[Bristol-Birds] Some South Carolina birding (or You Never Know Who You'll Run Into)

Bryan Stevens and David Thometz recently spent some time in coastal South 
Carolina. From May 3-6, they found a total of 73 birds on Fripp Island and 
adjacent Hunting Island State Park. They were also birding with Byron Tucker 
and Ricky Dunklin of Atlanta, who are new to birding, but enjoy some fantastic 
yard birds, including Brown-headed Nuthatches. 

Some of the more interesting finds:

Northern Gannets (May 5-6) feeding and diving in the surf off Fripp Island in 
the company of Brown Pelicans and Double-crested Cormorants. All gannets seen 
were in non-adult plumage.

Red-breasted Mergansers (2 hens) observed May 3-6 feeding in the surf and 
sandbar inlets on the beach at Fripp Island.

They also had good looks at 18 species of shorebirds, including Short-billed 
Dowitcher, Piping Plover, Wilson's Plover, Red Knot and Whimbrel. On some days, 
they found more than 100 Whimbrels at different locations on Fripp Island. 

They also enjoyed looks at Bobolinks, Wood Storks, Marsh Wrens, Least Terns, 
Chuck-Will's-widows?and Painted Buntings.

They also observed plenty of nesting Ospreys as well as such wading birds as 
Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron and Clapper Rail. 

One unexpected encounter took place on a scenic overlook at Hunting Island 
State Park when a vehicle bearing fellow Herndon Chapter TOS member Tom McNeil 
and his son, J.T., approached them. My actions (photographing Cattle Egrets 
with a herd of cattle on St. Helena Island) had attracted Tom's attention.

It just goes to show you never know who you might run into, even away from 
home. 

Non-bird wildlife seen during the trip included a couple of American 
Alligators, a Raccoon and plenty of White-tailed Deer. Butterflies were scarce, 
but they did see several Palamedes Swallowtails. 

Bryan Stevens,
Hampton, TN

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