2010 Narrative
In Brief: Our first tour of coastal Georgia and South Carolina combined visits to historic sites with some fine birding. In the Savannah area, we visited Fort Pulaski, Fort Jackson, and Fort McAllister; from Charleston, we stopped in at Fort Moultrie and famous Fort Sumter. Meanwhile, our birding turned up over 150 species, among them Red-cockaded Woodpecker and Bachman’s Sparrow, along with a fine variety of waterbirds and passerines. The food was unquestionably gourmet throughout, and even the lunches were exceptional at such restaurants as Poe’s Tavern, where the poet’s writings are literally part of the wallpaper.
In Detail: Our tour began with an evening meeting and dinner, followed the next morning by a visit to the shorebirds and waterbirds of Tybee Island; the Sandwich Terns here were particularly accommodating. Also present were eight American Oystercatchers, distant Northern Gannets, and a first-cycle Great Black-backed Gull. Among the landbird migrants were a selection of Palm Warblers, including a briefly seen “Eastern” or “Yellow” Palm. After lunch we spent a good deal of time at Fort Pulaski, which fell to the Union early on in the Civil War; later we stopped briefly at Fort Jackson. Our delicious dinner that evening featured what was probably the most “Southern” food of the tour.
The next morning we took the tour loop at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, just across the Savannah River in South Carolina. Right away many of us saw an American Bittern in flight, and a few King Rails were giving territorial “songs.” The first clump of trees was full of birds, among them Eastern Kingbird, numerous Cedar Waxwings, a singing “Eastern” Palm Warbler, and a beautiful adult male Orchard Oriole. At another stop we had Anhingas, and nearby we got to hear a Least Bittern “singing.” We also profited from excellent studies of a Green Anole, two Broadhead Skinks, and a beautiful Green Treefrog. Four Solitary Sandpipers and numerous Black-necked Stilts were most cooperative. Here and later at Donnely WMA we saw dozens of Alligators, including some very large ones—a reminder to all about being sure to swim elsewhere!
Later we took a walking tour of Savannah, during which we were exposed to a decidedly “Southern” viewpoint—if you thought the Civil War was over, think again! Recent events in Virginia and Mississippi call into question whether we really have learned much. More informative was the tour of Fort McAllister to the south of Savannah. Our guide was fully informed of the events there and was most proficient in the loading and firing (blanks!) of his musket. Our dinner that evening was one of our best.
The next morning found us at James W. Webb WMA, where we had excellent views of both Bachman’s Sparrow and several Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. The Bachman’s Sparrows here are of the grayer aestivalis race, found in Florida and north along the coast to South Carolina. Here we also had several Yellow-throated Warblers. Other species of note included Brown-headed and White-breasted Nuthatches, Northern Parula, and Prothonotary Warbler. After an enjoyable seafood lunch, we checked Bear Island and Donnelly WMAs, where we had a variety of shorebirds including numerous Pectoral Sandpipers.
The next morning was spent at I’on Swamp, best known as one of the last locations where the presumably extinct Bachman’s Warbler was still reliably seen sixty years ago. Many of the swamps breeding species weren’t in yet, but we eventually did locate Prothonotary Warbler, and Red-eyed Vireos were numerous. We also had stunning views of a male Prairie Warbler.
After another delicious lunch, we visited the remains of the famous Fort Sumter, where the Civil War began on April 12, 1861. I was surprised how little of the original fort remained. Our hour there passed quickly. We saw a few birds on the way out to dinner at a French restaurant.
On our final day we checked shorebirds in Mt. Pleasant and at Sullivan’s Island before visiting Fort Moultrie, not only famous in the Civil War but also a place of decisive action during the Revolutionary War. Bird highlights included an adult Northern Gannet well up into the Bay and a Gull-billed Tern. American Oystercatchers were cooperative, and we heard Clapper Rails; we also saw the distinctive gray (griseus) subspecies of the Marsh Wren and its nest, and had a chance to study the western (inornata) subspecies of Willet after seeing the eastern nominate race breeding at Bear Island WMA earlier.
Later in the afternoon we took our walking tour of Charleston, admiring its beautiful houses and significant places of interest from the Civil War period; the city is stunning and very well maintained. Just as notable were nesting Yellow-crowned Night Herons near the Battery. Our excellent farewell dinner will not soon be forgotten.
- Jon L. Dunn
Created: 19 April 2010