Plant Sightings – Page 5 – The Hermits' Rest

Exploring the Unknown, Nearby

I’ve got to tell you how much fun I had this morning! My friend Ann and I went to see the property of our fellow Master Naturalist, to help her improve her skills and see what plants and birds were there.

Our friend lives far enough east of the Hermits’ Rest that the soil is very different, quite sandy compared to my soil. That means different plants will grow. I’d already noticed that along the road to my horse lessons, where the Gaillardia are solid red, and standing cypress lines the road this time of year, with its red plumes. So pretty.

Maroon blanketflower (*Gaillardia amblyodon)*

The birding where we visited was pretty good, and I learned the sounds of a Swainson’s Warbler very well when the ubiquitous White-eyed Vireos rested momentarily. It gave good opportunity for Merlin Bird ID lessons.

The plants were what had me all in a tizzy, though. There were expanses of meadows bordered by nice thick woods, plus excellent trails the homeowners maintain. So much to explore!

I found interesting insects, too. I wish I could have gotten photos of all the different bees and wasps buzzing around all the flowers, but I did capture a few as well as butterflies. The pale pipevine swallowtail was so lovely I will share multiple photos.

There were some impressive wildflower areas, and in one of them I found many species I’d never seen, even some Ann had never seen, and she doesn’t live too far away. A couple of these, like the prairie clover, are pretty rare, so no wonder I wasn’t familiar with them.

The flowers were in a place is where someone built a new tall wildlife fence about ten feet back from the original barbed wire. The area where cattle or other ruminants can’t reach was a blaze of flowers. It’s a secret botanical treasure we discovered!

It wasn’t just flowers that were new. There were plenty of fungus and moss samples to investigate, too. I’d never seen a moss inflorescence so spectacular as the one we found on a trail, and after the recent rains, mushrooms were everywhere.

I don’t mean to go on and on, but this unknown wonderland brought a lot of joy, as did hanging out with my fellow nature lovers. It’s hard to believe I found so much that was new to me, so close to home.

I’ve spared you most of the species I saw, but this location has gone from nothing on iNaturalist to dozens, including the rare ones. I hope this makes a scientist happy someday!

Voted Most Beautiful Flower, by me, was the propeller flower or *Alophia drummondii*

Another Post about Gratitude for Rain

You can tell I live in a semi-arid environment by how often I mention that I’m grateful for rain. Our land is so prone to drought that we always fear it will never rain again. Of course, that’s not true. Usually, we have a very dry period followed by a flood. We’re used to it.

This year we have had some dry spells, but also some nicely spaced rain episodes, just nothing huge, until last night. We had over 2.5″ of rain here yesterday, and since 2″ is usually enough to get runoff happening, that means our ponds/tanks all filled.

It also means that the creek is overflowing, which is always fun, as long as it doesn’t cover the road, which it did not. It only got to the top of the fence that keeps the cattle in. No giant logs banged into the fence, either, which means the new owners won’t have to fix it.

You can see the fence posts almost underwater.

The rain was scary, and there were tornadoes in the area. Some folks got damage, but nothing like what we see in the news in other places, so we’re lucky. One of my friends even got up to 6″ of rain over the past few days! We’ve had at least 3 in total. Now all the animals will be happy.

Something did die, though. The vultures right next to my birding chair told me, along with the large number of flies. Ick. I may have to move my chair!

I enjoyed many clean and shiny birds on my morning walk, though, which is the best bonus. I’m still seeing a Tricolored Heron here, so who needs to travel to see interesting birds?

I went into town to have lunch with a new Master Naturalist and help her get her Merlin and iNaturalist set up for ease of use. Driving around I saw lots of hail damage and trees with lost limbs. The storm was a lot worse southeast of the ranch!

