Wednesday October 05, 2022 8am -10am Trip to Ft. Moultrie Location: Meet at SI Real Estate Office to Car Pool (7:00a)or can meet us at the Fort (1214 Middle St, Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482- park at Poe Avenue in the sand parking lot between Battery Jasper and Battery McCorkle) Max: 12 Cost: free to members, $5 per guest
Join us in a trip to Ft. Moultrie. This is a well known birding Hotspot among birders and fall migration will be in full swing. We may see many migrant birds passing through. It has many different habitats, including meadow/field, forest and shoreline. We are lucky enough to get Craig Watson to lead this activity. Craig is a retired Migratory Bird Biologist at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and lives in Mt. Pleasant. He knows Ft. Moultrie very well when it comes to birding.
Ft. Moultrie is the first fort on Sullivan’s Island. It has been rebuilt 3 times since 1776 and played a significant role in the Civil War. Today Fort Moultrie has been restored to portray the major periods of its history. A visitor to the fort moves steadily backwards in time from the World War II Harbor Entrance Control Post to the site of the Palmetto-log fort of 1776. Tour of Ft. Moultrie will not be part of our birding activity, but if you drive there yourself, you are welcome to stay and also tour the fort. They are open 9a-5p and you will need to go to Visitor Center and purchase a $10 ticket. We will be birding the parimeter of the Fort before opening hours.
Be sure to bring sun block, bug spray, a hat, binoculars, camera and a scope if you have one.
Once you are a member, please complete the information below to register no later than Monday, October 03, 2021. All registrants will receive a confirmation letter the day prior to the event.
Friday October 7, 2022 7:30 am – 11:30 am Visit Kiawah Banding Station Location: Meet at Beachwalker Park Parking Area at 7:30 Max: 10 Cost: $20 donation (cash to be collected at Beachwalker)
The October 7 visit filled so quickly, we scheduled a second visit on October 12.
Wednesday October 12, 2022 7:30 am – 11:30 am Visit Kiawah Banding Station Location: Meet at Beachwalker Park Parking Area at 7:30 Max: 10 Cost: $20 donation (cash to be collected at Beachwalker)
Join SIB in a visit to Kiawah Banding Station on Capn Sam Spit. Every August through November, Aaron Given of Kiawah Island sets up twenty-five 40’ mist nets on Captain Sam’s Spit where, over the next couple of months, he collects birds for banding, measuring, and weighing. We scheduled our trip for October, the peak migration time for all sorts of songbirds including vireos, warblers, catbirds, chickadees, etc. In prior years, they netted all of the above and even a beautifully-colored flicker (large woodpecker). The plan is to leave our cars at Beachwalker Park, then walk about a half mile on the beach to the banding site. Tides should be favorable, so most walking will be on hard beach (moderate).
Wear boots or shoes you don’t mind getting wet, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt. Bring binoculars, bug spray, sun screen, water and of course your cell phone or camera to take photos.
This event is open to members only. If you are not yet a 2022 SIB member, you must first become a member for only $10 by following the instructions on our website: https://seabrookislandbirders.org/contact/join-sib/. You may bring the form and your dues to the event. All participants are also requested to make a $20 donation.
Please register no later than October 7th. All registrants will receive a confirmation letter on October 6th, the day prior to the trip. If you need to cancel, please let us know so we can invite people on the waitlist to attend.
American Crow – Corvus brachyrhynchos
Length: 17.5″; Wingspan: 39″; Weight: 16 oz.
Fish Crow – Corvus ossifragus
Length: 15″; Wingspan: 36″; Weight: 10 oz.
Fish Crow & American Crow from Cornell Lab of Ornithology website
Probably many people on Seabrook have no idea that there are two kinds of crows here. For most of us, a crow is a crow. Actually, there are two different species on the Island: The American Crow and the Fish Crow. They look so much alike that even the pros find it difficult to distinguish between them but there’s one fool-proof way.
