I finally got my Birdathon blog ready! Jen's group the Bloggerhead Shrikes invited any who wanted to join in on a virtual Birdathon, so I took the count I had on June 5th, at the Santee National Wildlife Refuge, which is around Lake Marion in the low Piedmont part of SC. Its about an hour and a half south of me...you could take I-95 but I drove local roads. It was boiling hot that day the hottest day so far this year, 96 degrees, but the lake is huge and there is always a stiff lake breeze blowing. There is a state park by the same name where you can camp, take lake tours to see nesting ospreys and bald eagles, so its really a nice spot to enjoy nature...did I say its HUGE? I mean its not Lake Michigan, but i ts pretty darn big!
Unit had a mile nature trail with some boardwalks through a swamp, then it comes to a view of the lake, and a large open field area, then back through swamp!
A Northern Parula found me in front of a tree near the parking area, it was not a good photo but enough so I could ID the bird...
Saw a coon making off with something dead he snatched it and ran for the bushes!
Two birds in this area allowed some good photos...the Summer Tanager
and a Yellow Crowned Night Heron!
Both were very curious as to what I was! Also saw lots of these...
An outrageous green color!! And Egrets, I saw Cattle, and Great egrets, and the white form of the Little Blue Heron
Then the hike loop in the Bluff Unit was over so I drove to the Cuddo Unit, its about 10 miles away...
notice the clear no cracks windshield!! $209.00 One of the first birds to jump out onto the road was the Wild Turkey..
Then a little farther down the drive was the Anhinga! I think he was trying to look like a stick!
And the Carolina Wren looked over his shoulder at me...
And at the spot where I stopped for a break..I found this!
And right away this guy came to check me out... the Green Heron!
Back on the scenic drive I found a nice spot to park in the shade, saw a Wood duck jump out of a box, but didn't get her photo....but I got these 2 lovebirds! The male n female Blue Grosbeak!
And the Blue Gray Gnat-catcher
I saw the Little Blue Heron here too...got a couple of bad photos of it...after lunch I drove to Santee State Park to find Ospreys and I did find some..
as well as Eastern Bluebirds and of course I cut her out of the photo...because I didn't see her in time..her head is just barely visible.
the Blue Jay stopped for a moment..
And an entire family of mallards
I had one super day, I racked up 60 species all together for the day counting all the birds I saw along the way too! Below is my checklist card for the day...
a bobolink was just leaving the open field as I walked out got it via my bins for the ID but dratt...NO photo.
ooops put my check by Black crowned strike that...yellow
PEACE!
