Tag Archives: birdwatching sc

Birding Trips in SC, Biridng Trips and Tours in SC

Mute Swans at Huntington Beach SP in SC

By-Sally Siko

While birding at Huntington Beach State Park last week I spotted a small flock of Mute Swans flying overhead.
They made two runs of an ever descending spiral formation before they dropped down.
Although they were somewhat far away from my vantage point on the dock, it was fun to try to get a few pics of the group as they glided in for a splash landing.



These impressive swans are a familiar sight to many throughout the Carolinas occurring in urban parks, wildlife refuges and in on farms in rural regions.
Though they are year-round residents,
Mute Swans are actually native to Europe and were introduced to the United States in the 1800s as an ornamental species to grace the gardens of estates and parks.
As it often goes, many of them escaped and are now contributing to the growing populations of feral birds.
Today, undomesticated flocks Mute Swans are found in coastal areas from New England all the way south into the mid Atlantic States.



The bane of kayakers, fishermen, farmers and hikers alike, these guys can get quite aggressive, especially during the breeding season when encountered near their nesting sites.
Even during the winter, Mute Swans are very protective of one another and will chase away enemies or rivals at the drop of a hat.
They’ll puff their feathers out to appear larger than life, hiss loudly and then set off after the offender with neck extended, bill open ready to deliver a bite.
Perhaps they aren’t the friendliest of birds but at least they are entertaining to watch lol!

Photos by Sally Siko of @bestlife_birding captured on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Want to go see these beauties for yourself? Book a tour below!

Biridng Trips and Tours in SC

Spending time with a Seaside Sparrow in SC

By Sally Siko

Though they’re not the flashiest of species, I always enjoy seeing Seaside Sparrows whenever I go birding along the coast. With those long legs, these little guys are perfectly suited for a life hunting for a meal in and along the shallow marsh waters.


Photographing Seaside Sparrows is moderately difficult task as they usually stay hidden in dense marsh grass.There it will search for spiders, seeds, marine invertebrates and insects in the dirt and mud and on nearby plants.I got in a few lucky shots when this one popped up from the reeds to look for a meal on the mudflats. Isn’t he sweet?

In North Carolina, it is found throughout the year in our coastal/tidal marshes, though they do seem to shift their habitat, preferences in the spring and winter months. Because salt marshes tend have shifting tidal amplitudes, Seaside Sparrows avoid nesting in such sites.Instead they choose to breed in brackish marshes, both along the coast and at locally around the inner portions of Pamlico Sound and the tidal creeks entering into it.From fall to spring, birds move into richer salt marshes, though they also winter in brackish marshes as well.

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my beloved full frame 50MP beast, the mighty @canonusa #5Ds
Biridng Trips and Tours in SC

A Black necked Stilt at the Bear Island WMA

While birding at the Bear Island Wildlife Management Area in South Carolina this past weekend, I was pleased to find a pair of Black-necked Stilts wading through a shallow pond.
While they were a good distance away (resulting in these super cropped photos lol) from my vantage point it was still pretty cool to lay eyes on these elegant birds.



Black-necked Stilts can be found in the coastal counties of the Carolinas looking for a meal in fresh to brackish, still waters. They seem to prefer hunting in man-made bodies of water such as flooded out impoundments, dredge ponds, roadside runoff ditches and sewage treatment ponds. A nice thing because this gives us better opportunities to access areas for viewing them.
Always on the lookout for a snack, these long legged waders forage by probing the mud with its bill and by gleaning for flashes of sunlight bouncing off of its aquatic prey such as crustaceans and other arthropods, mollusks, small fish and tadpoles.
When their main source of food is scarce they’ll even eat plant seeds.



Black-necked Stilts are known to breed in the Carolinas may be found from now through late September. Unlike many of our other shorebird species, they are quite intolerant to cold weather so as soon as autumns chill arrives, they head south.
Luckily we are just getting into spring so you’ve got plenty of time to go see these gorgeous birds for yourself.

Photos & video by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Birding Trips and Birdwatching Tours in SC

A Sora encounter at Huntington Beach State Park- why we go birding

It’s not often that I’ll post about the same species twice in one month but I was thrilled to get another look at a Sora this past weekend while birding at Huntington Beach State Park in SC.
The ones that I spotted a few weeks ago were mostly hidden in between a dark mass of reeds so seeing a Sora out in the open was super cool!
It’s funny to me that I’ve spent years looking for Soras and had never seen one until last month and now I’ve seen 4 in just the past couple weeks.
A lifer win.