Both crows are very big and black. In general, the Fish Crow is slightly smaller: its beak, its legs and overall. Their ranges of size overlap, however, and those differences are hard to establish in the field. So, size alone is not a safe way to differentiate them
An easier characteristic that is sometimes used to distinguish the two crows is their stance when they call. The Fish Crow often fluffs its feathers, particularly around its neck. The American Crow remains smooth. Note the two pictures below.
American Crow
Fish Crow
To be sure of an identification, however, you have to use your ears. Most people are familiar with the loud Caw-Caw.
The Fish Crow has a similar call, but it sounds as though he has a cold. It’s very nasal. He also has a two-note call that sounds as though he is responding negatively to a question: Anh Anh.
Crows seem to be everywhere, both singularly and in small groups. They eat a great variety of foods, both animal and vegetable. This includes normal examples as well as carrion, trash, nestlings and eggs of other birds. Their dietary flexibility is one of the reasons they are so successful in so many different habitats which is also why they seem omnipresent.
Crows are very social birds, sometimes forming very large flocks in the hundreds. They are noted for being very intelligent with problem-solving capabilities. Some live into their teens in the wild; the oldest recorded in captivity died at 59 years old.
Crows are noisy birds in general. Occasionally several may join together and make an even larger racket than normal. This can be an example of mobbing which occurs when a group of crows deliberately pester a larger bird, usually a bird of prey such as a hawk or owl. They may even dive bomb the “enemy”. This behavior is not totally understood but it is assumed that the attackers are attempting to force the predator to move on. If you watch, you may see the predator suddenly take flight with the crows in pursuit squawking as they go.
If you would like to learn more about these birds visit:
Range Map – American Crow – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Range Map – Fish Crow – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Article submitted by: Marcia Hider-resubmitted 9/2022
Photographs provided by: Bob Hider & Charley Moore
This blog post is part of a series SIB will publish on a regular basis to feature birds seen in the area, both migratory and permanent residents. When possible we will use photographs taken by our members. Please let us know if you have any special requests of birds you would like to learn more about.
Question: Tonight on Jenkins Point we can hear four owls stretched in a line from Seabrook Island Road-or thereabouts-to our oak and then on out Jenkins Point with the fourth owl at the very end-I think. All were calling, sometimes solo but sometimes overlapping each other. I assume from their calls they are Great Horned Owls. We hear owls frequently in Spring and Fall, even occasionally in Winter. But never in the summer. Do they migrate or just go inland to deeper woods? With all the calling back and forth are they looking for mates this time of year or are they just telling each other they are here? Thanks for enlightening me. – Andy Allen
Answer: What an exciting experience having four owls serenading you. While it is impossible to know exactly what is happening, one can make an educated guess. Owls generally mate for life and a mated pair stays on territory year round. Starting in September, the male owl starts calling as part of his courtship ritual. Owl nest early in January and February to time the heavy growth period for their young to coincide with the fresh production of prey species, i.e. the young and naive. The young hang around through the summer, but come September, just like any good parent, the young get kicked out of the area and need to disburse. This happens most heavily in September. Understanding this, I suspect you encountered a situation where the local owls called to inform the intruders that the territory is full. The intruders called to test the strength and fidelity of the local pair. As you listen, the male sings with a deeper voice than the female. When you hear two mated birds performing a duet, the male and female alternate singing. In a territory dispute, that rigid pattern of male/female may not hold true.
Bob Mercer recently shared the information below about their birding trip to Arizona in August.
Violet-crowned HummingbirdHepatic Tanager a lot dirtier looking than our Summer TanagerRed-faced Warbler
Who in their right mind would go to Arizona in August? A birder. I have birded in Arizona on three other occasions. Years ago, my first trip was in mid-September. My second trip happened in March. In 2017, Eileen and I spent 5 weeks exploring the birds in Arizona from mid-September to mid-October. Even after spending that much time, there were still a lot of birds we missed. Apparently, by mid-September many of the birds leave Arizona or go quiet and are difficult to find and March is too early.
