Huntington Beach State Park - North Beach - 22 Apr 2026

This morning Robin drove me to the airport for a 10 am flight to Myrtle Beach to visit Jack and Janet Volker, and Ken and Julie Davis. The goal of the trip was to pick up some lifer birds (Painted Bunting, Swainson's Warbler, Mississippi Kite, and Gull-billed Tern) and to try to crack the Top Ten eBird List for Georgetown County, SC (I need ~30 new spp. to add to the 120 that I got in early April). 

Arriving at DTW at 7:00 am I was through security and at my gate (A78) by 7:30. This gave me plenty of time to relax and prepare for the 10 am flight to Myrtle Beach. Ken had decided that today would be the best day to walk the North Beach at Huntington Beach State Park to look for Least Terns, Wilson's Plovers, and other shorebirds at the North Jetty. High tide was 1:45pm today so we needed to be at the jetty if we wanted any chance at Saltmarsh Sparrows. Given the walking distance 1.5 mi from the North Beach parking lot we'd be pushing things with the drive from the Airport to the State Park and the hike along the beach.

Our flight arrived 30 minutes early, so I thought our chances were good. However, the plane was stuck for 30 minutes on the runway due to lack of gate personnel. Then, another 30 minutes was needed before bags came off the carousel. But, the Volkers picked me up at 12:30 and we drove to the State Park and arrived at about 1:15 pm. 

Since I needed Painted Bunting we made a quick stop at the feeders near the Visitor Center. While folks used the facilities I spotted a pair of flashing red and blue birds shooting through the trees, then heard another male Painted Bunting singing from a nearby tree! I was able to get some photos before it took off and was able to show Jack my lifer when he arrived at the feeders.

We then drove to the North Beach where we met Ken. With scopes in hand Jack, Ken and I hiked the beach while Janet took Cocoa back home. Skies were mostly clear and temperatures were hovering at about 75ºF. Winds were blowing at 15-20 mph so the Atlantic Ocean was rough with crashing waves at high tide. Still, we picked up some Willets (Eastern) along the shoreline before reaching the Jetty.

A few Caspian Terns and Royal Terns flew along the shoreline as we walked toward the jetty. Royal Terns (below) are slightly smaller than the Caspian Terns and have orange-yellow bills.

Our plan was to hike back away from the ocean to the roped-off sand dunes where endangered Least Terns and Wilson's Plovers were nesting. Mid-afternoon sunshine did not provide the best lighting conditions but I was able to see up to 100+ Least Terns flying and roosting along the inland shoreline and nest areas.

Wilson's Plovers could also be seen just on the other side of the fences.

Sanderlings were foraging along the edges of the shoreline

while nearby ponds hosted hundreds of Short-billed Dowitchers, Semipalmated Plovers, Black-bellied Plovers and Willets (both Eastern and Western). 

I spent some time trying to photograph the Short-billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus griseus) hoping to get some Long-billed Dowitchers. Identification is very difficult, especially w/ these birds in pre-alternate molt. This is a suspected griseus subspecies of Short-billed Dowitcher (L. g. griseus). It shows more spotting on the throat and flanks and is whiter below. 

The bird on the far right may be a Long-billed Dowitcher

(L. scolopaceus); appearing slightly bulkier with more distinct barring on the flanks.

This one appears to be a hendersonii subspecies of Short-billed Dowitcher (L. g. hendersonii) that is most commonly found in the midwest but occurs along the eastern coast during migration. Neck and chest are plain orange-peach and the coloration extends below the belly.

As I photographed the dowitchers Ken spotted several Royal Terns 

and Sandwich Terns among the gull flock.

Across the bay the far beach hosted dozens of Royal and Sandwich Terns, Brown Pelicans and Double-crested Cormorants but they were barely visible through scopes at full magnification.

Ken would also find a pair of American Oystercatchers and a Black Skimmer that I was able to capture in flight and at rest.

I was having a hard time NOT photographing the Least Terns that were flying everywhere!

I almost missed the several Forster's Terns among them.

