Great Backyard Bird Count - Feb. 17th

Although the weather is less than perfect today, you still have a day and a half to help with the Great Backyard Bird Count!  Look at the map of South Carolina and it is not difficult to identify the population centers for our state.

Even if you do not participate in the count, the maps and data are certainly interesting resources for use in the classroom.  Why is it that folks in the rural areas are less likely to participate?  Why are the population centers located where they are?  What is the story with the Greater White-fronted Goose in North Charleston?  Why in 2003-2004 were American Robins reported throughout the eastern United States, while in 2008 the birds were packed along the Gulf Coast and in Florida?

Tufted Titmouse -Mark Musselman

On Friday, the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest education department spent the day counting birds in and around Summerville, SC.  We made our own map, which you can view here.  We began our count early at Azalea Park in the center of Summerville.

29483, Summerville, Dorchester County, SC
Observation Date : FEB 17, 2012
Start Time: 8:00 AM
Total Birding Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Weather: excellent
Habitat(s):
        deciduous woods
        suburban
        freshwater
Number of Species: 24
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
        Turkey Vulture - 1
        Red-bellied Woodpecker - 3
        Downy Woodpecker - 1
        Blue Jay - 4
        American Crow - 5
        Fish Crow - 6
        Carolina Chickadee - 4
        Tufted Titmouse - 3
        White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
        Carolina Wren - 2
        Golden-crowned Kinglet - 2
        Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 3
        Eastern Bluebird - 2
        American Robin - 2
        Northern Mockingbird - 1
        Brown Thrasher - 1
        Cedar Waxwing - 15
        Pine Warbler - 2
        Yellow-rumped Warbler - 8
        White-throated Sparrow - 4
        Northern Cardinal - 14
        blackbird sp. - 2
        House Finch - 2
        American Goldfinch - 1
Comments----------------------------------------
overcast, 50Fs

Next, we moved to The Ponds community west of Summerville on US Hwy 17-A.  We only made it to the tree line before we were busy counting vireos, nuthatches, kinglets, cardinals, titmouse, chickadees, and woodpeckers.  Walking east to one of the ponds, we located coots, grebes, egrets, osprey, an anhinga, a kingfisher and a cormorant.  The threat of precipitation kept our camera in the car.

29485, Summerville, Dorchester County, SC
Observation Date : FEB 17, 2012
Start Time: 9:30 AM
Total Birding Time: 2 hours
Weather: excellent
Habitat(s):
        deciduous woods
        coniferous woods
        scrub
        grassland
        agricultural
        rural
        freshwater
Number of Species: 34
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
        Mallard - 2
        Pied-billed Grebe - 7
        Double-crested Cormorant - 1
        Anhinga - 1
        Great Egret - 1
        Black Vulture - 3
        Turkey Vulture - 1
        Osprey - 2
        Red-shouldered Hawk - 2
        American Coot - 5
        Killdeer - 2
        Belted Kingfisher - 1
        Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
        Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 3
        Downy Woodpecker - 1
        Pileated Woodpecker - 1
        Eastern Phoebe - 1
        White-eyed Vireo - 1
        Blue-headed Vireo - 1
        American Crow - 8
        Carolina Chickadee - 4
        Tufted Titmouse - 5
        White-breasted Nuthatch - 2
        Carolina Wren - 1
        Golden-crowned Kinglet - 2
        Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 3
        Eastern Bluebird - 3
        Hermit Thrush - 2
        Pine Warbler - 2
        Yellow-rumped Warbler - 3
        Eastern Towhee - 2
        Chipping Sparrow - 15
        Northern Cardinal - 2
        House Finch - 1
Comments----------------------------------------
The Ponds community, mostly cloudy, breezy, 60Fs 
 
On our way to Ashley Ridge High School, we spotted a plethora of wading birds in the shallow water of an old sand pit.  The Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, and the solitary Wood Stork flushed before we could even cross the road to the tree line that we thought would screen us from diners in the water-filled pit.  Our approach was not unproductive.  We caught a brief glimpse of a Common Yellowthroat in the dried aquatic plants at the water's edge and then spotted the movement of Rusty Blackbirds foraging through the organic litter in the water below the same dried plants.  Unfortunately, there were enough grasses and branches between us and the birds to prevent a focused image.

female Rusty Blackbird - Mark Musselman

29485, Summerville, Dorchester County, SC
Observation Date : FEB 17, 2012
Start Time: 11:30 AM
Total Birding Time: 30 minutes
Party Size: 1
Skill: good
Weather: excellent
Habitat(s):
        deciduous woods
        coniferous woods
        grassland
        rural
        freshwater
Number of Species: 20
All Reported: no
Checklist:
        Wood Stork - 1 Confirmed
        Great Blue Heron - 5
        Great Egret - 2
        Little Blue Heron - 1
        White Ibis - 8
        Black Vulture - 2
        Turkey Vulture - 3
        Osprey - 1
        Red-shouldered Hawk - 1
        Belted Kingfisher - 1
        Pileated Woodpecker - 1
        American Crow - 3
        Carolina Chickadee - 3
        Eastern Bluebird - 3
        Common Yellowthroat - 1
        Pine Warbler - 1
        Northern Cardinal - 2
        Red-winged Blackbird - 1
        Rusty Blackbird - 20
        American Goldfinch - 2
Comments----------------------------------------
old sand pits off of US 78, overcast, 60Fs

Totally unrelated to birding, there was a bison across the street!

