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

The Challenge of Low Tide

June 7, 2007. Low tide was at 8 a.m. today. This created a problem for me logistically. You see, we have six to nine foot tides here along the Georgia coast. This means that at low tide, the habitat is exposed and the birds are spread out across the wide expanse of complex marshes, making it harder to predict where the birds will be feeding. Under these conditions, going to the beach first would not have been productive at all; it would have been better to go to the south end around mid tide, but that would have put us out on the hot beach in the middle of the morning.

These kinds of tide levels make me fall back on experience. After years of birding here, you learn to read the signs, and that has to be done in the field, not the day before when you're making plans! It is truly living in the moment. So when I met Diane and Amy, I warned them that this was going to be a challenging Ramble. This was their first time to trek for birds so they were excited to see how this challenge would play out.

yellowlegs in marsh

It was intriguing to watch beginner luck kick in; hard-to-see birds were popping out at almost every stop! We did find one Roseate Spoonbill way out in the marsh, and along with the spoonbill, there were two Black Skimmers skimming along behind it. The Loggerhead Shrike was nowhere to be found, but instead, a Great Crested Flycatcher was on the tree, calling and flycatching. This is a bird that is often very elusive, so I was trilled!

The next stop was the Glory Boardwalk, which is located next to the soccer field at the south end of Jekyll. This boardwalk was named in honor of the 1988 movie Glory, and was built to create a safe path for the movie crew to get out to the beach from the field staging area. (The movie company worked very hard to be environmentally sensitive as well.) The last scene in the movie, where the valiant troops are charging down the beach, was filmed south of the boardwalk. At this stop I was after one bird: the Wilson’s Plover that nests north of the Glory Boardwalk. We did see a female who was obviously directing our attention away from the male and the nest. We left her to her job and were rewarded with great views of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers being chased by a male Northern Parula! Whoa! This was turning out to be a pretty good morning!

We topped it off with two male and two female Painted Buntings at the campground. When I pointed out the calling Pileated Woodpecker, Amy expressed an interest in seeing the bird, so we walked in the direction of the call. Just as I was warning them that these birds could be hard to find, one flew into the tree just in front of us! That was impressive in and of itself, but then a second one flew in and landed! Amy (as well as the rest of us) was elated!

We finished the morning at the Amphitheater. The majority of the Wood Stork’s nest made it through Saturday’s rains from Tropical Depression Barry. Unfortunately, one of the dead pines that had at least three nests was gone, and there appeared to be a few pairs of adults just listlessly hanging around together; could these have been the pairs who lost their nests? This just points out the fact that life in the wild is not easy. Then we moved on to find that the Anhinga had made it through the storm: there was at least one still sitting tight on a nest. The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron sitting near the Amphitheater was the finishing touch on this challenging Ramble.

On the way off the island I stopped by the entrance to Jekyll, and sure enough, there were two Gull-billed Terns sitting out in the marsh! These elegant birds were a good way to end the June 7th Ramble.

With Jekyll’s birdlife on my mind, good birding!
Lydia

Thank you Mary Beth for stepping in and being my editor!

May 24, 2007 Bird Ramble and Wilson’s Plover Signs

Jekyll Island is becoming known as a wonderful place to get married and honeymoon. I had the pleasure of taking newly weds Kim and Dale today. I asked them how they were enjoying their week. They said it was great. Jekyll Island was exactly what they were looking for in a retreat. They had been mostly relaxing. They had gone out the day before kayaking with Tom at Tidelands Nature Center. And today they were out with me.

Of course Kim wanted to see a Painted Bunting. She did see her Painted Bunting in fact she saw several Painted Buntings. She saw so much more. They were amazed by the Wood Storks and their chicks at the Amphitheater. The chicks are spending a lot of time flapping their downy wings. They are so cute. Walking on from the first out look to the second I found two late nesting Wood Storks. They are stoic while they are sitting on eggs. The Anhingas appear to have lost their nest. Will they try again? While we were enjoying the Yellow-crowned Night-heron, Dale was learning that he could take pictures through my scope. He had some great photos.

