The Sea Islands Shorebird Festival was held May 11 & 12 on Kiawah and Seabrook Islands to celebrate the large number of shorebirds, including the threatened Red Knot, that use our beaches. A group of organizations interested in shorebird conservation worked to organize the festival. Representatives from Seabrook Island Birders Shorebird Steward Program, the Kiawah Conservancy, the Town of Kiawah, South Carolina Department of Natural of Resources, US Fish & Wildlife Service, SC Audubon and Manomet focused on the importance of Seabrook and Kiawah Island beaches, Captain Sams Inlet, and Deveaux Bank as critical habitat for migrating and nesting shorebirds.
Long-time birders and newcomers to shorebirds enjoyed activities including a Birders Breakfast hosted by SC Audubon, bird walks at Beachwalker Park, the east end of Kiawah and North Beach, and the Feather Fest, a family-friendly fair of artists, photographers, kids activities and children’s book authors.
On Thursday evening, Kiawah Conservancy hosted the “Red Knot Reception”. Benjamin Clock presented a new documentary about Red Knots and Felicia Sanders, SCDNR Coastal Bird biologist described her research on the migration and population status of Red Knots.
On Friday evening, Seabrook Island Birders hosted “Birds of the Inlet” to highlight the importance of Captain Sams Inlet as the centerpiece of the Kiawah- Seabrook- Deveaux complex. Janet Thibault of SCDNR focused on the dynamics of inlets and why they are so crucial to shorebirds. Melissa Chaplin of USFWS spoke about the importance of the inlet to endangered Piping Plovers who overwinter here. Manomet biologist, Abby Sterling, PhD, described how nesting American Oystercatchers, like our resident U5 and mate, depend on these resources, and PhD candidate, Maina Handmaker, presented her ground breaking research on the largest known Whimbrel roost which exists on Deveaux Bank.
Thank you to everyone who made this event a success!
Submitted by: Mark Andrews