Latest posts
-
Nesting Birds on Seabrook Island – Part I: Cavity Nesters
Spring is in the air and the birds are busy building nests and raising their young. The post below was originally distributed in 2017. Like many things we knew (or missed) years ago, it’s good to repeat some information. ************************************************** What is a cavity nester? Cavity nesting birds are ones that build nests, lay eggs
-
Colonial Nesters on and near Seabrook Island
The article below has been updated since its original post in 2017. Current SIB members may experience different colony nests than reported here. Recently we visited the rookery seen on Ocean Winds golf course or at a recent Backyard Birding. That caused us to ask which birds nest in “rookeries” here on Seabrook Island. Quite
-
Can birds signal your romantic future?
Happy Valentines Day to (bird) lovers everywhere! Doves, cardinals and lovebirds (a type of parrot) come to mind when people think of birds and love together. But ornithomancy is a practice dating to ancient times when Greeks and Romans used it to interpret their bird sightings and get a glimpse into the future. According to ornithomancy, single
-
Why I am a SI Shorebird Steward (and why I think you would enjoy it, too)
Like most of us, I spent much of my 40 year professional career inside, behind a computer screen. Retiring to Seabrook Island in 2020 was an epiphany for me and my husband, Doug. There is a whole world out here! There are no lions and tigers and bears, but plenty of alligators, dolphins, and, of
-
SIB “Bird of the Week” – Western Cattle Egret
How did I miss the memo!?! The Cattle Egret that I’ve enjoyed observing, often in fields feeding near livestock and rarely ever near water like most other egrets and herons, got a name change! It wasn’t until I read about Judy Morr’s travels to Florida a few weeks ago that I even realized a change had happened!
-
What’s the Deal with the Capitalizion of Bird Names?
Have you ever noticed when you read the articles from Seabrook Island Birders (SIB), the common names of birds are capitalized? The same is true with nearly every bird book, bird periodical or birding website. However, if you read articles in non-birding publications including print media, these same common names are not capitalized, unless a
-
SIB “Bird of the Week” – Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Bluebird – Sialia sialisLength: 7″; Wingspan: 13″; Weight: 1.1 oz. Slightly smaller than its cousin the Robin, this bird is distinctive in its rusty red colored breast and white belly with a sky blue head, back and tail. The female shares the rusty red breast and white belly but is grayer with faint blue tails and wings.
-
SIB Explores:
You’ve read numerous “SIB Travel” blogs about birding trips taken by members. SIB members often hear about bird walks, festivals, seminars or tours that may interest others but not an official SIB activity. If you hear of something, let us know by sending the information to SeabrookIslandBirders@gmail.com. You can share, even if you don’t plan
-
View Bird Cams
In 2022, we posted the blog below regarding Bird Cams. Since it’s a “dark and stormy day” I allowed myself to get distracted watching Bird Cams. I hope this provides distraction on a rainy day without preventing you from completing all those marvelous chores we all have. Submitted by: Judy Morr View Bald Eagle and Great Horned
-
Wind turbines are friendlier to birds than oil-and-gas drilling
A member of Seabrook Island Birders shared this interesting article. Birders get nervous when they see landscapes covered in wind turbines. When the wind gets going, their blades can spin at well over 200km per hour. It is easy to imagine careless birds getting chopped to bits. Campaigners often point to the possibility when opposing