Our Merlin lesson was a bust, because the birds decided to stop making noise at our Cameron renovation project, where we tried to practice. But I did give my student some hints, and we had more success with iNaturalist. A lesson that I learned (relearned) is that everyone’s cell phone and service are set up differently, which always adds to the challenge of assisting people. We had fun anyway, and found some plants we want to transplant before the old landscaping gets obliterated.

I want some of this Turk’s Cap to plant next to our woods.

Today remains sunny, though more rain is in the forecast. Other than how muddy the horse pens get, I’ll welcome all we get!

Mission Accomplished

Ha ha, mission is an appropriate word choice, since we did visit an area full of missions today.

Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga, Park Service photo.

After a highly disappointing hotel breakfast, we drove a half hour from Victoria to Goliad, Texas. It’s where lots of Texas history occurred. Just go over here and read about it, unless you are a product of Texas schools, in which case I assume you already know.

Since we were pressed for time, we looked at the beautiful old buildings briefly and then went on a short hike along the San Antonio River, which appeared to be a very old trail.

It was a great joy to investigate this new ecosystem. I found a new-to-me butterfly, the Texas Crescent. It’s so beautiful.

Even more beautiful (to me) was the new grasshopper I found, which is apparently the most distinctive grasshopper in the southern US.

The Eastern Lubber (*Romalea microptera)*

It’s so pretty. And big! They get to be up to four inches long! I was impressed and very grateful to Lee for spotting the first one.

We enjoyed the river, woods, trees, and birds. I even identified a Northern Parula before seeing the ID on Merlin. I’m learning!

There was a bird blind, but we were too late for the morning feed and only saw a male and female House Finch. The male was very colorful, though, and since I usually only hear them at home, I took it as a birding win.

We were ready to head home, but enjoyed going a different route, which ended up being a tour of different roads Lee used to take to visit his parents in the Cuero hospital. That’s where they’d go unless they had heart attacks, in which case they’d go to Victoria, where I’d already had the hospital memory lane tour. Yes, my previous visits to Victoria had been hospital or funeral visits. A wedding was our first happy reason to visit. [edit: second happy reason—we also went down to Yorktown for Chris and Kathleen’s wedding!]

All is well at home. I didn’t even lose any plants! The dogs, chickens, and horses were fine, too. Kudos to our pet sitter!

I should return to non-travel content tomorrow.

Pivot! Or Making the Best of Things

There was a plan for today, but it didn’t work out very well. One part of the plan was to get more work done on the porch. That didn’t happen because the lead guy had a sick child to take care of. Family always has to come first! The wood isn’t going anywhere and will be here next week.

I did find a young garden spider. They look so different at this stage.

The other part of the plan was to go to Goliad State Park in the RV so we could both camp and attend a family wedding. We got ready in time but of course the Seneca decided it didn’t want to go. The rear slide wouldn’t go in. Again. These are finicky machines.

I was not thrilled since I’d run around all morning getting everything fed and watered, loaded things up…and boom. Not moving. Time to pivot.

I quickly canceled the camping reservation and at least got some money back, then booked hotel rooms in Victoria, much closer to the wedding venue anyway. This ends up costing less thanks to points. We loaded our bags in the car and headed out, down the familiar roads to southern Texas. Tempers did not flare and panic did not occur.

We passed mounds and mounds of McCartney roses on the sides of the highway.

Tonight was the rehearsal and we were kindly invited to it along with the wedding party and other family. I got to help a little bit with decorating while Lee went back to the car because he didn’t like the music. Oh, Lee. He pivoted in his own way.

We did have a nice time exploring Tin Spur Ranch, which is a tasteful and rustic place with ponds and a nice setting for an outdoor or indoor wedding. The bride made a good choice!

In addition to attractiveness, the setting was perfect for many birds, including Bobwhite Quail and two kinds of whistling ducks (as if one kind isn’t plenty, but the Fulvous one has blue legs!). There were also many unusual flycatchers, including the Brown Crested, which is migrating still.

There were 40 birds heard and seen in the late afternoon. I bet mornings there are spectacular!

