot on the edge of one of the ceiling light fixtures. It took Stephen several minutes and two or three different tricks to get him down to be recaged. It was mentioned that vultures in general are not doing well because they are apparently being killed by lead poisoning and other ingested items. We should appreciate them. They are one of nature’s cleaners

Spectacle Owl – Charley Moore

The Spectacle Owl when it was only a baby visiting Seabrook Island in 2016 – Nancy Brown

Our fourth visitor was a Spectacle Owl which is a native of South America. Owls are nocturnal hunters with special eyesight who tilt their heads to make full use of the cones and rods within the eyes in their search of small mammals. All owls fly silently due to the particular feather patterns on their wings and thus are able to sneak up on their prey. This bird had free flight around the room and many felt the movement of air as he swooped near their heads in flying from one stand to another. Stephen recalled as he saw our poster advertising the event that this same owl was just a few weeks old on her first visit to Seabrook Island nearly two years ago. As he caged the owl, Stephen reminded us that he had said he brought five birds, but had shown only four.  

The fifth bird represented our fourth course — dessert. A young Barred Owl had been brought to the Center after being injured when hit by a car. The bird’s extensive rehab had progressed to a point where it could be released back into the wild. Stephen had brought her with him for that purpose. We were invited to go outside, toward Palmetto Lake, while he retrieved the bird from the Live Oak Hall closet. When he returned, the bird was cradled in his arm and covered with a towel or small blanket. After a few comments during which he invited youngsters in the group to come closer and touch the owl’s tail feathers for good luck, he moved toward the Lake and forward of the anxious crowd. Then he uncovered the Barred Owl and held it aloft.  The bird was motionless for a bit as if meditating. Then, ever so silently, she joined the Seabrook Island community of birds.  

Awesome experience and a wonderful way to complete a fabulous evening of birding.

Submitted by George Haskins
Photos by Glen Cox, Valerie Doane, Charley Moore & Patricia Schaefer

What a fabulous evening we had last night when 140 SIB members and guests joined us to learn about The Center for Birds of Prey and spend time with four beautiful birds and witness the release of a rehabilitated owl behind the Seabrook Island Lake House.

Watch for the full article and photos of the event that will be published in a couple days.  We will also share the Facebook Live video.  Stay tuned!

In the meantime, be sure to complete our SIB 2018 Survey!

Sign-up for our upcoming SIB Bird activities, including backyard birding (limited walking), walks and rides in a golf cart around the golf course!

• Saturday February 3, 2018 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM Backyard Birding at Lee Hurd’s 
• Thursday, February 15, 2018 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM – Off Island trip to Bear Island WMA

•  Sunday February 18, 2018:  Great Backyard Bird Count
  – Equestrian Center / Maintenance Area – 8:00 AM
  – North Beach – (High Tide 9:46am) – 10:00 AM
  – Palmetto Lake – 2:00 PM
  – Jenkin’s Point – 3:30 PM

• Monday February 19, 2018:  Great Backyard Bird Count on the Golf Course
  – Golf Course – 9:00 AM