Birding is a fun yet challenging thing.
The point of creating a list is to keep track of the date, location and numbers of various species that we see when out in the field.
Yet, the reasons why we do this may go deeper than a simple tally.
Some of us need a target to shoot for, it’s a numbers thing -an extension of the concept of “gamify everything”.
It can be a competitive mindset which drives us to want to be the number one lister in our county, state or country holding the record for rallying the highest number of birds per year.
Others relish the experience of traveling to far away strange places to see birds that we can’t see close to home.
It can be a need to SEE ALL THE BIRDS.
For some, birding is an escape from the stress of living in a world full of screens, social media, spreadsheets, a difficult home life and a 24hr sensationalized news cycle.
And yes, of course there are a zillion other reasons why we go birding.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that there is no wrong reason to go, rather it’s crucial that we heed the call to just go.
Breathe fresh air.
Feel sunlight on our faces.
Get lost.
Take photos.
Take notes.
See cool shit.
Learn and think about new things.



I’m grateful to be able to share my bird nerd stuff with you guys and I LOVE seeing all of your stories and photos too! There are some incredibly talented photographers out there.
I know I’m never alone even if I’m the only person out there for 50 miles who’s seeing a Sora for the very first time.
Glad you’re here for the ride 😉

So why do you go birding?
Leave a reply below 😉

Photos & video by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Birding Trips and Birdwatching Tours in SC

Spending time with Lesser Yellowlegs at Huntington Beach State Park in SC

By Sally Siko

Yesterday I made a trip out to Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet SC.
The bird activity has upticked noticeably since my visit 2 weeks ago and I was pleased to see such a wide variety of species all in one spot.
In particular there were a ton of Lesser Yellowlegs hunting for a snack on the pond and mudflats.
It was really neat to watch these elegant birds making their way along the shore.



Yellowlegs are often seen foraging with other species of shorebirds on mudflats, in marshes, flooded fields, in shallow water pools and impoundments. Though they strongly prefer to hunt for a meal in fresh water, you can also find them feeding in brackish and salt water areas too, especially during migration.
Right now these guys are in full on gorging mode as they prepare to depart for their breeding grounds in Canada.
They’ll only be here for a few more weeks before returning in autumn to spend the winter in the Carolinas.



Speaking of other shorebirds, Lesser Yellowlegs may be difficult to ID as compared to a Greater Yellowlegs.If you’re lucky enough to spot both species side by side then making an ID is easier since Greater Yellowlegs are 1/3rd larger than Lessers.But what to do if there’s just one of the two species in front of you?Check the bill first.

Lesser Yellowlegs bills are proportionally, smaller in length relative to its head and straight in angle.The bill of the Greater is (very!) slightly upturned and is used to skim small animals & insects from the surface of the water as the bird swings it from side to side.This swing-skim behavior is seldom seen in the Lesser Yellowlegs, making the task of differentiating the two species a little easier when viewing them at a long distance or in poor lighting conditions.

Hope that helps!
Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Biridng Trips and Tours in SC

Spending time at a Little blue-heron rookery on Pinckney Island SC

By Sally Siko

It was so cool to see these Little blue Herons nesting at the rookery on Pinckney Island SC last week.
There was a ton of bird activity here but the Little blues really caught my eye.
Their subtle hue of azure and mauve plumage color is absolutely gorgeous!



Interestingly this species is closely related to the Snowy Egret (same genus), a white bird of similar size.
Their similarities are especially noticeable as first-fall and first-winter immature Little Blues are completely white in plumage and are easily confused with Snowy Egrets.
The easiest way to tell the two species apart from a distance is to observe their feeding habits.
Unlike the Snowy’s who are constantly on the move, the Little blue Heron is slow and methodical in its feeding approach, walking very slowly in shallow waters or standing still waiting for prey to approach.



Here at the rookery, clusters of Little blues nested together in small groups.
Their nests are flimsy, hardly more than a few layers of loose twigs and sticks haphazardly stacked to provide a platform for the eggs to be laid.
Their typical clutch is 3-4 eggs, with an incubation period of three weeks and a nesting period of six weeks.
While in the nest, both parents feed the young by regurgitating a softened stew of prey. Within four weeks after hatching, the chicks are capable of short flights but don’t become independent until around six to seven weeks.

Little Blue Herons are a year round residents in the coastal regions of the Carolinas. Although they are typically live near saltwater areas they prefer freshwater habitats, in fact they’re also occasionally spotted inland all the way to the Triangle (central NC) from June to August.They are usually seen hunting for fish, invertebrates, frogs, small reptiles and insects in shallow freshwater marshes, ponds and on mudflats.What a beauty!

