Tuesday, February 28, 2023 with morning only (8 am – 11 am)
Location: Meet at Seabrook Island Real Estate to carpool at 7:15am
Meet trip leader Cathy Miller at the West Ashley Park (3601 Mary Ader Avenue) at first large parking lot past the soccer fields.
Max: 8
Cost: Free for members; $10 donation for guests
Join SIB to bird in the beautiful woodlands of the West Ashley Park on Church Creek. This lovely city park provides amenities for sports and nature lovers alike. Here we will explore the wooded wetlands. All birding will be on foot and we will cover about 3.5 – 4 miles. The terrain can be muddy and rooted. Some trails may have standing water so wear comfortable hiking shoes that you can get wet. We will not wade through anything deeper than an inch. And, if it has not rained in a while, we may not splash through any puddles at all!
We can expect to see a large variety of waders including Egrets, Herons, Ibis, and Anhinga. Ducks such as Wood Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, and Mallards are possible and we will definitely hear and perhaps see Red-shouldered Hawks, Turkey Vultures, our usual winter resident species like Tufted Titmice, Northern Cardinals, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Carolina Wrens, Carolina Chickadees, Cedar Waxwings, Yellow-Rumped Warblers will be here in abundance. Hopefully, we will also get to see Roseate Spoonbills, White Ibis, Rusty Blackbirds, Blue-headed Vireo, Yellow-throated Warblers, Black-and-White Warblers, Orange Warbler, Gray Catbird, House Wrens and Palm Warblers. Though the species count may not be super high, this site is fabulously birdy. It will be a great place for a beginning birder to practice birding by ear as you will hear our local species non-stop in the morning. If you have not yet done so, I recommend downloading the free Merlin app to your phones to help you train your ears as you listen. As you become familiar with the trails in the park on this trip, you will be better prepared for exploring this area in peak migration season (Fall especially) when these woods pull in some
great migratory warbler species.
As always, be sure to bring your binoculars/cameras, bug spray, hats and sunscreen. Bring plenty to drink and snacks. There are many good restaurants close-by at which to eat lunch afterwards, if you wish. Restroom facilities are available at the different athletic fields in the park.
If you are not yet a 2023 SIB member, you must first become a member for only $15 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 $10.
Please register no later than February 26. All registrants will receive a confirmation letter on the February 27, 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.
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