Birding Georgetown Co., SC - 04 Dec 2024

I flew into Myrtle Beach Airport in sunny-but-cold (37F, calm) Georgetown Co. South Carolina this morning to spend four days with Janet and Jack Volker. They are wintering in nearby Pawleys Island until April, and have invited me to come down and chase birds. Who could resist?

Arriving at 10:30 am they picked me up and we immediately headed to nearby Old Kings Highway and Pond Road to visit the yard of a friend of their's. Irene and Lex Moser have some 85 acres of trees and ponds. After chatting with Irene for a few minutes we headed to their feeders and quickly picked up Carolina Chickadees, Eastern Phoebes, Mourning Doves, Hooded Mergansers, Blue Jays, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Ruby and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and a pair of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.  

Several Pine Warblers made appearances near the feeders.

After admiring the pond we walked around their property and picked up Orange-crowned Warbler, and a gorgeous male Northern Oriole. Three American Crows were roosting in the trees nearby.  As we headed back to the car a rambunctious Carolina Wren scolded us from a few feet away.

From there we headed over to the Wachesaw Ball Field, adjacent Vermillion Pond (Hooded Mergansers and Black-crowned Night Herons), 

and maintenance field where we picked up Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern House Wren, Carolina Wren, and White-throated Sparrow.  The sparrows were skulky, but we managed to ID them. We'd only spend a short time there as it was time to get back to the house to settle me in before an afternoon of birding. On the way back to the Jeep we picked up Northern Mockingbird and Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

Wachesaw Ball Park, Georgetown, South Carolina, US
Dec 4, 2024 11:15 AM
Protocol: Incidental
Checklist Comments:     Clear, cool, 37F. Calm. Pond Rd and Wauchesaw Ball Field.
25 species

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  2
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)  1
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)  13
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)  3     Pair seen at Pond and Old Kings Highway and 3rd at ball field. Pics.
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)  2
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  2
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  2
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)  4
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)  2
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)  2
Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla)  1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)  1
Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)  2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  2
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)  1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  1
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  1
Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata)  2
Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S204460132

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

As it was now close to 1 pm we headed to Pawleys Island and their home at the Tip-Ellen. The house is cozy-small but can sleep 10 in 4 bedrooms and 2 baths.

They are here until January 1st, then move next door to the Dutch Courage. Incidentally, because of their vicinity to the Atlantic Ocean homes here in Pawleys Island start at ~$1M. 

I was greeted by Pixie, got settled, and headed off with Jack for a short walk down to the beach across the street. Clear skies and lack of winds made for a very pleasant walk. 

The small rocky shoals at the edge of the beach was active with a number of shorebirds that included Red Knots (6), Sanderlings (14), Western Willets (2), a Ruddy Turnstone and Black-bellied Plovers (2). I spent some time photographing them before we headed back to the car and Huntington State Park. 

A fly-by Northern Gannet was too far for anything more than a record shot.

Pawleys Island--Beach, Georgetown, South Carolina, US
Dec 4, 2024 1:43 PM - 2:04 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.4 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Clear, cool, 49F, winds 5-10 moh
8 species

Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)  2
Willet (Western) (Tringa semipalmata inornata)  2
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)  1
Red Knot (Calidris canutus)  6
Sanderling (Calidris alba)  14
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)  1
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)  4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S204465730

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

As we were leaving Pawleys Island to drive north to Huntington State Park this Cooper's Hawk was seen perched next to the road. I tried getting photos from inside the Jeep but convection / heat currents really did a number on focus. I was able to get a few clean pics, though.

We drove to Huntington Beach State Park and cruised the causeway. American White Pelicans, Ruddy Ducks, Green-winged Teal, and Great Blue Herons could be seen in the pond to our right, but few ducks were seen overall. The Roseate Spoonbill reported earlier was not visible and may have moved out with this cold snap.

The east end of the causeway held a flock of mostly Dunlin and a pair of Short-billed Dowitchers. 

My initial thought was Long-billed Dowitchers, but examination of the images below showed evidence of tiger striping on the tertials (feathers over the tail). Long-billed Dowitchers have plain tertials. Also, even though the birds appeared plump like LBDO the bills are on the shorter side (<2x width of head).

A Single White Ibis was foraging on the small mudflat in the northeast corner of the Mullet Pond, while the small canal held a pair of immature (white) Little Blue Herons. 

Overhead a pair of Turkey Vultures soared in the blue skies of the late afternoon.

We drove to the south end of the pond and walked the path between the Castle and Brookgreen. Yellow-rumped Warblers were everywhere but constantly moving. 

A small inlet held several Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, and these Wood Storks.

Jack was in search of a Brown Creeper. We creeped, but couldn't find one. We'd settle for a Hermit Thrush on the path ahead of us.

We heard what I thought was a Red-shouldered Hawk, but the culprit was this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker foraging just a few feet away. 

We'd reach the end of our search and had to settle for another Hermit Thrush. 

We'd head back to the Jeep and head off to dinner at the Between The Antlers restaurant in Georgetown. I'd have the Brisquet Chili and Fried Cheese Tortellini. Day one in the books!

Tomorrow Jack and I head off to the Jetty at the north end of Huntington State Park.

Huntington Beach State Park, Murrells Inlet US-SC 33.51357, -79.07335, Georgetown, South Carolina, US
Dec 4, 2024 2:22 PM - 4:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.778 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Clear, ptly cloudy, 40F , winds 10-15 mph
43 species (+1 other taxa)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  2
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)  4
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  2
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)  24
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)  32
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)  1
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola)  1
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)  12
American Coot (Fulica americana)  36
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)  2     Initially thought Long-billed Dowitcher but bill length is a bit on short side (&lt;2X width of head) and evidence of marking on tertials when looking at photos. They should be plain on LBDO.
Willet (Tringa semipalmata)  4
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  45
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  2
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  4
Wood Stork (Mycteria americana)  6
Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)  1
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  46
White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)  16
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)  6
Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)  2
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)  1
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  8
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  4
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)  4
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)  2
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  1
Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)  1
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)  1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)  1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  1
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)  1
swallow sp. (Hirundinidae sp.)  1
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)  2
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)  8
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)  2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  2
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)  1
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  30
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  6
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S204475550

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)