It is a new year

Savannah National Wildlife Refuge

January 31 was Coastal Georgia Audubon Society’s annual field trip up to the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. Ten people went despite the cold. John Galvani, our president, wanted to see if the Fox Sparrow was still at the entrance area. He had seen three on his visit in December. We walk around to the spot and the sparrow popped right up.

What a lovely sparrow.

Please forgive these pictures. I tried to take pictures all day with only minimal luck.

See, the Fox Sparrow in the tangle.

Well any way we all saw some very nice birds.

Like this Black & White Warbler

Here is a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker that was being very still.

Here we are looking at the Black & White Warbler and the sapsucker.

The Wilson's Snipe won the prize of the day for it was a challenge to find. We had stopped to watch some Ruddy Ducks. Marge's goal is to get photos of plants and animals to use as flash card for her teaching. She aimed her camera at a bird. She said, “That was a snipe!”

The bird very well camouflaged. We all looked. We could not see it, well until it moved.

Yep, it was a snipe all right.

Do you see the snipe? It is near the middle coot.

Here it is out in the open.

We finished the field trip and tallied up the birds seen. It was a nice list of 62 species. Great day of good birding

Images from the Georgia's Colonial Coast Birding & Nature Festival

As folks share their pictures with me I will share them with you.

Here are some from Steve Frazier. He was on two field trips Cumberland Island & Little St. Simons Island

Marshes in the morning show why we call this area the Golden Isles

Here is what Steve said about the marsh shot: "The marsh picture was taken in the morning around 8:20 AM from the dock to catch the boat to Little SSI – it is not touched up what so ever – those are the true colors."

About the butterflies:

" The White Peacock was taken just before noon on Cumberland Island, about halfway between the castle ruins and the path to the water."


"The Queen was taken on Little SSI around 2:00 PM in the flowers in front of the boat landing."

and here are a couple of Shorebirds

Thanks Steve for sharing.

Dodging rain was the trick of the day.

Gray Kingbird Sea Pinks are in bloom

Jekyll bird Ramble June 21, 2007
I was excited for I was joined by long time rambler, Jean Barrel. A few rain showers were not going to keep us from this bird rambling. It was the first day of summer and showers were welcome after a very dry spring. Jean had lots of news about the birds on the golf course. She was thrill after sixteen years of coming to Jekyll for a family reunion some of her folks were beginning to pick up bird watching. She found her reward for her creating new birders at the southend of Jekyll. She had great views of three Wilson’s Plover chicks with their parents. In fact we were joined by another birder from Tennessee who was also on the island for a family reunion. While we watched the antics of the three chicks we exchanged the typical birder’s information.

“What birds were where? When the birds were seen? And the question to me is: “Where else can I go see birds?” In the course of the conversation I found out there were other birders birding on Jekyll that week. It goes to show how nicely we blend into the area.

After the nice exchange, we hurried on still dodging the rain. We had Painted Bunting at both Tidelands Nature Center and the campground sanctuary. I had to see what was going on at the Amphitheater. The Wood Storks are still doing ok in the dead pine but the rain caught before I could really see how the Anhingas were doing. They were there so there is hope. Now to finish I looked for the White-eyed Vireo nest. It was still on the nest this week.
With Jekyll’s birdlife on my mind….Good Birding
Lydia

photos by Lydia

Growing up Wood Stork

Shrimpboat at Jekyll Point

A day of Roseate Spoonbills and warblers

May 3, 2007

Well after finally getting over a cold that knocked my off for a week, I am headed birding!

Rob and Robin Ostermann joined me. I have been talking to Rob for several months as they planned their trip to our area from north east Oregon. They arrived at the meeting place beside the Jekyll Island Pharmacy at 8 am. I felt like I knew them.
Actually I have Sheila Willis to thank for this nice couple. When they were looking around for a place to go, they called Sheila. Sheila, with her exuberance for all birds and especially birds of this South Georgia area, told them they needed to stay on Jekyll.

Finally here they were. Naturely I ask what birds they wanted to see. Robin jumped right in with a Clapper Rail and Roseate Spoonbill. “What no Painted Bunting?” I ask. “Oh that would be nice but we have been enjoying them at the bird feeders at Tidelands Nature Center. We have had two males and a few females there.” Both Rob and Robin agreed that any bird would fine. Well for me it was set. We were going to look for the rail and spoonbill.

Out to the causeway we went. The stop at the Welcome Center was OK, The birds were a bit too far out. I drove to the roost but I could tell it wasn’t right so I turned around and headed for Gisco Marina Road.

Now there we hit the jackpot! I drove right to the mitigation pools. Low and behold while we were gazing at some Semipalmated Plovers, a Clapper Rail sauntered out and crossed the little creek. It walked past the plovers up the mud threaded through the thin grass. It stay in view for quite a while. Robin had her rail in fact it was a thrill for me as well. Rails are not the easiest to see, so anytime I get a chance to watch I watch!

Turning around and heading back to the causeway I stopped to help them with heron identification. Rob was working along the row of Wood Storks, Snowy and Great Egrets when he said, “There is something out there that is pink.” Sure enough a Roseate Spoonbill was working up and down the little creek. The bird even came out of the creek in plain view sat up on a branch and began to preen. We watched and were amazed when a second one joined it.

The place was magic. Each time I started to leave a new bird would fly in. We laughed and rack up the species.