So everything turned out fine. Lee even ate dinner and talked to some of his family! (You didn’t think it was my relatives getting married, did you? The only relative whose wedding I was ever invited to was my dad and Flo. so any family weddings I attend have been on the spousal side. I digress, in a self-pitying manner.

We will probably see a sight before the actual wedding tomorrow and maybe see Goliad on Sunday. Yes. We know there will be Memorial Day traffic. We aren’t going down any interstates.

No matter what, we’ll be flexible, because we’re learning to pivot without panic.

Apache and Suna Get Presents

While I was wandering through ghost towns yesterday, things were hopping on the home front. My horse and I were the beneficiaries of it all.

First, Lee was kind enough to mow the area where our round pen got moved. I was a bit afraid of snakes in the long grass. He then mowed some nice paths through the field, even nicer than his last ones.

That’s not all! Work has begun on a new horse playground for me, Apache, and any other horse I can get practice on obstacles for shows, entertain ourselves, and have fun. The first item is a little hill, like the one at Tarrin’s. It’s more of a berm.

The darned backhoe decided it was time to have yet another new problem (hey, it’s older than my kids), so it didn’t get done. But Apache and I tried it out and loved it. We will get so much use out of this tool.

The backhoe has plenty of stinky dirt to move.

Apache and I also tried out a turn in a box and corridor obstacle. I’ve made copies of the obstacle instructions from the Working Horse Central book, so I may be getting more obstacles as well. Riding will be so much more fun.

One path we walked on, framed by flowers.

Later in the day Apache and I rode out to the paths and pen to test them out. We both liked the mowed round pen, and he did pretty well in there. We even walked along much of the paths.

But, the end of the ride was not ideal. I guess Lee had run over some rodents while mowing that were starting to smell good. A Turkey Vulture decided to check it out, which was not at all fun for an already nervous horse.

Bonus: he didn’t flee into the poison ivy patch.

A great deal of crow-hopping and jumpiness ensued, but I didn’t panic. I did allow him to briskly head to more familiar ground, but I eventually helped him calm down enough to walk over some poles and pay attention to me. That was a win as far as I’m concerned. He even let me wash off all his nervous sweat.

He deserved a piece of weird ice cream cake. It’s made with ice cream and self rising flour. We humans ate it for him.

Poor Apache. That was a lot of new stuff for one day!

A Visit to the Local Ghost Town

It’s been a long time since I wrote about the Walker’s Creek community, which is nominally where we live (or Silver City, another town that’s gone). On today’s weekend walk, I decided to investigate what’s left of the community.

Definitely a scenic walk, including the yellow Gaillardia.

Last week I went to the cemetery, so I’ll just show you the entrance. There are older cemeteries in the area, but here’s where all those Hightower and Laywell ancestors are. I mostly enjoy the ancient oaks and birds.

As I’ve mentioned, the cemetery is still in use.

I climbed up the hill to get to the historical area, stopping to enjoy some gorgeous Pitcher’s Leatherflowers. I declare them to be my favorite wildflowers (sorry milkvine).

I found many birds, including lots of raptors. There was even a Bald Eagle, which usually don’t stray so far from the Alcoa lake. I was happy a Swainson’s Hawk flew over, too.

This is my only bird photo. It’s exciting though, because it’s a Painted Bunting NOT hiding in a tree. How do I know that? It was vigorously singing the Painted Bunting song.

I decided to see if there were any fascinating plants at the site of the old Walker’s Creek Church. I think that was also the school site?

I saw the remains of many of the oaks originally planted by early English-speaking settlers. The trees have not handled recent drought years, plus they’re old.

I found a dragonfly, some wildflowers, and the usual trees for around here, cedar elms and hackberry trees. The most unique feature was all the Inca Doves that seem to only live on the top of this hill. They don’t come past the creek to my house. Here’s a sample of what I saw. I’ll spare you yet another dead armadillo.