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Birding Trips and Birdwatching Tours in SC

Spending time with a Sora in SC

By Sally siko

After years of trying, I finally managed to grab a few photos of a Sora this morning while birding at the Pinckney NWR in SC.
I’d added this species to my list ages ago but somehow never had an opportunity to get a portrait of one.
This bird was scurrying in between the dense, dark cover of reeds so it was very difficult to photograph it but I’ll take what I can get!



Measuring about 8in (about the size of a Robin), Soras are small members of the rail family of birds.
As with other rails, Soras are best found hunting for a meal along the shorelines of reedy ponds, in swamps, wetlands, marshes, and other semi-aquatic habitats. Their favorite habitats have a variety of vegetation, including reeds, rushes, tall grasses, and cattails.
This species also inhabits farms and pastures in agricultural areas particularly flooded out fields or meadows.



With a range stretching across southern Canada, the entirety of the United States down into Mexico and Central America, Soras are perhaps the western hemispheres most common species of rail. That being said, their small size and secretive nature can make them a challenge to actually see!
Luckily they are pretty vocal and will respond to a sharp noise, like clapping your hands, whereupon all the Soras nearby will start peeping and whinnying in chorus, letting you know how numerous they really are.

Soras are a migratory visitor to the central and eastern counties of the Carolinas. The best time to look for them are now through early May and again from late August through early October.
You’ve got about 5 weeks to enjoy these birds here in the Tarheel state this spring so get out there and see them!

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Birding Trips and Birdwatching Tours in SC

Red winged Blackbird at Huntington Beach, SC

By Sally Siko

When you’re exploring the coastal marshes and wetlands of the Carolinas there’s one bird which you’re almost 100% guaranteed to see, the Red-winged Blackbird.
Oh and not just see but hear!
High and low, their raucous metallic sounding calls seem to emanate from everywhere.
Yes they are common and thus often overlooked but gosh, if ya take the time to watch one for a bit you’ll find that they are quite beautiful.



It’s all about the details in my opinion.
I like that delicate rusty-gold colored lacing pattern of plumage on this males back. That hint of bright red lined with orange and yellow feathers on his wing.
Plus the jet black attire is always pretty cool looking in my book.
Truly a striking bird.

For now these guys are a laid back bunch but once breeding season arrives, male Red winged Blackbirds will become aggressively territorial.When singing to defend his turf or to attract a female, the male fluffs those bright red epaulettes and half-spreads his wings to show off those red and yellow feathers.
This display is meant to intimidate rival males and sends a clear message of “back off” to all challengers.
Red-winged Blackbirds nest in loose colonies, with a male attracting up to 15 females to nest within his home turf.He’ll vigorously protects his territory against all intruders, be it on four feet or two.They’ve even been known to swoop in to attack people on occasion when we come a bit too close to their nests for their liking.
Something to keep in mind soon when birding near water lol!



Though they are more numerously spotted in our eastern counties, Red-winged Blackbirds are found across the Carolinas from the mountains to the coast.
Look for them near ponds, lakes, estuaries and marshes throughout the year, especially in areas where cat-tail plants are present.

Photos & video by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5

Biridng Trips and Tours in SC

Common Loons in the Carolina’s

By Sally Siko

In my experience one of the most difficult birds to photograph is the Common Loon.
It’s not that they are particularly rare (their name fits lol) rather it’s the fact that they tend to swim pretty far beyond the breaking waves while hunting for a meal. Combine that with the fact that they are diving bird and you’ve got a recipe for photographic frustration lol!
Happily, I caught another lucky break this past weekend and managed to grab a few photos of one at a relatively close range.
Woohoo!


Common Loons are indeed a familiar sight swimming offshore on the Atlantic ocean making them relatively easy to find in the Carolina’s from late October through late April.
Many people would be more likely to recognize the species in their summer plumage, a white breast, dark green head, and a black-and-white checkered back.
From September to March, however, their throat is white and the rest of their body is gray.


These elegant birds are impressive swimmers and divers!
And they have to be because their ocean-based winter diet includes eels,herring, haddock, whiting, pipefish, shiner perch, sculpins, flounder, sole, and skates.
Interestingly, and unlike the majority of bird species, Common Loons have solid bones, which makes them less buoyant and more effective at maneuvering through deep water at lightning speed to capture their underwater prey.
Pretty cool huh?

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