birds – Page 6 – The Hermits' Rest

Farewell to the Migrants

Get your mind off politics, I’m talking about avian migrants! For a few days my bird species counts here at the Hermits’ Rest were incredibly high, much higher than I’d ever seen before. One day I observed (with Merlin Bird ID, sight, or my own ears) 74 species, as I mentioned earlier I think. I’d rarely hit 50 before.

It was the migrating warblers and friends who added so much to my totals. It seemed like there were many more kinds of warblers this year, along with vireos I hadn’t seen, nuthatches, and the seagulls I wrote about last time. I know there were a lot of birds coming through here on the central migration corridor, because there were news articles about them showing up on radar. That’s impressive, isn’t it? You can even see the migration live on the excellent BirdCast website. What fun!

The moon has been full for the past few days, and I think that may have been a big incentive for the warblers to head to more pleasant climes. Or maybe they knew that the temperature forecast for this week was grim – we’re in for our first near-100-degree days of the year this week, after a very pleasant spring so far.

This is the Weather Underground forecast for the next ten days. I miss last week already.

I was really enjoying the bird variety since I got back from Hilton Head. Here’s a list of all the warblers and vireos I’ve identified here in Texas in the past week:

American Redstart
Bay-breasted Warber
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Pine Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Red-eyed Vireo
Warbling Vireo (both warbles and is a vireo!)
White-eyed Vireo
Wilson’s Warbler
Yellow Warbler (lots)
Yellow-rumped Warbler

I saw many more warblers in South Carolina, but this is a lot! Even without warblers, though, there are still a lot of birds here now. A Green Heron family is living in the tree in our back pond/tank, there are buntings and grosbeaks popping in and out (Painted Buntings are omnipresent, and I even saw a pair mating yesterday).

I was too entertained to reach for my phone, so enjoy my new portulaca.

I wonder if the heat will affect my observations. I know the heat affected me yesterday. I was trying to work with Apache and my legs turned all wobbly and I had to hose myself off and drink a lot of water to keep going. He’s probably thinking he’ll get out of all the riding and exercise we’ve been doing, but no such luck. I’ll stick it out!

By the way, I’m moving a lot of my content that’s philosophical or personal musings over to my Substack site, so feel free to go over there and read or subscribe. You’ll get the posts via email if you subscribe. I even have special content for my paid subscribers (yes, there are a few, and it really helps now that I have a tiny Social Security income).

I See a Seagull

Well, I saw some. It taught me to believe Merlin Bird ID more than I did before. On Saturday, Merlin identified a Laughing Gull. I was dubious. I saw many in South Carolina on the coast, but I didn’t expect to hear any here. Of course, sea birds do pass over here, but never these.

Notice it says they rarely venture inland. No wonder I doubted the observation.

I shouldn’t have doubted the sighting. This afternoon when I was feeding the horses, I saw birds overhead. Yep, Laughing Gulls. A whole flock of them!

I guess they’re going somewhere.

Can I go, too? (Someone needs to eat less delicious food.)

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!

It’s a Live Performance?

What was the last live performance you saw?

I no longer am comfortable in large crowds. So I don’t go places to see performances anymore. And my family no longer makes music for each other after some sad things happened. Oh well. I still enjoy performances daily.

So, I’ll say my most recent live performance, which took place 2:00-2:20 today, featured, in order of appearance):

Painted Bunting
Tennessee Warbler
Tufted Titmouse
Northern Cardinal
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Eastern Bluebird
Carolina Wren
Green Heron (weirdest melody)
Mourning Dove
House Sparrow
Rooster
Domestic Turkey, portrayed by Connie Gobbler
Eastern Meadowlark
Northern Mockingbird
Dickcissel
Bay-breasted Warbler
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
American Crow
Barred Owl
Purple Martin
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
Cliff Swallow
Warbling Vireo
Great Crested Flycatcher
Common Nighthawk
Red-bellied Woodpacker
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (second weirdest melody)

Accompanied by:

Flies
Gnats
Wasps
Cow (coughing)
Dogs
Cow (mooing)
Honeybees

I missed the rhythm section, the woodpeckers until the Red-belly appeared, and the frequent raptor soloists almost failed to show up until the Nighthawk croaked. All in all, a pretty good show.

Thanks to Merlin Bird ID for recording the concert and iNaturalist for plant ID.

The free refreshments were vine-ripened and delicious.

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.

Another Island Full of Birds

We said farewell to Hilton Head yesterday, and not a moment too soon, because my heart broke to learn that a sperm whale washed ashore on the beach in front of our condo. That only happens when they are sick. It’s a part of life, as I’ve been reminded, but would be hard to watch.

Enjoy this beautiful plant, Large-flowered Orlaya, instead of anything sad.

We didn’t drive far before our first, more cheerful, stop. I couldn’t miss a visit to the Pinckney Island rookery in spring! It did not disappoint!

Of course, there were many songbirds, grackles, and such, but one huge highlight was seeing baby Great Egrets in their nests being tended by their beautiful parents.