We do see other kinds of wildlife.

After the Ramble I met Gene Keferl to put up more Wilson’s Plover nesting area signs. We put up four signs north of the Glory Boardwalk. While Gene was hammer the

pole into the sand, a female Wilson’s came out to lead us off. This indicates we have one pair that is doing ok. I think the pair at 4-h west has failed for we saw the pair out in the morning. These birds looked at us and flew off not a good sign.

The next place we went to put out the signs was on the Southwest corner of Jekyll. This area is called Jekyll Point. We were lucky to see the female Wilson’s there as well. Keep your fingers crossed that Jekyll’s special families raise young this year.

We could not pass up looking over the flock of birds. .

There were three Sandwich Terns and one Least Tern that were not there in the morning. In fact it was a tern afternoon. On my way off Jekyll Island I stopped at the corner of Gisco Marina Road and the causeway to look over the shorebirds that had gathered on the mud flat. Whimbrels and Willets were stalking along in the Salicornia. Sweeping past them I set my binoculars on the mud I was treated to a Gull-billed Tern. Scanning that whole flat, there were eight Gull-billed Terns. I sure hope they will stay there for the summer. They are elegant birds.
With Jekyll’s birds on my mind
Good Birding!
Lydia

Friday Morning Bird Ramble May 18,2007

This is a Friday Ramble on Jekyll Island. It has been planned for a few months now. Thursday was awful because the winds were out of the west. The day was very smoky I was a little worried about Friday. But the skies were blue. There was a slight chill in the air. “Perfect” I though!

After meeting with Georgi, Sharon, Joan and Pricilla we walk over to the convention center to get Pricilla her life Gray Kingbird. He was right by his tree standing guard over his nest. What a stately bird.

From there we went to the Beach Deck area near the Days Inn. I always want to check out the beach there. While we were watching Sanderling scurrying around the edge of the surf a woman came up to us. It turned out that Emilie had been looking for us and wanted to join us. The group just took her right in. This was Emilie’s first time to bird. She told us that if she just learned one or two birds that would make her happy. Well, OK we were off to the Welcome Center where the tide was already come in but we walk around to the east side and found shorebirds in summer plumage. The Black-bellied Plover was stunning. The Dunlin was a dandy. But the Whimbrel was the showcase bird.
I wanted to wait for the tide to fall before going to the beach so the next stop was the Campground Sanctuary. We got there around 9:30. This place is wonderful. We had both male and female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Painted Buntings were in and out of the feeders the entire time we were there. A female Black-throated Blue Warbler came into the bird bath a few times. But the real treat was the male American Redstart that popped in to check out the drip. Emilie was hooked when she saw the male Painted Bunting but it was over the top when she learned about the tiny wood warblers like the redstart. What a treat to see someone enjoy watching birds!
The real cap for Emilie and all of us was the Amphitheater Pond. There is just something about babies Wood Storks. Yellow-crowned Night-herons and growing Great Egrets chicks were a plus.
We dropped off Emilie for she had an appointment that her husband had made for her. Did I say this was her birthday? Yes, she wanted to going birding for her birthday. She left very pleased saying she learned a lot more than just one or two birds. A New Birder! Yea.
We finished the morning with Royal Terns, Black Skimmers, and Wilson’s Plovers at the south end of Jekyll. We decide to continue the fun with a lunch at Sea Jays. On the way there a surprise Mississippi Kite flew over the van. Man could it get any better but at Sea Jay’s we were serenaded by a Yellow-throated Warbler. No better way to spend a morning than with good people and beautiful birds. At the very end after I told the group bye I ended my Jekyll Bird Ramble with two Gull-billed Terns. This is the second time I’ve seen Gull-billed Terns in the area around the Gisco Marina Drive. Stay tuned I’ve got my fingers crossed that these birds will hang around here during the summer.
With Jekyll Birds on my mind., good birding.
Lydia