Female common whitetail *Plathemis lydia*

That wasn’t too exciting, but I enjoyed thinking about the people who settled on this hill so long ago. I’m glad we still have some friendly folks in the community, even short-timers like us and “the dog lady” (Vicki, who raises amazing Shetland sheep dogs).

Alfred says he’d be a sheep dog if we’d get him some sheep. Until then, he’ll just chew his “cigar.”

I’ll have more excitement for you in the morning.

This is the purple box. Everyone notices it. Says it’s an insect trap. Ok.

Teaching Adults = Herding Cats

It’s a good thing I find cat herding to be entertaining (if tiring). I remembered this today when I did my best to teach a group of adults how to use Merlin Bird ID. I’m happy to report that each attendee learned something on the actual topic! Huzzah!

I’d like to have joined this horse in a nice cool pond when I was done.

And I had fun, even while being frustrated by my inability to answer three questions at once. There was one attendee who couldn’t get to the App Store to download Merlin, a couple who couldn’t log in because they didn’t have their password, some who were eager to learn, and one who figured everything out faster than I could tell the rest. In other words, a typical in-person training experience. We were, however, missing the person who falls asleep. No one did that!

Luckily there were few enough people there that after showing everyone the UI basics, I could help people wherever they were. Whew. That’s my favorite way to teach adults. Seeing the smiles in people’s faces when they figured out how something worked was very satisfying!

Also satisfying: Linda Jo found this wheel bug.

We ended up finding birds, recording them and creating some life lists. Everyone made progress! And then they learned a bit about the new iNaturalist, even the ones who didn’t have iPhones (there’s no Android version).

One more fun insect. A ponderous spur-throat grasshopper.

I felt good doing what I like to do, and on a topic I’m actually interested in. It also felt great to get more of my fellow Master Naturalists interested in what makes my life so full of education and entertainment these days.

I was educated by identifying this baby bird as a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (it’s being well cared for and heading to rehabbers soon).

Nonetheless, I took a little jaunt over to Tarrin’s neighborhood to take some medication to a horse friend. I had some time, so I did something I’d wanted to do for a long time. I pulled my car over on Tarrin’s road and entered the interesting plants I keep seeing into iNaturalist.

Woo hoo! I can’t really pull over and take pictures towing a horse trailer!

Other than that, it’s very hot and humid. I’ve been thinking about recent tornado victims. It encourages me to enjoy all life’s joys and challenges while I can. The weather can strike anywhere.

Seven Best Birding Spots on Hilton Head Island (Plus)

I recently spent two weeks at Hilton Head Island. I usually spend a few weeks there each year. I go for plants and birds, not golfing and restaurants (except Hudson’s, where I must eat cluster oysters on every visit). I have been there in all seasons, which has given me a good perspective on finding interesting birds.

Hilton Head Island is a place where lots of wealthy people live in gated communities that visitors will never see. But there’s plenty of space available to non-residents who want to marvel at the old-growth hardwood forests, the endless estuaries and marshes, freshwater and brackish ponds, and the beaches teeming with life (outside of tourist areas). There will be some surprises on this list, even for experienced birders, I hope.

1. Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge

Technically, this is not on Hilton Head Island, but it’s darned close. This entire island is the wildlife refuge, and visitors can walk or bicycle on trails along the entire island. The inland trails are as magical as the beach and marsh areas.

The highlight of any trip is a visit to the Rookery pond. I’ve never seen it without dozens of birds roosting, eating, breeding, and making lots of noise. In the winter there are White Ibises, and in April and May, Great Egrets roost there. On my last visit in early May, the babies were popping their fuzzy white heads out for all visitors to coo over.

You’ll see pretty much every kind of heron or egret you can think of (I haven’t seen a Reddish egret there), along with Common Gallinules, ducks, and songbirds (there are cattails, so of course there are Red-winged Blackbirds on them).

Many warblers drop by during migration season, as well as buntings and all kinds of songbirds, so you’ll have your hands full photographing and writing bird sightings down!