I had to swing by and see the Loggerhead Shrike who was on his territory before heading to the south end of Jekyll. Gulls, tern and skimmers entertained us. The Wilson’s Plovers were not going to be left out. There were at least three showing off in the dunes.
Time was flying by. It was getting late but I had two more places to go. First was the campground. It was great. Warblers were the highlight. We saw a good many Black-throated Blues most of these were females but there were a couple males around to balance things out. American Redstarts and one Ovenbird made their appearance at the bird drip along with the resident North Parula. With the drought this bird drip is invaluable to the birds.

We finished the morning at the Amphitheater. We were able to see a Common Yellowthroat bouncing between the palmetos. We spied on the nesting birds. Everyone was sitting tight on eggs. . Stay tuned the Wood Storks should have babies soon!

I did find out that Rob and Robin did get to go out with Sheila on Saturday. Sheila led them on a bird walk at Stephen Foster State Park on the west side of the Okefenokee Swamp. Then they were off to see Red-cockaded Woodpeckers before head home. I do hope they enjoyed the wonderful birds of the Georgia Coast.
With Jekyll birds on my mind, good birding! Lydia

March 22, 2007

March 22, 2007 Jekyll Island
Willets, Willets and more Willets and a Greater Yellowlegs were the stars of the early morning part of this Thursday Morning Bird Ramble. It was low tide & rising so I choose the causeway and Welcome Center. There were a good many shorebirds mostly Dunlins, Western Sandpipers and dowitcher the Short-billed kind. These were all spread out across the marsh mud. A few Marsh Wrens were singing to brighten the overcast view. One lone Greater Yellow-leg showed up to stroll and bob along the water edge we all appreciated it.
Moving on to our beach location we watch the Loggerhead Shrike who is always hanging out just south of the Convention Center. We just crossed over to the beach and there were a good gathering of birds with at least 50 Willets all being constantly moved around by the beach walkers. I spotted two medium size terns. The size of these birds was between the Royals and Forster’s tern. I would put my scope on them & some group or child would run through them. Fortunately it was easy to relocate them for their breast had a strong blush of pink. Eventually we all got to see the thin black bill with the mustard yellow at the tip that confirmed these were two Sandwich Terns.
In the last section we did some woods birding. The Bird Sanctuary was over run with Common Grackles but still we got great looks at Northern Parula in bird drip. Also the White-throated Sparrows were singing and feeding. We finish the morning at the Amphitheater with the night-herons. The Great Egrets and Anhingas are nesting. The Wood Storks are sitting possessively on the tree they have nested in for the last six years. Will they nest this year? Stay turned.
In the meantime here is the list for the morning.

Jekyll Island
AUDUBON IMPORTANT BIRDING AREA

Thursday March 22, 2007 Species 69+3
High Tide 11:30 a m Height 7.1 Low Tide 05:33 a m Temp 63.0 F-71.1 F Humidity 97%-75%
Barometric Pressure 30.35” & Steady. Wind ENE to NE at 9.2. mph to 12.7 mph Overcast becoming Clear

COMMON SEEN BIRDS- Double-crested Cormorant Turkey Vulture, Mourning Dove,
Northern Mockingbird, Northern Cardinal

DOWNING MUSGROVE CAUSEWAY
7 Brown Pelican
3 Red-breasted Merganser
1 Tricolored Heron
5 Little Blue Heron
4 Snowy Egret
1 Great Blue Heron
2 Great Egret
8 Wood Stork
1 Osprey
1 Northern Harrier
1 Red-tailed Hawk
1 American Kestrel
2 Clapper Rail
1 Greater Yellowlegs
10 Willet
30 Dunlin
2 Forster’s Tern
2 Belted Kingfisher
2 Fish Crow
1 White-eyed Vireo
European Starling Not counted
3 Marsh Wren
1 Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1 Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle Not Counted
WELCOME CENTER
1 Marbled Godwit Fly by
1 Whimbrel
30 Short-billed Dowitcher
50 Western Sandpiper
500 Tree Swallow
1 Purple Martin
M E THOMPSON BRIDGE (JEKYLL RIVER)
1 Bald Eagle
JEKYLL ISLAND SHOPPING CENTER includes beach
8 Brown Pelican
50 Willet
JEKYLL ISLAND SHOPPING CENTER includes beach
20 Sanderling
10 Dunlin
2 Killdeer
10 Ring-billed Gull
2 Herring Gull
20 Laughing Gull
15 Royal Tern
2 Sandwich Tern
40 Forster’s Tern
6 Eurasian Collared-Dove
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Blue Jay
1 Fish Crow
1 Loggerhead Shrike
European Starling
1 Northern Parula
1 Yellow-throated Warbler
1 Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
TIDELANDS NATURE CENTER AREA
5 Brown Pelican
1 Snowy Egret
2 Osprey
1 Belted Kingfisher
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 White-eyed Vireo
2 Gray Catbird
1 Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
2 Northern Parula
4 Yellow-rumped Warbler
1 Yellow-throated Warbler
1 Eastern Towhee
Northern Cardinal
1 Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
3 Brown-headed Cowbird
NORTH END AREA
JEKYLL ISLAND CAMPGROUND SANCTUARY
2 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Pileated Woodpecker
5 Blue Jay
1 Northern Parula
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler
1 Yellow-throated Warbler
6 White-throated Sparrow Singing
10 Common Grackle
AMPHITHEATRE POND AREA
2 Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
6 Anhinga Sitting on nests.
1 Snowy Egret Nesting
4 Great Egret
AMPHITHEATRE POND AREA cont
8 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
12 Black-crowned Night-Heron
10 Wood Stork
5 Black Vulture
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 White-eyed Vireo
2 Brown-headed Nuthatch
2 Carolina Wren
1 Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet Singing
2 Carolina Chickadee
1 Northern Parula
1 Yellow-throated Warbler
1 Pine Warbler
1 Red-winged Blackbird