Latest posts
SIB Reports: 2025 Bird Challenge Calendar
Are you the type of person who needs a little motivation to get you going? Maybe you’d like to sharpen your birding skills this year and need some guidance. Or maybe, you’re the kind of person who likes to set monthly goals, or work off a to-do list. Either way, Audubon has put together a…
Ask SIB: Do you have any recommendations for birding clothes?
Question: I see lots of different clothes when I go on SIB activities. Do you have any you especially like and would recommend to me? Answer: Variations of this question are often asked during our activities. Even the “trip leaders” ask this question of others. So the suggestions below are just some opinions and not…
Ducks at a Distance: A Waterfowl Identification Guide
Winter means ducks come back to South Carolina. They always seem to be rapidly flying away and/or far away. The Fish and Wildlife Service recently published a PDF: “Ducks at a Distance” by Bob Hines of Department of Interiors, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It’s introductory paragraph gives you a good idea of what to…
Did you know: Covert Feathers
A covert feather is one of a set of feathers which cover other feathers. The coverts help to smooth airflow over the wings and tail and protect important flight feathers. You can see them inside the red outline on the photo of a Northern Mockingbird that was banded during our Fall Migration Station. Since most…
Winter “snowbirds” arrive with Winter
The arrival of Winter 2024 officially is the Winter Solstice on December 21 at 4:19am. It’s a good time to review which of our bird friends are arriving for the winter. As we plan Seabrook Island Birders winter activities, the first thing we talk about is ducks! We schedule visits to Santee Coastal, Bear Island…
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! To kick-start this holiday, we thought you might be interested in a little light-hearted, turkey trivia. Did you know that Wild Turkeys are found in every state in the US, except one? Can you guess which one? If you guessed Hawaii, because that’s the most obvious answer, you would unfortunately be wrong!…
Gift Ideas for Birders
Finding the right gift is often a challenge, but if your gift list includes a birder, we can help! Did you know birdwatching is the fastest growing hobby in the United States? According to USDA.gov, “birding ranks as the fastest-growing single outdoor activity, even surpassing gardening, with 70.4 million people who report some level of involvement…
SIB “Bird of the Week” – American Goldfinch
American Goldfinch – Spinus tristisLength: 5″; Wingspan: 9″; Weight: 0.46 oz. This small finch is commonly found in flocks on Seabrook Island during the winter months (November – March) on backyard feeders, along the golf courses or anywhere there are weed seeds. It has a sharply pointed bill, a small head, long wings and a…
What gift can you recommend for my 6 year-old birder?
Last week we provided some gift ideas for the birder on your list. These were geared to adult birders. A recent Facebook post asked for gift ideas for a 6 year-old that was very into birds. Responses (not SIB members) were interesting. A field guide!While a 6 year-old may not be able to read, the…
SIB members visit Kiawah Banding Station
Recently, Seabrook Island Birders participated in a Learning Together opportunity at Kiawah Island’s Banding Station. Every August through November, Aaron Given, Wildlife Biologist on Kiawah Island, sets up twenty-five 40’ mist nets on Captain Sam’s Spit where, over the next couple of months, he collects birds for banding, measuring, and weighing. We scheduled our visit…
