Category Archives: Biridng Trips and Tours in SC

Biridng Trips and Tours in SC, Out There with the Expert

It’s 2023- the Limpkins are still in South Carolina

By Sally Siko

Each spring, I make the return to a small suburban neighborhood in southeast SC to check on a family of Limpkins.
Why?
Well the Limpkins are technically a rare bird for SC and it’s unusual to be able to see a specific species which is way out of it’s normal range year after year in the same spot.
I think it’s pretty neat to be able to enjoy these elegant birds without having to travel several hundred miles south to see them!


But what keeps these Limpkins from moving on?
The answer is snails.
Apple snails to be precise.

The small drainage ponds in the neighborhood and the adjacent swampland are full of them.
Apple snails are the Limpkins favorite food and there’s plenty to go around so why leave?
In fact, the original pair of Limpkins have successfully nested here for four years.
Most of their offspring have moved on into other territories but apparently at least two have decided to stay in the area.


I was surprised and delighted to count four of them this past weekend during my visit.
They weren’t difficult to locate as all of them were calling loudly from the west pond to the swamp.
Luckily, I was able to photograph two of the birds without having to venture into the swamp (it’s alligator season).
I was surprised to see one of them in a tree on a small island.
Normally, I’ve only observed Limpkins foraging on the ground for snails so perhaps this bird was building a nest?
I’m thinking I’ll return next weekend to try to get a better look…
Aren’t they beautiful?

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5
Biridng Trips and Tours in SC

Horned Grebes in South Carolina

By Sally Siko

Whenever I’m birding along the mid Atlantic coast in late winter, I always keep an eye out over the ocean for Horned Grebes.
I spotted several while on a birding tour this past weekend.
Normally, the species is somewhat difficult to photograph as they usually spend time hunting for a meal a little further out on the water where the waves break. I lucked out to be able to spot a small flock swimming close to the beach.
It was so cool to actually get to take photos that didn’t look like little black feathered dots floating between the waves lol!


Horned Grebes are a wintertime resident of the Carolinas, although they are most commonly seen throughout February and March.
They spend most of their time in our coastal counties, on the inshore Atlantic, as well as in in sounds, estuaries and lakes. Occasionally they can be spotted inland to as far west as central South & North Carolina.

The Horned Grebes breeding range is impressive, extending from Iceland to Russia and Alaska all the way to Minnesota!
During breeding season they’ve got a black head with a stripe of yellow feathers that extend from each eye to the back of their head and a reddish-brown body.

For now (non breeding season) they have a black body with a white neck and underbelly paired with bright red eyes.
A few, like the adult male also shown in this series of photos have already begun to molt into their summer plumage with the first hints of orange feathers poking through on it’s cheeks!

I’m looking forward to returning to Huntington Beach SP for my next tour to share them with my guests.
If you’d like to see one for yourself, you’ve still got a few more weeks before they migrate north.
So get out there and enjoy them while you can!

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5
Biridng Trips and Tours in SC, Out There with the Expert

Great Egret in breeding plumage

By Sally Siko

Great Egrets are a common sight here in the Carolinas. Almost as as ubiquitous to the landscape as a Northern Cardinal unfortunately can lead us to kind of ignore these beauties.
But as it goes so often with birds, keeping a sharp eye on all the species which cross our paths can lead to some delightful moments.
In this case, a splendid display of a Great Egret coming into breeding plumage!


I photographed this handsome Egret getting harassed by a jerk Brown Pelican (he was being a total bully, even having the gall to go after a large Great Blue Heron who was minding his own business lol!) during my birding tour this past weekend at the Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet South Carolina.
Normally these guys are pretty cool to see but when their long plumes grow out they turn into something like a white peacock of the water.

Did you know that these these majestic birds were nearly hunted to extinction?This was due to the demand of those elegant white breeding plumes in the late 1900s. A now familiar icon of the Audubon Society, public awareness of this species rapid decline was the flash point which sparked the fist bird conservation movements in the United States.Today, these stately birds are thriving and are happily found searching for food throughout much of the U.S.