So, when a young friend of ours, Rachel, said she was going to go to Arizona at the time the Arizona Audubon Society has their birding festival, Eileen and I decided to spend nine days with her on a birding adventure the second week of August. Several surprises awaited us. First, August is monsoon season in Arizona. Expecting a dog biscuit dry desert, we could see rain and hear thunder every day. Fortunately, we only got caught a couple times. To our amazement, the desert was green!
Being familiar with many of the birding hot spots in Arizona, we decided to forgo the expense of joining the festival groups and set off on our own. For those of you who know me, you may know I keep two life lists. One is the accumulation of over 40 years of birding. The other is the birds I have reported on ebird, something I did not start until I retired and then not seriously until late in 2017 (after our 5-weeks in Arizona).
Our itinerary included Saguaro National Park and Wilcox Lake (our best chance for water birds) the first day. Then we spent 2 nights at Cave Creek Canyon at the base of the Chiricahua Mountains. From there we visited the East Fork of Cave Creek, The George Walker House, and Rustler Park. From there (after a short stop at the Portal Impoundment), we swung down to Sierra Vista Arizona where we visited several locations with hummingbird feeders (Ash Canyon B&B and Ramsey Canyon Inn) and took a few short trails. That night we settled into an Airbnb in Green Valley Arizona. That became our base of action for the rest of the trip. From Green Valley visited the Tubac area, the Patagonia area, Madera Canyon, Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, and Mount Lemmon. During this whirlwind trip, we created 45 ebird lists and recorded 146 species of which 31 were ebird lifers and 12 were totally new life birds for me. It is getting really hard to add life birds in North America, so this was outstanding!
The following are some of either my better pictures from the various locations or some of my lifers.
Tuesday, September 27, 2022 6:00pm-8:00pm Location: Meet at Equestrian end of Lake House parking lot Max: 15 Cost: Free for 2022 members, $5 for guests
Celebrate Fall Migration by walking and bird watching around Palmetto Lake located behind the Seabrook Island Lake House! Join the Seabrook Island Birders in search of some warblers who are short term visitors on the island during the fall migration season. The path around Palmetto Lake is wheelchair navigable and for those who will be walking, it is flat and will be at a leisurely pace. We hope to see some of our resident warblers such as Yellow-throated Warbler, Pine Warbler, and the Black and White Warbler. In addition, it is highly likely that we will see a few Redstarts, Yellow Warblers, and possibly Black-throated Blue Warbler, and the Common Yellow Throat. Naturally there should be Bluebirds, Northern Cardinals, Carolina Wrens, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, different woodpeckers, and raptors in the area.
If the “white birds” get the invitation, we hope to see Snowy Egrets, Tri-colored Herons, Great Egrets, and White Ibis roosting for the evening with possibly a couple Night Herons and Green Herons mixed in. Laughing Gulls and Terns often fly overhead.
Bring your binoculars, hats, bug spray and a beverage of choice. You may also wish to bring a chair to sit and enjoy your beverage while watching the birds coming in for their evening roost.If you are not yet a 2022 SIB member, you must first become a member for only $10 by following the instructions on our website: https://seabrookislandbirders.org/contact/join-sib/. You may bring the form and your dues to the event. Or you may pay the Guest Fee of $5.
Please complete the information below to REGISTER no later than Sunday, September 25th. All registrants will receive a confirmation letter on Monday, the day prior to the trip.
There are two good ways to identify the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. First, you might see it out of the corner of your eye. That’s because it flicks its wings and hops fairly continuously. You also might recognize it from its very distinctive call. The song sounds like an electric typewriter.
In pictures, he is often shown flaunting his bright red crown but that is much more the exception than the rule and only the male has the crest. Both the male and the female are greenish gray in color with a white eye ring and wing bars that resemble those of a non-breeding Goldfinch. We have those now on Seabrook but they are considerably bigger. It is the kinglet’s small size and jumpy nature that are the most likely to catch your attention.
The Ruby-crowned is a winter bird for us. It migrates primarily to Canada and Alaska to breed but is seen year-round in a few western states.
