TN-birders: ***Delete this email if you are not interested in this information about Robin Carter and South Carolina in winter. The birding community lost a high ranking total ticker in late 2008, Robin Carter, and I decided I would take one of my short winter trips this year to coastal South Carolina and report on it as a kind of dedication. Robin had a Ph.D. in anthropology from Duke, taught at LSU and Sweet Briar College, spent most of his career as a computer analyst and was an active birder in South Carolina. His 1993, Finding Birds in South Carolina, some think the foundation of modern birding in South Carolina, is still more than useful. The last ABA total ticks record (2007) for Robin was 10,138, a rank of 10. In recent years he was one of the most active total tickers in the country. I began on Hilton Head Island at the Sea Pines Resort. Some years ago my wife and I rented a condominium (2342 Racquet Club Villa) when my daughter was attending Stan Smith's tennis camp. Tha master bedroom overlooked a loose stand of oak trees surrounding a small pond and was a magnet for a surprising variety of summer birds. It was one of my best armchair birding experiences and so I rented the same condominium for this trip. And I was not disappointed. While the birds were much more scarce in winter I did get a few target birds before I ventured out. Of course, the condominium was not the only reason to go to Hilton Head Island. The forest Preserve, just a few blocks from my rental, is an excellent place in winter (in summer you will lose a pint of blood). Virtually all of the land birds are regular in winter. (The Preserve is on Greenwood Dr. and if you are not staying at Sea Pines you will need to pay a small fee at the gate.) A map that is essential is available at the Preserve near the Greenwood entrance. One strategy is to bird on foot for the northwest (or "top") part, and then bird mainly by car (Fish Island Trail) for the other southeast "bottom" part. Note that both Virginia Rail and Sora are good in winter at the Preserve. For a look at the beach and open water, Fish Haul Creek Park is also excellent for winter birds at the northern end of the island at the end of Beach City Rd. Especially in winter look for Hooded & Red-breasted Merganser, N. Gannet, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Virginia Rail, Sora, the regular plovers, Marbled Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, Sanderling, W. & Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, Bonaparte's, Lesser & Great Black-backed Gull, Sedge Wren, both sharp-tailed & Seaside Sparrow. The beach with extensive mud flats are a fairly short walk from the parking lot and note that a scope is helpful. Close to Hilton Head Island is Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Leaving Hilton Head Island take 278 to 46 past Blufton and Pritchardville to 170 toward Limehouse and then 17 south to 170 that goes through the NWR, about 20 miles from Hilton Head Island. The opportunities in winter are geese and ducks, Amer. Bittern, Virginia Rail, Sora, Greater & Lesser Yellowlegs, Wilson's Snipe, Sedge Wren and Savannah Sparrow--one bird I did did see there. I was happy to find that one of the rare birds I had been told was at Savannah before I left was still there-a Black-bellied Whistling Duck. Perhaps the very best birding in South Carolina in winter is at Huntington Beach State Park (just a short 15 mile drive north of Georgetown on 17). Among the better birds to consider are Common Eider, Harlequin Duck, all three scoters, Long-tailed Duck, Hooded & Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated & Common Loon, N. Gannet, Great Cormorant, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Purple Sandpiper, and more rarely, alcids. Of course, the best place at Huntington is the jetty, about 2.5 miles round-trip from the closest parking lot on Jetty Drive. The jetty itself is easily walkable with an asphalt path. Having a scope is very useful and note that Huntington requires a fee of $5.00. This year the CBC for the overall area had a total of 160 species. If you have some energy after Huntington, a short trip north to Myrtle Beach and the adjacent shoreline can yield birds similar to that at Huntington. The 2nd Ave pier is what birders usually use but seabirds can be seen all along the shoreline. Recently, all three scoters have been seen there. On the way back to Hilton Head a good stop is Bear Island Wildlife Management Area for some winter water birds you may have missed (find the management area sign for Bennetts Point Rd. off 17 near the town of Green Pond). Two other locations In South Carolina I would recommend in winter are Santee NWR, for your best chance for all of the unusual geese and Tundra Swan, and Pinckney Island NWR which is very close to Hilton Head (on 278 just prior to Hilton Head Island). Note that you will probably have already seen the birds at Pinckney and the NWR almost requires a bicycle ride for the six round-trip miles. With these and all locations your best bet is to contact local birders prior to your trip. South Carolina is not only close to Tennessee but for total tickers is one of the easiest places to achieve ABA's 50% listing threshold (211 in 2007). Unlike many states, a good list in South Carolina is possible in a small geographic area and in a small amount of time. And South Carolina became my 6th state/province at 50%, getting me to a total that is still south on 8,000. The bird of the trip was the Black-bellied Whistling Duck which I had seen only twice before in Arizona and Texas. The two outstanding locations of the trip were Huntington Beach State Park and Savannah NWR, the former for seabirds including N. Gannet, a quite common bird surely but one I never tire of seeing, and the latter for the hundreds of ducks easily seen from the Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive (I had all the regular suspects but Redhead and Common Goldeneye). For Robin, who ended up with 371 South Carolina birds, he is probably looking down on that Pine Flycatcher in Texas (or is it a vocally challenged Least!), and planning his next trip. God speed, Dr. Carter. Please feel free to email me for details and other info. Good birding and good totaling, Kevin Breault Brentwood, TN =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. 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