Tag Archives: birdwatching tour south caroliina

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

Field Notes

Black Swans in South Carolina

I finally experienced my first Black Swan event…


Nope, I wasn’t filled with a sense of uneasiness or foreboding normally associated with the term, rather I was elated to finally have an opportunity to photograph these lovely birds for the first time.
As was the case with the Mute Swans I posted late last year, I spotted this pair of Black Swans near a roadside pond along Rt.17 near Murrells Inlet SC.

Black Swans are not native to the Carolina’s. They are found in southern regions of Australia and have also been introduced into England and Japan. Most of the ones spotted here in the United States are either captive farm birds or escapees who have found a home in the wild.
With those intense orange eyes, onyx plumage, a wingspan reaching 6.6ft and a weight of nearly 20lbs, these beauties are impressive birds to catch a good look at.


Although I’ve seen Black Swans in the past, I’d never had a camera in hand during the encounter so it was really cool to be able to photograph this intense looking species up close.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved beast, the mighty mirrorless @canonusa#R5

Birdwatching News, Out There with the Expert

Wintertime Limpkin sighting in South Carolina

Recently I took a quick trip down Murrells Inlet SC to see what kinds of birds were spending the winter south off the Raleigh area.
One species in particular I looking forward too seeing again were this pair of Limpkins which have been calling a neighborhood drainage pond in SC home over the past year.


The fact that these birds are here in South Carolina is pretty special because the Limpkins typical home range extends from south Florida to central and South America.
But what is the thing that is keeping them here?



The answer is snails.
Apple Snails to be precise!
While they certainly consume a fair amount of mollusks, worms, amphibians and insects the Limpkins favorite food is the Giant Apple Snail.
In fact their bills are bent and twisted at the tip, a unique physical adaptation solely developed for removing the snails from the shell.
Even during courtship the Apple Snail plays a part as the males will feed their mates the slimy snack in an effort to win her affection.
Apparently that tactic has worked in the case of these two birds since they successfully nested and raised several chicks in this location last year.


I’m hoping that this spring will yield another successful nesting season for the pair and am looking forward to seeing little ones running around the shoreline in May.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved beast, the mighty mirrorless @canonusa #R5

Field Notes, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Hooded Mergansers at Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Of of the most striking looking ducks we’ve got swimming around the Carolinas is the Hooded Merganser. With that huge crown of feathers at the top of their heads, these handsome birds are truly kings of the water.
I spotted this small flock last month while birding at Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet, SC.
It was able to get relatively close to these guys from my vantage point on the boardwalk over the marsh which was pretty neat!



Hooded Mergansers are a species species of diving duck with a somewhat unusual diet in that they do not eat much plant material. Instead they prefer to snack on small fish, crawfish, and aquatic insects.In addition, they’ve got long serrated beaks which aid in the capture and consumption of their underwater prey.
The tidal marsh habitat where I photographed these birds served as the perfect hunting grounds for the Mergansers.



Though many of us associate Mergansers as being a wintertime visitor to NC, they are known to breed in our eastern counties making them a year round resident of the Carolina’s.
Like Wood Ducks, they are cavity-nesters but unlike Wood Ducks, Mergansers often lay their eggs in other females’ nests. This is behavior is similar to the practice of Brown-headed Cowbirds, except that the ducks only lay eggs in nests of their own species.
Pretty neat, huh?

Photos by me @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved beast, the mighty mirrorless @canonusa #R5

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Instagram Birding

Spending time with Clapper Rails at Huntington Beach State Park

Field Notes

Night Herons at Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet NC

Black crowned Night Herons are simply gorgeous creatures. I love the way those bright red eyes stand out from their charcoal and white plumage.


These lovely birds are found throughout the United States during the summer and are year round residents of North Carolina in our coastal counties.

North Carolina’s only true nocturnal Heron species, Black crowns are often spotted in marshy wetland areas hunting for a meal at dusk. They primarily dine on fish, frogs, small crustaceans and insects however they also eat carrion, small rodents and snakes. They’ll even raid the nests of other birds to eat the eggs if the opportunity arises.