As you might expect, Great Egrets are found in similar habitats of other wading birds such as Herons and Bitterns, often seen along the shorelines of ponds, lakes, marshes, estuaries and brackish water inlets.They are a bit smaller and more lithe then Great Blue Herons, yet these are still big birds with large wingspans of around 5.5 feet.Expert hunters of frogs and fish, they’ll stand perfectly still in the shallow water along a shoreline until the moment they strike.A lightning quick thrust of their sharp yellow bill is all that’s needed to land a meal and then their prey is swallowed whole.
As a birder and photographer I think they are super entertaining to watch while hunting and are always worth taking the time to stop and admire when in the field.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5
Biridng Trips and Tours in SC

A Piping Plover encounter in Murrells Inlet, SC

By Sally Siko

Here’s a cute little bird that I was excited to add to my list, the Piping Plover!
I spotted him last week while on a birding trip to Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet South Carolina.
It was exciting to finally lay eyes on this charming little feathered gem for the first time. Watching him scramble up and down the beach on tiny legs moving at what appeared to be a zillion mph made me smile.



The Piping Plover is one of the few Federally listed birds in the Carolinas.
The Atlantic coast population is Federally Threatened, whereas the interior breeding population is Federally Endangered.
Interestingly, North Carolina is the only state on the Atlantic coast where the breeding range overlaps with the wintering range. Color-banding of birds on the breeding ground has shown that most of the birds that winter in NC are Atlantic coast birds; however, some wintering birds are from the interior population.
Thus, it is basically correct saying that the Piping Plover is Federally Threatened in North Carolina, but that some “Endangered” birds do spend the winter in the Tarheel State, as well.



Here in South Carolina, your best chance at spotting a Piping Plover is from late November through late February/ early March near the entrance onto the North Beach rock jetty.
They are easily distinguishable from a look alike species, the Semipalmated Plover by their characteristic light gray plumage.
Look for these small, gray and white birds dashing across the beach along the edge of the tide as they hunt for a meal of small invertebrates in the wet sand.
Aren’t they lovely?

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty 50MP monster, the @canonusa #5Ds

Biridng Trips and Tours in SC

Anhinga fish flipping

By Sally Siko

One of the most fascinating species of birds that I enjoy photographing are Anhingas.
While on a recent birding trip at Huntington Beach State Park I was lucky enough to observe this one using its sharp bill to spear a fish, flip it into the air, and then swallow it head-first!



Anhingas are actually a species that is on the increase here in the Tarheel State. They favor habitats containing freshwater with cypress trees and are most often spotted hunting for a meal in swamps, ponds and lakes in the coastal plain and in the eastern Piedmont regions.



As you may have guessed, Anhingas eat a wide range of aquatic creatures such as fish, crayfish, small invertebrates, insects, and frogs.
Masters of underwater hunting expeditions, they are super entertaining to watch wrangling a meal.
In fact, they’ve evolved with some unique ways to hunt underwater more efficiently.

For one, they lack the water proofing oils found in duck species. Since (surprisingly) they’re not the strongest swimmers, they become waterlogged once their feathers become saturated. This added weight allows the Anhinga to dive deeper than it could if it was waterproof.

Another specialized feature of the Anhinga is that they do not have nostrils. This adaptation means they’ve got no worries about accidentally breathing in water while hunting below the surface.

As for the fish flipping technique shown here?
Well by tossing the fish into the air, the Anhinga is trying to manipulate its prey into a head-first downward position so that the fish doesn’t get caught in its throat.
Pretty cool, huh?

I think that it’s neat that a bird that looks like it belongs in the Jurassic Period would actually be the one species which is holding the latest in cutting edge freshwater hunting physiology, lol!

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the full frame beast of an SLR, the mighty @canonusa
#5Ds

Biridng Trips and Tours in SC

A Tricolored Heron in Murrells Inlet South Carolina

By Sally Siko

Whenever I travel to the coast to go birding, I’m always happy to catch a glimpse of a Tricolored Heron.
These guys are beautiful birds and are interesting to watch while hunting for a meal.



