Latest posts
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SIB “Bird of the Week” – Clapper Rail
Clapper Rail – Rallus longirostrisLength: 14.5″; Wingspan: 19″; Weight: 10 oz. You may not be aware that hidden in dense cover in our salt marshes lurk a bird called Clapper Rail. This slinking, secretive bird is a year-round resident on our island and often we only hear the loud clattering call as our clue that a Clapper Rail
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SIB Member Profile: Deanna Forsythe
Deanna Forsythe is originally from York, PA. She was a 6th grade teacher for 25 years beforeretiring to Seabrook Island (Jenkin’s Point) with her husband, Dan, an anesthesiologist at RoperBon Secour St. Francis. The Forsythe’s are proud parents of 3 grown children, Adam, Alexisand Marissa. Deanna enjoys the beauty and nature of Seabrook Island and
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SIB “Bird of the Week” – Brown Thrasher
Brown Thrasher –Toxostoma rufum L 11.5” WS 13” WT 2.4 oz In the family of Mimidae, they are related to other frequent visitors to Seabrook, the Northern Mockingbird and Gray Catbird. Brown Thrashers are fairly large, slender songbirds with long proportions—the legs are long and sturdy, and the bill is long and slightly downcurved. The
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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
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SIB “Bird of the Week” – Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker – Dryocopus pileatusLength: 15.7 – 19.3″; Wingspan: 26 – 29.5″; Weight: 8.8 – 12.3 oz. This bird is the largest woodpecker on Seabrook Island with a long neck, mostly black with white stripes on the face and a flaming-red triangular crest that sweeps off the back of the head. The bill is long and chisel-like,
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SIB Bird of the Week – Chuck-will’s Widow
The Chuck-will’s widow has mottled brown plumage with a buff throat. It features reddish-brown feathers lined with black, and its head and chest display brown and white patterning. Males have distinctive white patches on their outer tail feathers. This bird has a short bill and a long tail, typical of nightjars. You are probably hearing
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SIB “Bird of the Week” – Great Egret
The Great Egret, is also known as the White Egret, Common Egret, Great White Egret or the Large Great Egret. It occurs in tropical and warm temperate regions of the world including Central Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and portions of North, Central and South America. Standing over three feet tall, the Great Egret
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SIB “Bird of the Week” – Pied-billed Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe – Podilymbus podicepsLength: 13″; Wingspan: 16″; Weight: 16 oz. There are seven species of Grebes, but only four are mapped in Sibley’s as possible visitors to Seabrook Island. However, only one of the four seems to be common to the Island. That is the Pied-billed Grebe which may be seen bobbing around in our lagoons and lakes
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Bird of the Week … Northern Mockingbird
Well, not sure any of you guessed this, but our 3rd President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, had a pet Northern Mockingbird named “Dick.” He actually had several Mockingbirds at various times, but Dick was the only one he mentioned by name in his diary and apparently was his favorite. Jefferson often left the
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SIB “Bird of the Week” – Red Knot
Red Knot – Calidris canutusLength: 10.5″; Wingspan: 23″; Weight: 4.7 oz. One of the most exciting visitors to our beach March-May are the Red Knots. They have one of the longest migrations of any bird, about 18,000 miles round trip, from the tip of South America to the Arctic tundra where they breed. Our beach is an important