Look for Black crowned Night Herons around ponds and marshes with a heavily vegetated shoreline. The brush and trees provide the perfect cover for the birds to stalk their prey unseen as well as providing cover for roosting during the day.
They’ve got a distinctive raven-like croaking call so it’s worth listening for them in their preferred habitats too if you’d like to find one.

Photos & video by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty mirrorless monster of a camera, the @canonusa
#R5

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Instagram Birding

Breakfast with a Snowy Egret in the Carolinas

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, The Adventures of your bird watching Admin

Green Herons at the Huntington Beach State Park

When birding near shallow bodies of water in the eastern Carolina’s it’s hard not to stumble on a Green Heron or two fishing at the shoreline.
Since they are so common they’re often overlooked but if the sunlight hits them just right, these little birds are absolutely beautiful!
Looking closely at their wings you can even see how they got their name.



As it goes with others in the heron family, Green Herons can be found walking in shallow waters stalking fish and small crustaceans.
When their prey is spotted, they’ll freeze and then strike like a dart into the water piercing the prey with their bill.
Interestingly, Green Herons also employ another tactic to catch a meal as they’re the only species of heron known to “bait” their prey.
These clever birds will use twigs, feathers, or insects to lure a fish within reach. When the fish comes in closer to investigate the object, the bird will strike.



While most of the Green Herons will soon depart from North Carolina for warmer locals during migration, a small population appears to spend the cooler months just a couple hours south at the Huntington Beach State Park in SC so it’s worth keeping an eye out for them there during the winter.
Aren’t they lovely?!
🙂

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty mirrorless monster of a camera, the @canonusa
#R5

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina

Clapper Rails at the Huntington Beach State Park

When looking for birds, timing is everything. Usually we think about things like migration or morning as being the best time to spot a new bird but hourly changes to a habitat are something to consider too.
Case in point- when the tide goes out, the birds roll in to the marsh at the Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet SC.



When the marsh is filled with water, the Clapper Rails stay hidden in the tall grass but once the water drains, these shy birds will wander out into the open mudflats to feed.
I found this one yesterday at Huntington Beach and was so happy to get a nice close up look.

Clappers are a year round resident of North Carolina and although they are very commonly found in the saltwater marshes along our coastline yet due to their secretive nature, they can be tough to actually see.
That being said, Clappers are not necessarily hard to locate because they are one of a few species of Rail which are vocal when the sun is up. These brown waders can be heard giving their laughing, cackle calls throughout the day. This means that you can verify that they’re in the area when seeing one in the tall marsh grass isn’t an option.

Photos & video by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty mirrorless monster of a camera, the @canonusa
#R5

Birding Trips and Tours North Carolina, Out There with the Expert

Common Gallinules in the Carolinas

By: Sally Siko

One of the most unique looking birds we’ve got here in the Carolinas is the Common Gallinule.
I spotted this pair (and an immature one) at the Huntington Beach State Park last weekend.



These sharp looking relieves of the Coot are mostly found in our eastern coastal counties though they do stray further inland from time to time.
Generally, Gallinules are not easily spotted as populations are scarce in certain areas within it’s overall range, yet they may be locally common in others so it sort of depends on where you are in regards to chances of seeing one.



Common Gallinules breed in areas where they have access to small ponds and marshes to hunt for a meal and are easily identified by their charcoal black plumage and by that bright red and-yellow bill, and of course by those huge yellow feet.
Unlike their cousin the Purple Gallinule, Common’s spend a lot of time swimming vs. the Purple’s preference to search for a a meal on foot. This behavior difference is a helpful way to ID them when viewing one from a distance or in poor lighting conditions 🙂

These understated beauties are a year round resident of the Tarheel state but are much easier to find during the spring and summer.
Along with the Huntington Beach State Park in SC, you also have a good chance of finding Common Gallinules at the Lake Mattamuskeet NWR in Swansquarter, NC.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the mighty mirrorless monster of a camera, the @canonusa
#R5