October 9, 2022

All attendees on Friday’s visit indicate their visit was a great experience. The October 7 visit filled so quickly, we scheduled a second visit on October 12. There are openings for this second session.

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 10th. All registrants will receive a confirmation letter on October 11th, 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.

Saturday, October 15, 2022 7:30 am – 2:30 pm
Birding at College of Charleston’s Stono Preserve
Location: Meet at Seabrook Island Real Estate to carpool at 6:30 am
Meet at Publix on Main Road and Hwy 17 at 7:05 am to carpool to Stono Preserve
Max: 14
Cost: Free for members; $5 donation for guests

Join SIB to bird at the Stono Preserve of the College of Charleston. This beautiful 981-acre property along the Stono River and the Intracoastal Waterway provides a natural, outdoor laboratory for a variety of disciplines at the College of Charleston. For more information on this property, be sure to visit the link above. In the morning, we will enjoy a tour of this property led by Dr. Melissa Hughes, Professor in the Biology Department, in which she will take us birding through a variety of habitats. In the morning, we will walk along lowland forest bordering the Stono River, passing open marsh and both brackish and freshwater ponds; depending on time, we may also walk along open fields. We should see a variety of wading and shorebirds (depending water depth in the brackish pond), raptors (Osprey and Bald Eagles both nest on the site; American Kestrels are also common and both Great-horned and Barred Owls have been spotted during the day by following the commotion of crow and jays), woodpeckers (the site hosts all SC species except the Red-cockaded) and wintering warblers and sparrows.

As always, be sure to bring your binoculars/cameras, hats, sunscreen and bug spray. Bring plenty to drink and a picnic lunch to eat on the property. There is water on the property but we have been advised that it may not taste very good because the pipes are infrequently in use. We have also been warned that the Dixie Plantation Road leading to the site is a dirt road that may not be in great shape so drive with caution. We will have access to bathroom facilities and the beginning of our tour and during lunch. After our morning tour, we will picnic on site in the screened porch/classroom or on the outdoor deck. Following lunch, Melissa will suggest some areas where we can do additional birding. 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 by following the instructions on our website: https://seabrookislandbirders.org/contact/join-sib/.

Once you are a member, please REGISTER no later than Thursday, October 13, 2022. All registrants will receive a confirmation letter the day prior the event.