May 8th Painted Buntings

May 8, 2007,
There is a chill in the air as I head out to Harris Neck Wildlife Refuge. It reminds me more of Maine spring morning than of coastal Georgia. I am going to a meeting with the Georgia Colonial Coast Birding and Nature Festival steering committee. Every month we meet and hammer out all the details of this wonderful festival. There is a huge amount of work that goes into a festival this size. The coast is lucky to have this dedicated group of hard workers meeting and spending hours on end working on this festival. Today we are trying to find those loose ends.
So I am in my van driving across the wide expanse of salt marsh. It never ceases to amaze me with it stunning beauty. An osprey rises up along side of the van. It has a fish and is heading back to it’s nest where if mate is waiting. We both have our jobs and go in different direction.
Harris Neck is a magical spot on the coast. Parking I grab my Leica binoculars and walk to the side of the Welcome Center. The caged feeder is filled and there are Painted Buntings all around it. The males so colorful and the females a delightful green. While standing there an Eastern Pewee calls and then there is a solid blue bird at the feeder. A Blue Grosbeak is there. I turn to go in and glance at the hummingbird feeder and there is a little Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Never a dull moment at Harris Neck. That goes for the meeting as well. We are still going strong after two and half hours. But we have our marching orders and are happy to know that we are helping to build this wonderful festival. Just so you know the dates are October 12-14, 2007.
That evening I am invited to dinner with old and dear friend on Jekyll. Sitting in their den before dinner I am enterained by their feeder. It has Painted Buntings feeding away on the millet. In the bushes there is an Ovenbird just strolling around. It was a nice day with the birds.
With Georgia’s birdlife on my mind- good birding
Lydia

Georgia Ornithological Society Field Trip

Saturday April 21, 2007
Jekyll Island
What a difference a day can make! Today there were no gale force winds. It was a beautiful day. Clear skies and a little breeze gave the Georgia Ornithological Society’s field trip groups the perfect weather for watching birds. At the end of the day the two groups had seen one hundred species of birds. There were some birds missing from our list. The Wilson’s Plovers are here but that storm had them out of sight. Here some of the high lights for our group:
Gray Kingbirds put on quite a show. They were playing hide and go seek. They first showed up flying from down the road then around the shopping center to their favorite tree.
There were several species of swallows around the historic district.
We made several stops on the north end. At one point the group was laughing. They thought we would have made better time if we had walked. It seemed we stopped every few feet on the road from Clam Creek Picnic Area to the campground. There were wonderful birds singing along the way. One stop we had great looks at a male Painted Bunting singing in a bush not ten feet from us. Yellow-throated Warblers and Northern Parulas were everywhere singing. We did make it to the campground sanctuary and the amphitheater before lunch.
We ended the day at the south end of Jekyll where we had five species of terns and a Piping Plover. The group with me was great. We took our time at each stop. Everyone got to see birds. At the south end we learned that it pays to wait for the birds are always changing.
The complete list of birds seen is below.
With Jekyll’s wildlife on my mind
Lydia