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for alligators in the ponds, especially young ones that blend in with the reeds very well. I’ve seen rabbits, deer, armadillos, and other wildlife on the more remote parts of the island. There is a page on the preserve’s website that lists all the bird, plant, and animal species seen there, with photos. This is a great reference.

If you go birding in only one place, this is the place to go. And it’s free! Note the lack of restrooms and water. Be prepared. Right over the bridge are gas stations, though.

Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge
The vehicle entrance is located on U.S. 278 between the two bridges that connect Hilton Head Island to the mainland.

2. Sea Pines Forest Preserve

This is another prized spot for birders. There are many ponds and swampy areas, so you’ll see songbirds and shorebirds there. When I was last there, an Osprey nest was right next to the Fish Island parking area, with babies visible to patient observers.

One thing I enjoy about the birds around here is that they aren’t shy. I nearly walked into a Great Blue Heron who was neither concerned about me or the large alligator about ten feet away from it.

It pays to keep your eyes open in the preserve. One time I was walking on one of the trails and found a woman on a bicycle, stopped in her tracks. There was a very small copperhead snake basking in the sun on the trail. I reassured the woman that the snake would not attack her and that she could just get on her bike and ride past it. She didn’t believe me, so I carefully walked around it (as far away on the path as possible, of course). When I didn’t die, she managed to get past it. So, don’t play with the snakes and alligators, and give them a wide berth. You’ll be fine.

The boardwalks and trails provide great opportunities to see interesting plants, like jack-in-the-pulpit and native orchids, and there are a Native American shell ring and an old rice field to explore as you enjoy birding. It’s usually not very crowded, and if you do run into people, they may well be friendly fellow birders who can tell you’re using Merlin Bird ID (happened to me).

Sea Pines Forest Preserve
Admission to Sea Pines is $9, but it’s going up. Cash only.
The easiest way to get there is take S Forest Beach drive until you come to a gate where you have to pay. You must arrive by car. I tried walking. Nope.
Restrooms are at the Fish Island picnic area.

3. Fish Haul Beach

This is also Mitchellville Beach, or they’re right next to each other. We got here by searching for Mitchellville. Here’s what the website says about it:

Nestled in Bay Gall, one of Hilton Head Island’s historic Gullah neighborhoods, Fish Haul Beach is perhaps one of the hidden gems on the Island. This beach overlooks Port Royal Sound and is perfect for those seeking a quiet get-a-way for walking, bird watching and resting.

The only negative thing I can say about this place is that it is VERY close to the airport, so expect airplane noise. What not to expect will be crowds. This area is absolutely gorgeous, and since the beach has live oyster beds, snails, fiddler crabs, and other delicacies shore birds enjoy, you are likely to see many more shore birds than at Coligny.

Conveniently, there are walking trails in the adjacent wooded area and a boardwalk across a beautiful marsh where you’ll find all kinds of songbirds. Depending on the time of year, you’ll run into many sparrows or warblers. In May I encoungered Painted and Indigo Buntings.

The sandbars and sea life make this a place you could explore for hours, though it’s not all that big. It may not be easy to find, but it’s worth it to see this calmer, more residential part of the island. Be sure to visit some of the Gullah sites while you’re there.

Fish Haul Beach Park
124 Mitchelville Road
Hilton Head Island 29926
Paid parking is $3 an hour. Restrooms available.

4. Audubon Newhall Preserve

This 50-acre spot is easy to find, since there are signs on Pope Avenue directing you to it. At times the preserve can be pretty popular, but try visiting in mid-winter and you’ll have the place and its residents all to yourself. There’s no bad time to visit, though, as all my photos of the pond in different seasons will demonstrate.

The Audubon Society on the island has done a great job with this place. There are labels on many of the plants, and they’ve done some planting of interesting species as well.

