Latest posts
SIB Travels: To Canada and Alaska – Part Three
If Alaska isn’t on your bucket list, you might want to add it. Whether for the scenery, wildlife, or history, Alaska is a formidable and impressive destination, and one that appeals to people from all walks of life. The last leg of our journey would be a combination of sea and land, taking us to…
SIB Reports: The Chronicles of Woody Jr
Shar and her good friend Gloria Wilson regularly do water aerobics at our POA Pool, next to our townhouse. On or about July 17th their attention was drawn to a partially dead birch tree, just outside the fence next to our entry road. What got their attention were bird calls, which they quickly identified as…
Did you know: Birds Beaks Adapt to food
Every bird course I’ve taken tells you to look at the bird’s beak to help in the identification. After researching how birds eat large items, beak shape became more interesting….so a study in beaks…. The beak – also known as the bill – has two parts: the upper mandible and the lower mandible. The upper…
SIB “Bird of the Week” – Black Skimmer
Black Skimmer – Rynchops nigerLength: 18″; Wingspan: 44″; Weight: 11 oz. We are among a lucky few to have the Black Skimmer along our beaches. As you can see from the map below, this dramatic and beautiful bird populates only a very small portion of the United States. Aside from its striking black and white…
Satellite Tagged Red Knots Are Headed Back From the High Canadian Arctic
On August ninth, Felicia Sanders, lead Coastal Bird Biologist with SCDNR, sent word that two of the Red Knots tagged with satellite transmitters were headed back south after spending the summer nesting in the Arctic islands of Canada’s far-north. Felicia has been sending updates with maps since early May, when the birds were first captured…
Take the “Plirding” Pledge
During our birding tour last month, we noticed trash along the mile long stretch of dirt road we were birding. That’s when I introduced my two nieces and the group to “plirding.” What is “plirding” you ask? “Plirding” is picking up litter while birding, and was inspired by “plogging” (picking up litter while jogging). I…
Missouri bald eagle that incubated rock now cares for eaglet
In April, many of you may have seen on Facebook or other websites that a Bald Eagle (Murphy) was incubating a rock. This week, SIB member George Haskins sent us an update he saw in his local newspaper. The 31-year-old eagle is now fostering an eaglet. It seems to be an appropriate Father’s Day update.…
SIB Explores: River of Raptors
You’ve read numerous “SIB Travel” blogs about birding trips taken by members. SIB members often hear about bird walks, festivals or tours that may interest others but not an official SIB activity. If you hear of something, let us know by sending the information to SeabrookIslandBirders@gmail.com. You can share, even if you don’t plan to…
Best Bird Dads – Happy Father’s Day from SIB!
As I sit in my favorite “office” writing this (which is our screened porch, overlooking our back yard and feeders), I can’t help but notice a male Eastern Bluebird. He’s flying back and forth, from the trees to the nest box we added this year. He’s definitely working overtime, delivering food to his hungry family.…
Ask SIB: Can birds choke on large food?
Question: I recently encountered a dead Laughing Gull on the beach with a fish in it’s mouth. Could have he choked on this? I’ve seen birds eating extremely large items without any apparent problem. Response: A Google search didn’t result in many responses. When humans choke, it’s because food (often poorly chewed) gets lodged in…