There were 100 species seen on Jekyll by two groups of Birders

"Red-breasted Merganser", 3 Gisco Marina Rd
"Northern Gannet", 1,"Our group saw one but several groups reported them in the area
"Double-crested Cormorant",
"Anhinga", Amphitheater
"Brown Pelican",
"Tricolored Heron", 3 Historic District
"Little Blue Heron", 1 Historic District, 1 Welcome Center
"Snowy Egret",
"Great Egret",
"Cattle Egret", Airport
"Green Heron", 1 Causeway
"Yellow-crowned Night-Heron", Amphitheater
"Black-crowned Night-Heron", Amphitheater
"White Ibis" 3 Amphitheater
"Wood Stork", Amphitheater
"Black Vulture",
"Turkey Vulture","
"Osprey", Amphitheater
"Cooper's Hawk", 1 Shopping Center at the last minute
"Red-tailed Hawk", 1 Amphitheater
"Clapper Rail", Welcome Center
"Spotted Sandpiper", 1 Clam Creek
"Willet"
"Ruddy Turnstone Jekyll Point Beach
"Short-billed Dowitcher” Historic District
"Sanderling", Jekyll Point Beach
"Semipalmated Sandpiper", Historic District
"Least Sandpiper", 4 Jekyll Point Beach
"Dunlin, Historic District, Jekyll Point Beach
"Black-bellied Plover", Jekyll Point Beach
"Semipalmated Plover", Historic District
"Killdeer" 2 Shopping Center
"Piping Plover", 1 Jekyll Point Beach
"Ring-billed Gull",
"Herring Gull", 16 Jekyll Point Beach
"Bonaparte's Gull", 9 Jekyll Point Beach
"Laughing Gull",
"Caspian Tern" 6 4-H East & Jekyll Point Beach
"Royal Tern", Jekyll Point Beach
"Sandwich Tern", Jekyll Point Beach
"Common Tern", 1 Jekyll Point Beach
"Forster's Tern", Jekyll Point Beach
"Least Tern", Historic District and Clam Creek
"Black Skimmer", 20 Jekyll Point Beach
"Eurasian Collared-Dove", Shopping Center
"Mourning Dove",
"Yellow-billed Cuckoo", 2 Campground
"Chimney Swift", 3 Historic District
"Ruby-throated Hummingbird", 1 Campground seen flying away
"Red-bellied Woodpecker",
"Downy Woodpecker", Amphitheater
"Pileated Woodpecker", Amphitheater
"Gray Kingbird", 2 Shopping Center flying in & out"
"Blue Jay" 1,"Campground
"American Crow", Historic District
"Fish Crow",
"White-eyed Vireo",
"Red-eyed Vireo", Historic District
"Loggerhead Shrike, 2 south of Convention center 1 north of Convention Center
"Cedar Waxwing"
"Gray Catbird", 1, 4-H East
"Northern Mockingbird"
"Brown Thrasher",
"European Starling",
Thrush species??" The bird was either Hermit or Gray-cheeked but key field marks were obscured
Wood Thrush, Clam Creek singing
"Marsh Wren", Welcome Center
"Carolina Wren",
"Blue-gray Gnatcatcher", 1, Amphitheater
"Purple Martin", Historic District
"Northern Rough-winged Swallow", Historic District
"Barn Swallow", Historic District nesting
"Ruby-crowned Kinglet", 2 Clam Creek
"Carolina Chickadee",
"Tufted Titmouse", 2 Campground
"House Sparrow", Shopping Center
"Northern Parula",
"Yellow-rumped Warbler",
"Yellow-throated Warbler",
"Pine Warbler", Amphitheater
"Prairie Warbler", 1 Clam Creek
"Black-and-white Warbler", 1 Campground
"Ovenbird", 1,"seen by other group
"Worm-eating Warbler", 1 Campground seen by other group
"Kentucky Warbler", 1 Campground
"White-throated Sparrow", 6 Campground
"Chipping Sparrow", 1,"some of my group saw them Amphitheater
"Eastern Towhee", Clam Creek
"Summer Tanager", Clam Creek
"Rose-breasted Grosbeak", 1, Campground seen by other group
"Northern Cardinal",
"Painted Bunting", 1, Clam Creek, 1 Campground
"Orchard Oriole" 1 first year male Clam Creek
"Red-winged Blackbird",
"Boat-tailed Grackle",
"Common Grackle",
"Brown-headed Cowbird",
"House Finch", 2 Campground
"Peregrine Falcon", 1 Clam Creek