The (mostly) Short-billed Dowitchers were showing breeding plumage so it was neat to photograph them foraging and in flight. Note the barring on the armpits and axillary/patagials (the armpits are white on LBDO).

At one point the entire shorebird population took flight and scattered in large flocks in different directions. 

It was then that we were able to find a pair of Hudsonian Whimbrel among them. Unfortunately, they were landing too far away for photos under bad lighting conditions. 

We then headed to the opposite end of the jetty to scope the ocean for Black Scoters and a Common Eider that had been reported earlier, but wind and waves (and boats) prevented us from seeing any signs of life. This was also the case for the Saltmarsh Sparrow spot (I'm now 0 - 4...).

The walk back along the beach was relatively uneventful. High winds were now hitting us in the face but at least the sand wasn't. A Laughing Gull choking on a clam(?) or fish was our only highlight.

We reached the car shortly around 4 pm.

A Black-necked Stilt and Yellow-crowned Night Heron was being seen near the Mullet Pond so we made a quick trip to the south side of the park. Along the way we looked for a pair of Roseate Spoonbills but failed to see them. We did pick up the Black-necked Stilt but failed to re-find the YCNH (American Coot, Common Gallinule, Sora, Glossy Ibis and Anhingas were nice consolations, however.

We'd head back to the car and drive back to Pawley's Island where Jack and Janet are staying at the Fourth Generation House on Jack Rabbit Run Rd. (shout-out to Sue at Tide Life Vacations for finding them such lovely accomodations).

Huntington Beach SP, Georgetown, South Carolina, US
Apr 22, 2026 1:09 PM - 4:59 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.108 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Mostly sunny, 75F, winds S 15-20mph, North Jetty.
55 species (+1 other taxa)

Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)  2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  1
Sora (Porzana carolina)  1
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)  4
American Coot (Fulica americana)  6
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)  1
American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)  1
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)  90
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)  70
Wilson's Plover (Anarhynchus wilsonia)  5
Hudsonian Whimbrel (Numenius hudsonicus)  4
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)  120
Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)  6
Willet (Eastern) (Tringa semipalmata semipalmata)  14
Willet (Western) (Tringa semipalmata inornata)  4
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  4
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)  18
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)  2
Sanderling (Calidris alba)  24
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)  3
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  120
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)  4
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)  2
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)  1
Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)  150     North Jetty breeding area. Conservative estimate.
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)  12
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)  1
Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)  4
Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)  36
Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)  8
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  2
White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)  1
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)  2
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)  1
Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)  1
Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)  2
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)  2
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  5
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  2
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)  8
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  8
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  1
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)  1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  1
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)  1
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  6
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)  2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  3
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  3
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  6
Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)  1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  5
Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)  3

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S325659846

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

We cleaned up and then made our way to Quigley's for dinner where we met Ken and Julie. Afterward we walked out back of the restaurant to their retention pond to look for Rough-winged Swallows but they were already roosting for the evening.

41 St Paul Pl, Pawleys Island US-SC 33.48664, -79.10036, Georgetown, South Carolina, US
Apr 22, 2026 7:49 PM - 7:55 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments:     Clear, 65F
2 species

Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S325729082

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

Chuck-will's Widow roost in the area and Ken knew a few spots where several had been seen the past few weeks. So we took a drive at dusk to a few places where several birds were heard calling their diagnostic "CHUCK-WILLS-WIDOW" but could only produce a few glimpses of the birds moving through the trees. I had brought a headlamp and managed to see a couple of eye-shines about 100' away but the birds were not staying put. Still, it was a great way to end my first day back here in Georgetown, SC!

433 Wildcat Way, Pawleys Island US-SC 33.49023, -79.09751, Georgetown, South Carolina, US
Apr 22, 2026 8:02 PM - 8:37 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.493 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Clear, calm, 65F
2 species

Chuck-will's-widow (Antrostomus carolinensis)  5
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S325743323

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

I'd Facetime w/ Robin (and Cocoa) before calling it a night!

Tomorrow Ken, Jack and I will chase rarities in Georgetown County!