I found this one earlier this month while birding at Huntington Beach State Park, SC.
Head moving from side to side, he moved through the water slowly, scanning the surface like a cat stalking it’s prey. When the heron spotted a fish, he froze momentarily as he lined up his shot, then struck into the water like a dart.
I’d estimate his catch rate at about 70% which wasn’t bad considering most of the fish I’d seen were small minnows.



Though Tricolored Herons are a year round resident of North Carolina, they are technically a migratory species which tend to over winter here in lesser numbers than which are found during the summer.
They prefer to hunt and nest in salt and brackish water areas such as tidal marshes and mudflats found along our coastlines but Tricolored’s may also occasionally be spotted looking for a meal in freshwater environments (especially marshes & shallow ponds) in the inland areas of eastern part of the state.
One has even showed up earlier this month in the Raleigh area (central part of the state) which was pretty neat!

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

Biridng Trips and Tours in SC, Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

In which I nearly get stuck in a ditch: A Cattle Egret encounter in South Carolina

By Sally Siko

One of the nice things about birding is that there’s always the potential to be surprised and delighted by unexpected finds while on the road.
In this case, I got lucky and spotted a flock of cattle regrets while driving home from Huntington Beach State Park across the South Carolina/North Carolina border.



As soon as I saw them, I stopped in the road and then backed up to park on the grassy shoulder alongside the field.
*That’s a charitable way of saying that I ripped it off the road and almost backed up into a 4 foot deep ditch lol!
Never mind the fact my car was resting on three wheels now.
This was a problem for future me though, there were birds to see!
Btw, my car’s all-wheel-drive made it a snap to get out of that ditch easily…
This is why I own a @subaru_usa , right?
Lol!


My timing was nearly perfect until another car pulled up and stopped, (presumably to look at the cows) and scared the birds, causing them to scatter.
Happily, I was able to snap off a few shots of these beautiful birds before the entire flock took off across the road.



Cattle Egrets are a summertime resident of the Tarheel State but are a rare sight during the winter and even more so here in central North Carolina.
They breed in colonies on our barrier islands and inland in our southeastern counties on lakes and river that are in close proximity to agricultural fields.
As their name suggests they may be found feeding in the pastures looking for insects kicked up by herds of cattle.
Look for them in North and South Carolina’s southeastern coastal counties from mid March- early November.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds

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80 New Bird Watching Trips / Group Birding Tours in North Carolina, South Carolina, Maine and New Jersey have been added for 2024

By: Sally Siko -Admin Best Life Birding

Pack your bags, let’s go birding!!!!

Birders and bird loving photographers of all skill levels are invited to join me, Sally Siko as we explore the trails, woods, fields and shorelines of the United States in search of interesting birds. From North Carolina and beyond, there are plenty of great species to get out and enjoy throughout the year.

Private birding tours in North & South Carolina are also available for reservation to best suit your needs and schedule!

For more information please contact sallysiko@birdwatchingnc.com or call/text (919) 449-7331 to book a private trip.

In addition to local trips here in the Triangle, 80+ new birding tour dates and locations in eastern North Carolina and South Carolina have been added to my 2024 calendar. Click on the dates marked in green in the box below for more information.

Book today as space is limited on these small group tours, Gift Cards are on sale too 🙂

BIRDING TOURS CAPE MAY, NJ

BIRDING TOURS IN MAINE

BIRDING TOURS AT PINCKNEY ISLAND, SC

BIRDING TOURS AT CAPE FEAR SHINERS PARK, NC

BIRDING TOURS AT HUNTINGTON BEACH STATE PARK, SC

BIRDING TOURS THE OBX NORTH CAROLINA

BIRDING TOURS AT THE PEE DEE NWR, NC

BIRDING TOURS AT OLD BYNUM BRIDGE, NC

PAINTED BUNTING BIRDING TOURS AT FT.FISHER, NC

BIRDING TOURS AT WEYMOUTH WOODS, NC


Shown below is the Best Life Birding Instagram feed featuring of some of the species I’ve found for my guests here in the United States.

The year isn’t over yet though. I can’t wait to help you add more birds to your list too!