Cornell Labs lists this bird as one that comes to a feeder but the feeder should probably be in a woodsy or shrubby area. Here is what they recommend to attract them:
Food and feeders to attract Ruby-crowned Kinglets
If you would like to learn more about this bird visit:
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Range Map – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Article submitted by: Marcia Hider/ reposted 09-2022
Photographs provided by: Ed Konrad & file photos
This blog post is part of a series SIB will publish on a regular basis to feature birds seen in the area, both migratory and permanent residents. When possible we will use photographs taken by our members. Please let us know if you have any special requests of birds you would like to learn more about.
Monday, September 19,2022 8:30 am – 10:30 am Birding on Crooked Oaks Golf Course Location: Meet at Island House (Golf Course Parking Lot next to Spinnaker Beach Houses) for ride along the golf course in golf carts Max: 24 (If all seats in golf carts are used) Cost: Free for members; $5 donation for guests – Priority will be given to prior waitlisted & members
The Seabrook Island Club closes one course a day each week and allows Seabrook Island Birders to use golf carts to travel the course with our members to bird. Join us for a morning of birding by RIDING in golf carts for at least 9-holes on XX golf course. We expect to see a large variety of birds including Egrets, Herons and birds of prey. We will also see and hear some of the smaller birds like Tufted Titmice, Eastern Bluebirds, Northern Cardinals, Carolina Wrens and some of the many warbler species.
Since it is fall/winter, we can also expect to see Eastern Phoebes, Northern Flickers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Belted Kingfishers, Double-crested Cormorants, Bald Eagles, and more!
As always, be sure to bring your binoculars/cameras, hats and sunscreen. Water will be provided. We ask that all participants wear a mask when unable to social distance if they are not vaccinated.
If you are not yet a 2022 SIB member, you must first become a member for only $10 by following the instructions on our website: https://seabrookislandbirders.org/contact/join-sib/. You may bring the form and your dues to the event. Or you may pay the Guest Fee of $5.
Please complete the information below to REGISTER no later than Friday prior to the trip. All registrants will receive a confirmation letter on the Sunday, the day prior to the trip. If you need to cancel, please let us know so we can invite people on the waitlist to attend.
Hey everybody, did you see the flamingo in the marsh near the fire station? Fooled again! What you probably saw was the beautiful Roseate Spoonbill. Their bright pink coloring confuses many people who think they have spotted a Pink Flamingo. Flamingos are larger and have a short, thick, hooked bill and black on its wings.
If you are lucky enough to get a closer look at a Roseate Spoonbill, check out the long, flat, spoon shaped bill. Spoonbills feed by walking in shallow, muddy bottom water and tidal ponds foraging by sweeping their bill from side to side with it slightly open to sift up small fish, shrimp, mollusks and snails. To locate prey, Roseate Spoonbills have sensitive nerve endings and touch receptors in their bill, which they then snap closed to pull the prey out of the water. Similar to flamingos, Roseate Spoonbill’s pink color comes from the food it eats.
Spoonbills are very social birds and spend most of their time with other Spoonbills or in the company of other wading birds. It is an unusual looking large wading bird with pink plumage, a long flat grayish spoon-shaped bill and an un-feathered greenish gray colored head which becomes golden buff during breeding. The neck, chest and upper back are white and the adult has beautiful red wing coverts. They have long red legs adapted to walking and wading in wetlands. They also have red eyes. Their nostrils are located at the top of the bill, making it possible for the bird to breathe while the bill is under water.
Roseate Spoonbills nest in colonies with Ibises, Storks, Cormorants, Herons and Egrets. Males and females pair off for the breeding season and build a nest together as the female builds the nest with material brought to her by the male. Their nests are built in trees typically 6-15 feet above the water. The nest is built of sticks lined with grass and leaves with a deep hollow in the center. The female lays 2-4 eggs, whitish with brown markings, and the chicks hatch in about 3 weeks. The new chicks fledge in 35-42 days and are fed by mom and dad until they are about 6-8 weeks old. Young birds have white feathers that have a slight pink tinge on their wings. They reach maturity at 3 years of age. The beaks of chicks are straight and the spoon-shape grows as the chick develops. Nestlings are many times attacked and killed by Turkeys, Vultures, Bald Eagles, Raccoons and even Fire Ants.
