Sullivan's Island - South Carolina Revealed

Snowy Egret

Marianne, Emily and I just got back from a wonderful trip in the southeast over February break - first visiting my mother in Chapel Hill, NC, then three nights at the Wild Dunes resort on the Isle of Palm (just north of Charleston, SC). 

While there, the resort helped arrange a 2-hour outing with Elizabeth from Island Adventures - who knew right where to go for the best birding in the area. 

Tricolored Heron

Just south of the Isle of Palm is another barrier island called Sullivan's Island - and we headed right to the tip where a trolley line previously connected it to the mainland . . . in a low-lying marshy landscape that was perfect for the birds.

Willet

While a little windy, and slightly overcast, we had a good walk out on the jetty that formerly held the trolley tracks. It had been turned into a park - and what an amazing place it was. 

We were able to spot 20 new birds for our life list. We especially loved seeing the Brown Pelicans and the wide range of egrets and herons that are plentiful in the area this time of year (Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron). Just spectacular.

American Oystercatcher

Also plentiful were a variety of shorebirds - especially the Willet (a common sandpiper that loves the marshland). We also saw several American Oystercatchers and a Black-bellied Plover.

Hooded Merganser

While my field notes are poor, we did see several species of Gulls and Terns, including the Ring-billed Gull and the Forester's Tern, among others.

Boat-tailed Grackle

We also saw several species of duck, including a beautiful family of Hooded Mergansers, a Pied-billed Grebe . . . and a large flock of Double-crested Cormorants (which we get a lot of during the summer months up at Quonnie).  We also saw both a male and female Boat-tailed Grackle, which apparently are quite abundant - and amazingly loud (and annoying, according to our host Elizabeth)!

Savannah Sparrow

Our trip also highlighted how much we have to learn about Sparrows, as there are a ton of variations on the theme, with very subtle differences among them.  Three sparrows that we identified were the ever popular Chipping Sparrow and Savannah Sparrow, and what I believe is likely a Field Sparrow. 

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Lastly,  we were blessed with the sighting of our first Warbler, a beautiful Yellow-rumped Warbler. I can tell these may be among my most favorite of the birds . . . .

Truly a great day with nature in its full glory.