[TN-Bird] Off-topic: Jekyll Island, GA

From: K Dean EDWARDS <kde@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tennessee Birds <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 14:11:00 -0400 (EDT)

This is off the topic of TN birds, but...
in the spirit of the old Valley Birds....

Amber and I just got back from a week on Jekyll Island, GA, 13-19 Aug.
A modest 60 or so bird species for the whole trip, at least 53 of those
on Jekyll Island or from the causeway leading to the island.  Didn't do
a lot of birding from the interior of the island for several obvious
reasons (heat, mosquitos and, hey, this is our vacation, we're going
to be on the beach!) so missing things like titmouse helped keep that
number low.

The highlight of the trip was watching a hatchling Loggerhead Sea Turtle
make its way down the beach to the ocean one morning.  There were 203
nests on the island this year which, we were told, is a record high
number.

As for birds, We had at least 15 Roseate Spoonbills flying in to roost
at high tide in a group of trees along the causeway near the welcome
center and about 50-60 more spoonbills at the traditional roost site
on Hwy 17 described in "Birding Georgia".  We saw about 10-12 Wood Storks
scattered about including 3 trying to steal from fishermen at the south
end of the island.  A few good shorebirds were found at low tide on the
south end of the island including about 8 Red Knots still in breeding
plumage and 3-4 Black-bellied Plovers also in full breeding plumage.
Unfortunately, we weren't able to find a Wilson's Plover, perhaps
they've dispersed from their breeding sites there.  First birds we saw
on the island were 4 Gray Kingbirds at the toll booth; they were regulars
in this area the whole week.  And, of course, Eurasian Collared-Doves
were everywhere.

On the way home, we had a single Mississippi Kite near Orangeburg, SC,
but no Swallow-tailed Kites.

I picked up a handful of life dragonflies, butterflies and moths as well,
including a fairly nice photo of a male Roseate Skimmer... sorry David.

Dean Edwards
Knoxville, TN


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[TN-Bird] Off-topic: Jekyll Island, GA

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