Mar. 10 Bear Island WMA-
I meant to do a post on my most recent finished projects on the House Make Over, but I never got around to taking the photos! My head is just not in it right now as it is SPRING! I mean it came so fast, it is now each day hitting the 80's for us. I've been so buzzed about Birds lately..I do take it "by spells" as my Grandmother used to say....meaning it is my focus for a while then it wanes, never fades tho. Anywho Like I said ITS Spring...I'm on a bender of a sort....soon I'll be hoping for Warblers and other migrants to stop over!!
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| some of the shrubs in the yard |
...decided to take my itchy foot down to the Low Country and to Bear Island WMA, to check out the ponds before the changing of the guards and the migration is in full swing. This area is located near the Ashepoo River not too far away from Charleston...its about a 2 - 1/2 hr ride for me..put my coffee in the cup holder and off I went...Casey came along but he was happy to nap in the back we had the windows down and air felt NICE!
along the same road is the Airy Hall Plantation...C-1701
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| this plantation once consisted of 16,000 acres and rice was the main crop
The Wildlife Management Area means they cater to hunters...which I hate but as a birder you will hear the argument about the duck stamp yada yada yada, anywho its a great place when its NOT hunting season..
ebird showed a recent Ruff sighting, I don't have a scope...must check ebay for a bargain on one..... if I saw it I didn't recognize it...Shorebirds are a great mystery to me...they all look alike in the winter/fall plumage, I am trying very hard to improve and that's partly why I made this day trip... So here's some of what I did see; lots of Northern Shovelers,  and quite a large number of Green Winged Teals  And quite a lot of shorebirds were present! I am still trying to figure out exactly who I saw....of course as is usually the way they were on the Far Side, and with the sun behind them...so good photos didn't really happen. I squinted till I was nearly blind! Helped a Turtle across the road..  An awesome sunny day was had by me and quite a few other birders who car pooled in.... am I a bigot if I say they all looked alike too? Individuality is dying.... These Spanish moss covered trees make a natural bridge over the roadway...very dramatic... |
Down at the Hog Island pond spotted lots of American Avocet, and one Forster's Tern
Here's an Avocet resting they were so busy catching small crustaceans swishing their heads back forth...
....kinda made me dizzy just watching...
Greater & Lesser Yellow Legs were plentiful...
and am going with Dunlin on these and the smaller one a Western Sandpiper
Pretty sure those legs are dark....but to me this is a Reddish Egret.
and a Bald Eagle soared over me a few times...
tho this is not a good clear shot Im thinking this is a Least Sandpiper
and several Glossy Ibis were around...
saw 2 alligators, it was warm so most were in the water cooling off...
I almost stepped on a snake! I scared it so bad it nearly jumped 3 ft..
and the A. White Pelican flew over looking like a crop duster---- he was so big! I swear the wing spread seemed to be 8 ft across...
so it was a fun Day Trip and I hummed Day Tripper by the Beatles of course all the way home, "it took me so long to find out... but I found out....lala''
back home: The Eastern Bluebirds in my yard have already starting nesting, and soon our hummingbirds will arrive for the season...Looking forward to seeing those guys!!
Can't believe how fast the winter went this year, now we have to turn the clock forward, I protest!!
PEACE
Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.
Great day trip! So many shore birds but of course on the wrong side of the shore for you. But the Bald Eagle one of my dream birds to photograph. The reddish egrit is beautiful I have never seen one before. I haven't seen lots of the birds you have captured in your photos.
ReplyDeleteHi Jo, thanks for your comment...I made a video of the Bald Eagle, I hope to upload it soon...I am on my first month of a new Data Plan so I may sit in the Lowes Parking lot on my next trip to town and upload the video...so it won't bite a chunk outta my data...IM a horrible video maker tho too much movement..
DeleteHappy Spring! Take advantage of it ... Work isn't going anywhere, it'll wait! Loving all your birds. You are really very good at shore bird ID...after saying they're a mystery, you tell me more than I ever knew. Wonderful post altogether!
ReplyDeleteWell Im trying very hard cause the ebird police all always on my case! Every single list I upload they question something!! Im pretty sure the SC ebird Gestapo has me on some kind of Birding Hit List. :0>
DeleteI was out with a friend last Friday on a reserve very similar to this one. I too saw:-
ReplyDeleteAvocets [c50] but ours have slightly different markings more pronounced back and white. Dunlins,Greenshanks and redshanks, Lesser spotted redshank, lapwings, oystercatchers, plus many geese and a variety of ducks. There was talk of a Glossy Ibis visiting the area, but didnt see this. Thankfully no alligators though. My friend has a Swarovski scope which was fantastic as the birds were out of binocular range. The highlight for me was a Cettis Warbler, a first. Unfortunatly no pictures as my lens is not up to it otherwise I would have done a post.
I do enjoy hearing about and seeing the birds of GB I follow a few bird bloggers from across the pond and its fun to become familiar with birds in their posts...I've learned quite a few. Would really love to see some of the birds you see when they are in camera range.
DeleteWow, what sightings! That looks like a great outing. My heart always melts everytime I see an avocet. :) Did you read Terry Tempest Williams' Refuge? Highly recommend. Happy spring to you dear Sondra!
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer,,,,I have really enjoyed reading about your southwestern winter sojourn, the desert looks so amazing! I will have to read Refuge!
DeleteI've got my seeds in the ground---:0)