Scarlet Tanager Swallow-tail Kite Wow

April 19,2007
Oh my gosh! I just was on the phone talking about putting together the Registration Booklet for the Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding & Nature Festival when I notice him! I have a wonderful drip birdbath with bushes near by so the birds can drop from the top of my old live oak tree down to the myrtle tree to the bath. There sitting on the top of the drip was a drop dead gorgeous SCARLET TANAGER. I know in migration that they travel in flocks. There are times at some hot spots where they all over. Here I have been working to make my yard bird friendly. I was just rewarded with this special bird.
This is a good time to update you on the past weeks birding on Jekyll and around the Golden Island. Last Thursday morning we had White and Brown Pelican as well as at least three Wilson’s Plovers at the southend of Jekyll. In the afternoon having dropped off seed for the feeders at Tidelands I was driving back to Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Cottage in the historic district when I became fascinated by the line of vultures flying north. As I watched my day was made for a SWALLOW-TAILED KITE dripped into my sights. Naturally I pulled over to just watch this agile flyer for awhile.
Saturday, I was on St. Simons Island helping with the Glynn Art Spring Festival in the St. Simons village area. It was a beautiful clear morning with just the right chill in the air. Walking to see how the various artists were doing setting up I heard GRAY KINGBIRDS. They have returned for I heard from a friend that they were on Jekyll as well. Jekyll host at least two pairs of Gray Kingbirds every summer. That same day which was April 14 the PAINTED BUNTING males started showing up at feeders along the coast. Spring is in the air.
With Georgia’s wildlife on my mind
Lydia
THURDAY APRIL 12, BIRD LIST
ISLAND WIDE
Yellow-throated Warbler
30 Turkey Vulture
Seemed to be moving North. Strings all along the Island
Mourning Dove
Tree Swallow
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Northern Cardinal

DOWNING MUSGROVE CAUSEWAY (before Ramble)
3 Little Blue Heron
10 Snowy Egret
1 Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
3 Green Heron
Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
SOUTH DUNES PICNIC AREA
1 Belted Kingfisher
JEKYLL ISLAND SHOPPING CENTER INCL. BEACH AREA
2 Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
1 Loggerhead Shrike
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
1 Northern Parula

SOUTH END OF ISLAND
100 Tree Swallow Really 100 plus
BIRD CORNER
2 Little Blue Heron
5 Cattle Egret
1 Northern Harrier male
2 Common Ground Dove
2 White-eyed Vireo
Carolina Wren
1 Northern Parula
2 Savannah Sparrow
3 Eastern Towhee
Northern Cardinal
10 Common Grackle
3 Brown-headed Cowbird

SOUTHWEST BEACH AREA
6 American White Pelican
8 Brown Pelican
6 Blue-winged Teal
1 Snowy Egret
25 Sanderling
1 Black-bellied Plover

4-H WEST Southend area Jekyll
1 Double-crested Cormorant
15 Brown Pelican
2 Willet
3 Wilson’s Plover
8 Ring-billed Gull
2 Herring Gull
100 Laughing Gull
75 Royal Tern
10 Forster’s Tern
250 Black Skimmer
1 Chimney Swift

SOUTH RIVERVIEW DRIVE
3 Fish Crow

TIDELANDS NATURE CENTER AREA
Anhinga
2 Brown Pelican
2 Green Heron
1 Osprey
1 Cooper’s Hawk 5 Spotted Sandpiper
3 Belted Kingfisher
5 House Finch
6 Brown-headed Cowbird



CAMPGROUND BIRD SANCTUARY
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
5 Blue Jay
2 White-eyed Vireo
Carolina Wren
4 Carolina Chickadee
4 White-throated Sparrow
6 Common Grackle

AMPHITHEATRE POND AREA
2 Pied-billed Grebe
1 Double-crested Cormorant
Anhinga
4 Snowy Egret
1 Green Heron
6 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
8 Black-crowned Night-Heron
2 White Ibis
26 Wood Stork 14 nesting
1 Black Vulture
3 Osprey
1 Red-tailed Hawk
2 Red-bellied Woodpecker
3 White-eyed Vireo
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1 Northern Parula
25 Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler


SEEN AFTER THE RAMBLE:

BEACH PAVILION Mid island
15 Cedar Waxwing
HISTORIC DISTRICT
1 Pine Warbler
1 Great-crested Flycatcher
TIDELANDS NATURE CENTER AREA
1 Swallow-tailed Kite
Flying with vultures
DOWNING MUSGROVE CAUSEWAY
3 Barn Swallow


WELCOME CENTER
1 Orchard Oriole Male
25 Semipalmated Plover
30 Western Sandpiper
20 Dunlin
50 Short-billed Dowitcher
14 Whimbrel
1 Greater Yellowlegs
10 Blue-winged Teal
1 Osprey
20 Willet
10 Black-bellied Plover