Birds just love the area, and you can see anything you want, even owls at the right time of day. Bluebird houses, an owl house, and a bird feeding station are part of the avian attraction, for sure. Listen for the many woodpeckers and watch for overly friendly Black Vultures.

Visitors can wander around the pond or be more adventurous and head through the trails that meander through the pine woods. There’s also a boggy boardwalk over a “pocosin,” where you can sometimes see deer.

Check the website for information on guided walks and other events. The website also has a checklist on eBird.

Audubon Newhall Preserve
55 Palmetto Bay Road, Hilton Head Island, SC
Admission is free, but it’s kind to give a donation

5. Jarvis Creek Park and Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn

These two are next to each other and easy to cover in one visit, so I lumped them together. Both places are just great for birding and beauty.

Jarvis Creek Park contains a nice stretch of the creek where you can find many birds in a natural setting along pretty paths with bridges across wet areas. That is my favorite part of the park, even though there was a very large tree across the path one time I visited.

For the less adventurous, there’s a very well maintained trail around the central lake, which is stocked with large fish. This is a very popular city park, with lots of walkers, dogs on leashes, and cyclists. It’s also right off the main highway on the island, so you’ll experience traffic noise. Nonetheless, birds are everywhere and the area is beautifully maintained.

You can take a trail to the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn from Jarvis Creek Park. The museum (a Smithsonian offshoot) goes over the history and biodiversity of the area, so be sure to go inside and learn about local birds there (and if you’re lucky see live horseshoe crabs or turtles). There are a butterfly garden, a carniverous plant garden, and a firefly pond to explore on the path that encircles the property, a former hunting lodge.

We were impressed by how many birds we saw on the property. Barn Swallows swooped around the observation deck that extends out into the marsh, and songbirds could be counted just sitting in your car in the shady parking lot, which my husband did.

The many piers and boardwalks allow you to get intimate with the surrounding area. An unforgettable highlight are ancient oaks that you can admire (or hug) while watching herons picking off little crabs.

Note that, as with most of the area, if there’s fresh water there will be alligators. I got too excited by a water lily and almost missed one!

When I was there, the place was not too crowded, so you could get good birding in, including Merlin Bird ID.

Jarvis Creek Park
50 Jarvis Creek Road
Hilton Head Island SC 29926
Free admission, good restrooms, and other amenities

Coastal Discovery Museum
70 Honey Horn Drive
Hilton Head Island SC 29926
Free admission

6. Prayer Trail at Providence Presbyterian Church

Here’s a birding hotspot you won’t see in the usual sources. It doesn’t have its own website and that’s probably for the good. That makes it less likely to draw crowds, an advantage in a contemplative space. The Prayer Trail winds through an amazing area of untouched coastal woodland next to Forest Beach Drive. I found it on my daily birding walks while staying in the area a few years ago, and I’ve visited often ever since.

Among the towering oaks, pines, hickories, palms, and magnolia trees you will find a huge assortment of woodland birds. In the winter, I spotted the same owl three different days. And in April there were so many Great Crested Flycatchers and warblers (especially Pine Warblers) that it was almost deafening!

You can see many exciting Carolina Chickadees

Just sit on one of the benches at each stop on the trail, contemplate the lesson, and listen to birds. You’ll find peace. Just be sure to wear bug spray or cover your limbs. It’s a forest, after all.

One thing you will not find on these paths are people. I have only encountered a handful of fellow walkers here, and everyone is quiet (not shouting at friends or blasting music like you find on most trails on the island). I’m so grateful that this beautiful land is being preserved and that the church is maintaining the trail, which opened in 2021. It is absolutely my happy place and favorite place to go on Hilton Head.

When you’re finished on the prayer trails, walk to Cordillo through the church parking lot (chock full of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers much of the year), turn right, then take the next path right that goes along a ditch or lagoon or other body of water, where there are Bald Cypress trees, pretty water plants, and plenty of vireos to listen to. It’s a hidden oasis!

