At the beginning of each season, we’ve briefly discussed birds arriving for that season. Many of our favorite birds are here all year. In fact, there are so many, let’s focus today on those we often see in the marsh or other “inland” waters. The link in each description is a link to a “Bird of the Week” article previously published or to Cornell Lab’s All About Birds website.
Great Egrets are the “big white birds” we see along lagoons and Palmetto Lake. Their long thin yellow bills are always a key to identification. They are one of the many birds that nest in the rookery on Ocean Winds golf course.
The Snowy Egret is smaller than the Great Egret. They are seen in the rookery on Ocean Winds and all around Seabrook Island. Their identifying trait of yellow feet can by remembered with the saying from childhood: “Don’t eat the yellow snow”.
– Bob Hider
Heron – Bob Hider
Heron – Bob Hider
Little Blue Herons are also seen on the lagoons around Seabrook Island. The immature are white during their first year then molting to their name sake blue during their second spring. Immature Little Blue Herons are distinguished from Snowy Egrets by their green legs and grayish bill.
Great Blue Herons are the largest heron seen around our lagoons. They are regularly seen at Palmetto Lake and the lagoons on the golf courses.
Tricolor Herons again are seen at golf course, the lagoons along Jenkins Point and this year, numerous young are seen along Palmetto Lake. With a wing-span of 36″, they are smaller than the Great Blue Heron (69″) and about the same size as Little Blue Heron (40″). Their white belly is their easiest distinguishing feature.
The lagoons along Jenkins Point Road are almost guaranteed to offer views of both Yellow-crowned Night-Herons and Black-crowned Night Herons. They often are seen tucked among the branches of the various bushes but are often also seen sitting on branches. The adults are distinguished by the crisp markings on their heads. The juveniles are harder to distinguish with the Yellow-crowned having a thicker darker bill and tiny spots versus the streaks of a Black-crowned Night-Heron.
Double-crested Cormorants are more prevalent in the winter but are seen year round. They are often seen among the Brown Pelicans along the Kiawah River but are frequent roosters in significant numbers along the golf course.
Anhinga‘s spear their fish using their sharp bills. When swimming, their bodies are submerged giving them a nickname of “snake bird”. Like the Double-crested Cormorant, they do not have oil glands to repel water so they are often seen drying their spread wings while sitting on a branch. The males are rich black with white wings while females and juveniles have a brown head and neck.
Clapper Rail’s clattering call is more often heard than these birds are seen. Their ability to become very slim is the source of the expression “thin as a rail”. They are usually in the marsh grasses but Seabrook Island Birders were treated to a mother herding her baby back to the marsh when the youngster wanted to visit the group at a Backyard Birding activity at the Boat Ramp.
Spotted Sandpipers are not as frequently seen or heard as the previously mentioned birds. Their tail bobbing helps in identification. They have been seen at Palmetto Lake, Camp St. Christopher, West Ashley Greenway and at Kiawah River.
Killdeer are not seen around water as much as other birds mentioned above but this shorebird in the plover family is frequently seen nesting in rocks along a shore. When sensing danger to their nest, they will fly a distance away and put on a good act of a broken wing to lure potential predators away from the nest. Although a shorebird, they are frequently seen in fields such as the horse pasture or the grass in front of the Lakehouse playground.
Belted Kingfisher are the nemesis bird for many photographers. They perch nicely on fence poles, branches and docks until the camera lens is raised when they quickly fly away. The female Belted Kingfisher is one of the few birds more colorful than their male counterpart.
Submitted By: Judy Morr
Photos by: (where not credited in photos)
Great Egret, Anhinga: Dean Morr
Great Blue Heron: Marie Wardell
Snowy Egret, Spotted Sandpiper, Killdeer: Ed Konrad
Belted Kingfisher: Charlie Moore
Double-crested Cormorant: Bob Mercer