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SIB “Bird of the Week” – Northern Flicker
Northern Flicker – Colaptes auratusLength: 11-12.2″; Wingspan: 16.5-20.1″; Weight: 3.9-5.6 oz. Northern Flickers are large, brown woodpeckers with a gentle expression and handsome black-scalloped plumage. On walks, don’t be surprised if you scare one up from the ground. It’s not where you’d expect to find a woodpecker, but flickers eat mainly ants and beetles, digging for them…
SIB “Bird of the Week” – American Redstart
American Redstart – Setophaga ruticillaLength: 5.25″; Wingspan: 7.75″; Weight: 0.29 oz. While the American Redstart is a wood-warbler and part of the Parulidae Family, it is the only warbler species in the Setophage Genus. David Sibley, in his Field Guide to Birds index, does not list it among the warblers, but alone under Redstart. They do migrate, in treed habitats, along the SC…
SIB “Bird of the Week” – Laughing Gull
Laughing Gull – Leucophaeus AtricillaLength: 16.5″; Wingspan: 40″; Weight: 11 oz. Swirling over beaches with strident calls and a distinctive, crisp black head, Laughing Gulls provide sights and sounds evocative of summer on Seabrook Island. You’ll run across this handsome gull in large numbers at beaches, docks, and parking lots, where they wait for handouts or fill…
SIB -BIRD OF THE WEEK -Tricolor Heron
The Tricolor Heron can range in size from 25-30″ (64-76 cm). W. 3’2 (97 cm). Dark blue upperparts contrast with white belly and white stripe up fore neck. Base of bill and bare face skin are yellowish at most seasons, bright blue in breeding season. Slender shape makes this species look even longer-billed and longer-necked…
SIB Bird of the Week – Summer Tanager
If you’ve ever caught a glimpse of a flame-red bird flitting through the treetops in South Carolina’s warmer months, chances are you’ve seen the stunning Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra). This migratory songbird brings color and melody to the southeastern U.S. each spring and summer. Characteristics The male Summer Tanager is North America’s only entirely red…
SIB “Bird of the Week” – Painted Bunting
Painted Bunting – Passerina cirisLength: 5.5″; Wingspan: 8.75″; Weight: 0.54 oz. Without a doubt, this bird is one of the most beautiful and colorful birds on Seabrook Island or anywhere else. Look for this small to medium sized multicolored finch at your bird feeder and around the edges of dense brush (such as wax myrtles) and thick…
SIB “Bird of the Week” – Northern Cardinal
Northern Cardinal – Cardinalis cardinalisLength: 8.75″; Wingspan: 12″; Weight: 1.6 oz. We know many of our readers may be traveling and busy with family , so we thought when you have time you’d enjoy learning more about one of the favorite backyard visitors throughout eastern North America. Among other things, the Northern Cardinal is said to symbolize…
Help Track the Red Knots!
On March 31st, Shorebird Stewards from Seabrook Island and Kiawah Island assisted SC DNR and Georgia DNR with banding Red Knots on Kiawah. In addition to traditional numbered bands, several birds were fitted with Satellite trackers, giving scientists real-time date on their location, migration patterns and routes. We’re excited to announce that SCDNR has made…
July 4th Challenge – find American Birds
Join SIB in celebrating our nation and its birds by searching for state birds and birds with states or America in their name. Last year we had our inaugural July 4th Challenge after I found an article from 2017 from Nemesis Bird by Steve Brenner. For years he had a challenge to see who could…
“Bird of the Week” – Brown Pelican
Brown Pelican – Pelecanus occidentalisLength: 51″; Wingspan: 79″; Weight: 131.2 oz. Brown Pelicans are a very common site on Seabrook Island all year long. This large bird is commonly found on our island flying over the dunes and beaches in V-formations or single file, flapping and gliding in unison. Sometimes you even see them coasting just inches…