It was great fun to enjoy the bird cacophony and chat with other birders about what we were seeing.

I hope those give you an idea of the crowds.

Many other herons were there, but all the Little Blues insisted on landing deep inside trees. Tricolored ones were much more sociable.

We were delighted when a beautiful Tricolored Heron landed right next to me and proceeded to be endearing for a long time. It even did a butt-wiggle dance. Oh, the cuteness. You’ll just have to suffer through more photos.

The heron was right next to three young alligators. They mutually ignored each other.

I had such a great visit! Between birds I saw and birds I heard, there were 48 species. Here are other highlights.

The staff at the preserve are doing a project to get rid of invasive Chinese tallow trees and thin the understory to prevent devastating fires. They’ve cut down many trees in the first phase. It isn’t pretty but is understandable. I saw funding came from the recent infrastructure bill passed by Congress. I hope the funding isn’t withdrawn mid-project like so many are.

Much larger gator not bothered by pruning

We next drove to the greater High Point, North Carolina area to visit our family members. (Some were unavailable, sadly). The roads were not in great shape, and we followed rain much of the way, but we made it. It was worth it to see Donita and Libba, who couldn’t join me on this trip to Hilton Head.

We had dinner at a very nice restaurant, though it was hard to talk due to people screaming while they ate. Three of us were hard of hearing. But we persevered and laughed a lot. Lee and I also had fun.

This morning I managed to get a 20-minute walk in the neighborhood of our hotel. I found 31 birds and some interesting plants. Let’s see where we go next!

Peach-colored Fly Agaric – *Amanita persicina*

Ancient and Avian Wonders

Yesterday was our last day at Hilton Head, so we did those last few things you hadn’t done yet. One was eat at Hudson’s, my favorite restaurant. Even though we tried to get in at a less-busy time, we would have had a 40-minute wait for outdoors. Indoors wasn’t as fun, but I enjoyed some oysters anyway.

We found a Brown Pelican, and a Snowy Egret to take photos of, which made for a fun dessert!

After that we headed over to the Coastal Discovery Museum, which is a former hunting lodge that was donated to the island when the last owner passed away.

Too many gorgeous trees to get a good building photo.

They have turned the main house into a museum about the environment and history of this area. There was also an exhibit of art by local high school students, which was impressive. The exhibit I liked best was live horseshoe crabs swimming around and playing with the bubbles in their aerator. I’d never seen one alive.

The best part of the visit was the outdoor exhibits. There were boardwalks leading onto the tidal marsh, which was wonderful, with many birds and rushing water.

There was a butterfly exhibit with many monarchs flying around and lots of lovely plants to photograph them on. We were very glad Lee had brought the good camera, because some of the images are gorgeous.

There was also a carnivorous plant exhibit, and you know how much I love carnivorous plants! I also found a beautiful fly on one of the pitcher plants. I added some pictures we took of flowers, because they are so pretty.

Venus flytrap *Dionaea muscipula (*native to the Carolinas)

Lee went to sit and watch birds with the camera while I explored the rest of the place. He got some good shots.

Meanwhile, I looked at the dragonfly pond, which didn’t have any dragonflies, but did have an alligator that I almost didn’t see.

A big highlight of the museum grounds was the largest red cedar tree in South Carolina. Even before I read the sign that said it probably started out in 1595, I thought to myself that I’d never seen a cedar with such an impressively gnarled trunk. What a treasure!

I saved the best for last, though. The final boardwalk went through a motte of ancient, ancient live oaks, the kind I just want to hug and sit with (which I may have done). These were some of the most beautiful old friends I ever met.

Plus there were lots of fiddler crabs to enjoy. I like how they are all slightly different.

I’m so glad I finally went in there, persuaded by Lee. I think I had the idea that it was a kids’ place. I’ll be back to walk the whole trail, which happens to abut Jarvis Creek Park, another location I want to return to next time. Oh yes, there will be a next time.

When Your Spouse Needs a Me Day

Yesterday, Lee asked me if we could have one day when we just did nothing and introverted. (I love turning nouns into verbs…not really, but I’m trying to use modern grammar.) How could I turn down someone who drove all the way from Texas to North Carolina by himself to spend time with me? So I said that would be just fine. I even did my best to introvert along with him, writing in my journals, blogging, crocheting, etc.

I did my nails, too. This month’s color theme is orange.

But I’m so used to moving around a lot that I finally had to take a hike (literally). I knew Lee would appreciate the time to calculate the April rain totals and sum up all his goal tracking in his journals, so I announced I’d go to Sea Pines for a few hours. I even drove, because, as we learned in November, you can’t walk into Sea Pines. You must drive and pay $9 to get in (going up to $10 soon). It apparently covers maintenance of the beautiful roads and such. Snooty.

While it’s snooty as heck, it also has that giant forest preserve smack in the middle of the neighborhood, which is on the far south edge of Hilton Head Island. I knew that if I went alone, I could spend all the time I wanted looking for weird plants and interesting wildlife. Off I went!

Little Blue Herons are interesting wildlife.

