Birdy Days are Here

The bird action has definitely stepped up a notch these past couple days. We owe the weather a big debt of gratitude. 

The Kiawah Island Banding Station and Naturalists in the field have noted some solid migrants recently. 

While leading an afternoon motorboat tour this past Saturday on the Kiawah River, Matt Arnold observed an American Avocet flying toward Captain Sam's Inlet. We don't typically see many American Avocets on Kiawah, and when we do, it's generally this time of year during their migration south. (as a side note, we do get overwintering American Avocets here in South Carolina).

Naturalist and Captain, Brad Schmoll, of the Kiawah Island Golf Resort, observed and photographed two Roseate Spoonbills just off Kiawah Island near the entrance to Cassique. The spoonbills were spotted in a marsh creek that attracts lots of wading birds, including Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Tricolored Herons, and Wood Storks.

While bird banding on Captain Sam's Spit today, we got a phone call from Matt Arnold alerting us that Mingo Point was dripping with migrant birds. Chestnut-sided, Yellow, and Worm-eating Warblers were a few noteworthy warblers spotted at Mingo Point. 

The banding station has also been busy. A few species that stand out include, Worm-eating Warbler, Summer Tanager, Prothonotary Warbler, Acadian, Willow, Alder, and "Traill's" Flycatchers, Black-and-white Warbler, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and Blue Grosbeak.

A note about Empidonax flycatchers and the "Traill's" Flycatcher (taken from the kiawah island banding station blog):

"Empidonax flycatcher are notoriously difficult to identify outside of the breeding season when they are not singing.  They all virtually look identical and a series of tedious measurements are needed to determine species.  It is even more difficult to separate Alder and Willow Flycatchers.  Oftentimes even after taking the measurements, you still cannot separate them and they have to go down as "Traill's" Flycatchers. "

--Traill's Flycatcher used to be a species but was split into Alder and Willow Flycatchers by the AOU in 1973)

We are looking forward to more good birding opportunities this weekend, assuming the weather cooperates and the rain lets up enough.