Prayer Trail (video on Facebook)
Church address: 171 Cordillo Pkwy, Hilton Head Island, SC
Prayer Trail is off South Forest Beach Drive
Free admission, no facilities

7. Lagoon Road

Lagoon Road is a road, not a park or destination. To find the birding there, park in the Coligny/Piggly Wiggly parking lot near the beginning of Lagoon Road and walk away from the crowds. Soon you will be in a quiet residential area, bordered by protected woods adjacent to a long lagoon. This is the perfect place to go if (like me) crowds make you jittery and you’ve been shopping or eating in a crowded restaurant at Coligny.

I’m always surprised at what kind of birds I encounter here. There are often Great Egrets or Great Blue Herons on the ground, and there will be all kinds of birds in the air, from Fish Crows to Red-shouldered Hawks to Ospreys and even to owls. I was standing quietly listening to some nuthatches one day when not one, but two Barred Owls flew right in front of me, disappearing into the patch of ancient oaks nearby. As I turned to leave in a few minutes, I realized one of the owls was just sitting nearby, watching me.

barred owl — This is the closest I’ve ever been to an owl. The ones at home hide.

You can return by walking the residential streets, where there are always many birds, and mostly avoid North Forest Beach Road and its noise. The whole walk is about a mile, entirely doable for fairly healthy folks.

Others

Other places for birding abound on the island. Any park or historical site will have birds. I enjoy walking through even the business areas, on roads around apartments and condos, and any back road you can find.

This hawk caught a mouse right in front of me on a major road.

There are many cruises you can take from the island. If you take a dolphin cruise, you can usually convince the captain to also show you birds. You’ll always see cormorants and such.

Cormorants and a gull seen on a dolphin cruise.

Cordillo Parkway and Pope Avenue trails also have many birds, along with alligators and the occasional stingray in a pond, but you have to wait for breaks in the traffic to hear them. A better road for birding is Dellyon Drive, which connects Cordillo and South Forest Beach. Obviously I am a walker and based near that area. I’m sure there are more fun areas near resorts I can’t get to.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the grounds of restaurants can provide great birding, especially at the waterfront restaurants where there will be gulls, sandpipers, and pelicans to watch. Some restaurants have piers you can head out on, too.

Heck, I found my first Baltimore Oriole a couple of years ago at the outlet mall, so just keep your eyes and ears open. Bluffton and Daufuske Island provide even more opportunities!

Resources

Birdability: Accessible birding locations on Hilton Head Island
Birding Hotspots in the area
Search for Hilton Head on the Hermits’ Rest blog for more in-depth posts and lots of bird photos (most not all that great). Examples:
A Visit to Audubon Newhall Preserve (2018)
- I CAN Relax, So There! (2019)
- Ahoy! We Set Sail! (2019)
- Another Post about Birds, Beaches, and Beauty (2021)
- Drinking and Dolphins, Not at the Same Time (2023)
- Now I’m Happy, Thanks to Pinkney Island (2023)
- Gaining Ground through Grounding (2024)
- Deep into Lagoons (2024)
- I Left the Vicinity (2025)
- Now, THAT’s a Beach (2025)

May Ranch Update

I’ve been home a few days and haven’t updated on what’s going on here. May is always a fun month in central Texas, because it’s not too hot or cold, rain falls every so often, wildflowers are in bloom, and bird migration is in full swing.

Texas Striped Sweat Bee with a lot of thistle pollen.

I’ve been enjoying the birds especially. I thought I’d seen a lot on my trip, but whoa, I’ve seen a lot in the last few days. Yesterday? I identified 74 birds between my house and Tarrin’s. That’s way more than my previous one-day high total!

Here’s an Eastern Kingbird, which I’ve seen in both locations.

I was sorta giddy when I saw the list I ended up with. There was even a new lifer, the Magnolia Warbler, one I’d always wanted to encounter.

I do use a lot of abbreviations. It’s hard to fit that many birds on a page, you know?