As someone who’s always looking at plants and birds, I have a hard time looking at directions and road signs, but I found the hidden parking area in the center of the preserve after wondering if the one-lane road was for cars or just bicycles (that you had to bring in unless you were staying there). I lived, and even had a little picnic of a banana and snack bar while listening to birds on one of the lakes.

My walking around was quite fruitful. It’s beautiful as always, though there weren’t any new and unusual birds to be found. That makes sense; I was barely two miles from the condo, not in some exotic locale. I enjoyed this beautiful Great Blue Heron, though.

I was happy to find a couple of alligators, since I hadn’t spotted any for a few days. One was quite close, but I annoyed it by walking by, so it left.

The plant spotting was quite successful, because I found some treasures. I was lucky enough to be at the preserve when the Grass-leaved Ladies’ Tresses (Spiranthes praecox) were in bloom. These are delicate native orchids found throughout the southern US in wet areas. What a lovely treat.

I also found a Florida Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema acuminatum) which is a pretty rare plant that’s mostly found in central Florida. I felt very lucky to get to see it. There aren’t even that many observations on iNaturalist. I’ll remember this one!

The preserve has great trails that are very well marked, which makes it hard to get lost. There are a couple of boardwalks. I went on the Disappearing Swamp one, which looks a lot like depictions of when the dinosaurs were alive. Lots of ferns.

There I met a very nice couple. The man took one look at me and asked, “Are you doing your Merlin?” I had to say yes. We had a great conversation about birding on the island. I told them about the Prayer Trail and they told me about an Osprey nest right by where I’d parked my car! We went and looked at it, but saw no birds. They’d seen baby heads a few days ago. Still, that was fun, and I got to meet new people!

Once I finished walking, I went to the Harbour Town shops just to check out the yachts and the expensive clothing.

I purchased the pinkest t-shirt I’ve ever seen. It’s Lily Pulitzer, too. I always wanted one of her blindingly colorful items.

All in all, Lee got to be alone and I got to see lots of nature and meet people. It’s great to accommodate all of our needs!

Now, THAT’s a Beach

I found out something interesting yesterday. I wrote down all 99 different birds I saw last month at home in my bird journal, because that’s what you do when you have plenty of time to do things you actually like to do. After that, I decided to add the South Carolina birds I’ve seen so far on this trip to my list. I discovered I’ve seen 42 additional birds! I’m up to 111 species in this state and am grateful to the warblers of spring for contributing a good many of the additional birds. My new warbler for yesterday was the Worm-eating Warbler; it’s clear that there are so many warblers the namers are running out of good ones. Spring is a good time to bird on the east coast of the US!

Eastern Towhee that was singing away next to the condos.

The shore birds, when I can find them, have also added to my totals and life list. I got a new one and saw many interesting others when Lee and I finally went over to Mitchellville, a historical Gullah area, to the beach there. I’d read that Fish Haul beach has great birding, and yep, it does.

Tricolored Heron just enjoying the breeze.

It also has crabs and oysters for all those birds to eat, and neighboring marshes chock full of songbirds, including a Red-winged Blackbird that made a sound like an alarm bell ringing. That was odd.

Let me tell you, this is the kind of beach I want to visit, not ones covered in people and no interesting things to look at (sorry beach lovers, but when I have seen one long stretch of sand with some waves, I’ve seen them all). Fish Haul beach has rocks, tree stumps, seaweed, sandbars, tidal estuaries, and so much more. I had a blast.

The only negative aspect of this beach is that it’s very close to the airport. There are more flights to this island than I realized; no wonder they’re expanding the charmingly tiny airport. Still, plane and helicopter sounds do drown our your Whimbrels and Willets (the Whimbrel was my new beach bird).

The surrounding wooded area at the park was equally pleasant, and the boardwalk across the marsh was breathtaking. I could have spent many hours there if I was willing to keep paying $3 per hour to park. We used every minute of our hour, though. I have a new place to go every time I come here!

I’m sort of torn about Hilton Head. I realize it’s a haven for ultra-rich people and that most of the place is off-limits except to residents. That feels uber-elitist, and it doesn’t help that most of the Black folks live in mobile homes in “their” areas (though the Gullah areas are fascinating and it’s so cool that they stubbornly continue to live life on their terms, like growing their own food, weaving, etc.). It’s also cool that many mobile homes have been raised way up on cement blocks to avoid floods.

Can’t complain about the landscaping. Fortnight lily.

But wow, it’s so pretty here. All the zoning regulations and lighting rules mean that you feel like you’re in some woods, even on commercial roads. Only the two or three main drags look like roads in most places. Otherwise, you drive through tree canopies draped in Spanish moss. It looks so much like the older parts of Gainesville, Florida in the late 60s where I used to ride my bike and visit my grandmother’s house. I feel comfortable here until I start to think about my white privilege and former good income that lets me come to this bastion of golf and fanciness.

I feel a rant coming on. If you’re a Substack subscriber, you’ll get to read one shortly, after I do a Master Naturalist blog entry. Good thing I enjoy writing.