Bison - Mark Musselman

At Ashley Ridge High School, the count began with Killdeer calling from the grassy areas, Northern Mockingbirds battling in the parking lot, and someone getting their Jeep shrink wrapped.

29485, Summerville, Dorchester County, SC
Observation Date : FEB 17, 2012
Start Time: 12:15 PM
Total Birding Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Party Size: 1
Skill: good
Weather: excellent
Habitat(s):
        deciduous woods
        coniferous woods
        scrub
        grassland
        rural
        freshwater
Number of Species: 28
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
        Great Egret - 1
        Turkey Vulture - 3
        Killdeer - 7
        Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2
        Downy Woodpecker - 1
        Northern Flicker - 1
        Pileated Woodpecker - 1
        Eastern Phoebe - 1
        Loggerhead Shrike - 1
        American Crow - 1
        Fish Crow - 2
        crow sp. - 3
        Carolina Chickadee - 6
        Tufted Titmouse - 5
        Carolina Wren - 1
        Golden-crowned Kinglet - 2
        Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
        Hermit Thrush - 1
        Northern Mockingbird - 4
        Palm Warbler - 1
        Pine Warbler - 1
        Yellow-rumped Warbler - 7
        Chipping Sparrow - 1
        Song Sparrow - 2
        White-throated Sparrow - 8
        Northern Cardinal - 2
        Red-winged Blackbird - 20
        Common Grackle - 10
Comments----------------------------------------
nature trail in small swamp at Ashley Ridge HS, overcast, 60Fs, flushed bobcat during walk

Ditch along trail - Mark Musselman

Swamp along trail - Mark Musselman

Although we did not capture images of any wildlife along the nature trail, we did flush a Bobcat from off in the swamp.  We had stopped to observe the foraging of a Golden-crowned Kinglet and obviously loitered too long for the cat's comfort.  If not for the brief splashing as it crossed the flooded areas, we would never had know of its presence.

Finally, we ended the day at Middleton Place along the Ashley River.  Although the old rice field was drained and not full of duck species like last year, there were plenty of wading bird species clearing out the remaining puddles of water.

White Ibis and Snowy Egret - Mark Musselman

Little Blue Heron - Mark Musselman

Tri-colored Heron - Mark Musselman

Great Egret and Tri-colored Heron - Mark Musselman

29414, Charleston, Charleston County, SC
Observation Date : FEB 17, 2012
Start Time: 1:45 PM
Total Birding Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Party Size: 1
Skill: good
Weather: excellent
Habitat(s):
        deciduous woods
        coniferous woods
        scrub
        grassland
        rural
        freshwater
        salt water
Number of Species: 35
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
        Mute Swan - 2
        Mallard - 2
        Double-crested Cormorant - 9
        Anhinga - 1
        Brown Pelican - 1
        Great Blue Heron - 2
        Great Egret - 3
        Snowy Egret - 11
        Little Blue Heron - 2
        Tricolored Heron - 2
        White Ibis - 9
        Black Vulture - 2
        Turkey Vulture - 7
        Osprey - 1
        Mourning Dove - 1
        Belted Kingfisher - 1
        Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
        Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 4
        American Crow - 4
        Fish Crow - 2
        Carolina Chickadee - 5
        Tufted Titmouse - 1
        Carolina Wren - 1
        Winter Wren - 1
        Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
        Eastern Bluebird - 1
        Gray Catbird - 2
        Northern Mockingbird - 1
        Pine Warbler - 1
        Yellow-rumped Warbler - 5
        Eastern Towhee - 1
        Chipping Sparrow - 2
        Savannah Sparrow - 6
        White-throated Sparrow - 10
        Northern Cardinal - 8
Comments----------------------------------------
Middleton Place along Ashley River, overcast to partly cloudy, 60Fs

Throughout the gardens, birds foraged and called from within the dense foliage, but a few popped up long enough to pose for a picture.

White-throated Sparrow - Mark Musselman

White-throated Sparrow - Mark Musselman

Gray Catbird - Mark Musselman

Around the various freshwater ponds, we spied plenty of bird life and even some reptiles taking advantage of the warming day!

White Ibis - Mark Musselman

Mallards - Mark Musselman

American Alligators - Mark Musselman

Remember, there is still time to get out in your yard or somewhere nearby and see what birds you can find!

Peacock at Middleton Place - Mark Musselman