In other areas, the horses seem good, except that Apache’s expensive boots got lost while I was gone. All my fault. I didn’t remember to take them off before I left.

Spice is all settled in, too. She has taken over as Head Honcho of the herd. Drew and Mabel follow her everywhere.

Your boss mate doesn’t have to have perfect confirmation or perfect feet. She has to be firm and smart. That’s Spice.

With a swish of her tail, she gets things done.

Apache and Dusty just hang out with Fiona and eat. I guess they’re the second tier. They all seem happy.

Everybody but Dusty, who’s at left, eating.

Apache really is doing well, even though it’s been raining, which makes grass grow, which isn’t good for his metabolism. We had a lesson yesterday, and he was just fine, health wise. He did forget how to trot all straight and soft, but it was fun to work on it.

Funny story/segue: I had a very pleasant morning yesterday. I woke up plenty early to make coffee, get Apache ready, and drive serenely to my 9am lesson. I had a nice chat with a friend who was also at Tarrin’s and was about to saddle Apache when Tarrin yelled at me, “You do realize your lesson is at ten, right?”

I heard the Mockingbird mockingly laughing right then.

Of course it was. I wrote it down in the wrong time zone. But did I let that intrude upon my serenity? Nope! It was a beautiful, cool morning, and there were all those birds! So, I got out my portable chair, drank coffee, and listened to birds, even Tarrin’s ducks. I was completely happy, except when Apache pooped upwind from me.

Yow, it’s taken a long time to get to where I can at least occasionally stay unfrazzled. This is good!

Also good: my first zinnia blossom from seed.

Today has also been fun, though with not quite so many birds. I’ve been logging them all on eBird, because it’s the Global Big Day. But while I was out, I checked out the wildflowers and their pollinators. Let’s take a look. I’ve got more coming later, I hope!

Flooding Adventures

What an interesting 24 hours it’s been! We set out from Clinton and powered our way through Mississippi and Louisiana. As we were doing so, the news from home was not good. Of course we needed rain, but flash flooding and tornadoes we could do without. Friends and family kept us updated, and the ranch survived okay. Friends did get damage from wind and lightning.

We were all as alert as this mockingbird who wasn’t threatened by the fake owl.

We started getting notices of flood warnings on our phones. At lunch I even got a phone call from the weather service! I guess that hadn’t been cut yet. By the way, yesterday’s lunch made us both very sick. Pepto Bismol to the rescue.

We tried to make it back to the Hermits’ Rest, but the rain got pretty scary. We had planned to make a stop at Lake Martin Creek State Park on the way but it was so bad that I spontained and decided to stop and let the weather pass.

We got a cabin with heat and air conditioning, and got soaked unloading and going to the restroom. Luckily we were the closest cabin to the facilities and had spare clothing to change into. We got all cozy and listened to the rain and lightning.

By early evening the rains had ended but the roads were still pretty bad and flooded in spots. So we stayed put and I wandered around to check out the pretty park on a big lake with a bigger power plant.

I was glad I had a nice long book to read and that we each had a blanket. Even without a pillow I slept great.

I didn’t want to sleep too late in case these guys would come after me (joke).

I threw on clothing I could get dirty and headed out to the trails on the cool island in the lake, which has a convenient bridge.

While the trails were challenging due to all the water, it was well worth it.

There were many trees of many kinds, which is typical in the Piney Woods region of east Texas. There weren’t many flowers, even in the grassy meadows, but it was very beautiful and secluded. The best part? Forty-eight species of birds!

Most of the birds hid, however. My new lifer, the Hooded Warbler, however did NOT hide. Its face is like the opposite of a Yellow-breasted Chat, so I was thrilled to ID it. Of course it didn’t sit there long enough to photograph.

Yeah, that was a good tromp through the mud. We are finally going to make it home, though we are seeing pretty impressive flooding and swollen waterways. One town we went through had obviously been hit by a tornado and had a television crew filming.