Unlike herons, Spoonbills fly with their necks outstretched as you can see in the pictures below.
They reside along coastal Southeast US and West Indies through Mexico and Central America.
Plume hunters almost eliminated Spoonbills in the 1800’s when the wings of this beautiful creature were made into fans and their feathers for hats. It’s ironic that they were hunted for their plumage: their feather color fades rapidly, so the colorful fans and hats made from their feathers didn’t last very long. The biggest threat to Roseate Spoonbill population today is the loss of their habitat. Due to increased human population, wetlands have either been drained or polluted forcing these birds to nest/live in much more vulnerable sites. In addition, some populations show high levels of pesticide levels in their eggs but they do not appear to be significantly impaired by egg shell thinning at this time.
The oldest wild Roseate Spoonbill was discovered in the Florida Keys in 2006. The bird had been banded in 1990, and was an amazing 16 years old. The previous known longevity record for the species was 7 years.
A group of Roseate Spoonbills are collectively known as a “bowl” of Spoonbills.
If you would like to learn more about this bird visit:
Ed says these four pictures were taken on the most incredible day of photographing Spoonbills, which are a favorite. “I walked down a dike at Bear Island and came around a stand of grass and there they were – about 32. I froze, held my breath and got off a click. Photo 1 standing.” – Ed Konrad
Ed said, “I was in perfect position, and thought if I slowly took a step with camera ready, I might catch them in flight when they sensed me. That resulted in photos 2-4. A great memory! – Ed Konrad
Roseate Spoonbills flying away at Bear Island – Ed Konrad
Roseate Spoonbills flying away at Bear Island – Ed Konrad
Roseate Spoonbill – Ed Konrad
Roseate Spoonbill – Ed Konrad
Roseate Spoonbill – Ed Konrad
Roseate Spoonbill feeding with a Tricolored Heron – Ed Konrad
Roseate Spoonbill – Ed Konrad
Roseate Spoonbill Range Map – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Article submitted by: Flo Foley
Photographs provided by: Ed Konrad
This blog post is part of a series SIB will publish on a regular basis to feature birds seen in the area, both migratory and permanent residents. When possible we will use photographs taken by our members. Please let us know if you have any special requests of birds you would like to learn more about.
Tuesday September 13, 2022 8:30 am – 10:30 am (High Tide 11:15am) Birding at North Beach Location: Meet at Boardwalk # 1 Parking lot Max: 20 Cost: Free for members; $5 donation for guests
Join SIB Shorebird Steward leader Mark Andrews to bird at Seabrook Island’s North Beach. This three mile round trip walk travels from Board Walk #1 to the tip of North Beach along Captain Sams Inlet as high tide approaches. Birders from beginners to advanced birders will enjoy the variety of birds found on North Beach. At this time, many different species of shorebirds rest and feed near the point or along the beach ridge near the beach’s pond. Along the way, we will explore the many different species that can be found in this unique area. Piping Plovers and other winter residents are beginning to return from their summer nesting areas.
As always, be sure to bring your binoculars/cameras, hats and sunscreen. Bring a spotting scope if you have one. There should be spotting scopes available for viewing. Bring plenty to drink and a snack if desired. There are no facilities.
If you are not yet a 2022 SIB member, you must first become a member for only $10 by following the instructions on our website: https://seabrookislandbirders.org/contact/join-sib/. You may bring the form and your dues to the event. Or you may pay the Guest Fee of $5.
Please register no later than September 11th. All registrants will receive a confirmation letter on September 12th, the day prior to the trip. If you need to cancel, please let us know so we can invite people on the waitlist to attend.
SIB 