Mingo Point: A Kiawah Island birding hotspot

Local and visiting birders searching for "birdy" areas on Kiawah Island are often directed by Kiawah Naturalists to Mingo Point.

Perhaps best known as the site of the resort's Monday Night Oyster Roast and BBQ, Mingo Point is also an excellent place for birding. Resort Naturalists maintain a variety of bird feeders (including sunflower, njyer, and nectar feeders) near their kayak outpost. 

In recent years, a number of rare or uncommon birds have been observed at or near Mingo Point. Some recent birds of note include: Yellow-headed Blackbird, Roseate Spoonbill, Philadelphia Vireo, Canada Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Magnificent Frigatebird (from the river near Mingo Point), and American White Pelican.

During the breeding season, Mingo Point is a solid spot for Brown-headed Nuthatch, Painted Bunting, Pileated, Downy, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Northern Parula, Yellow-throated Warbler, Fish Crow, Clapper Rail, wading birds, Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, and, occasionally, Summer Tanager. 

Overview of Mingo Point:

Habitat: Mingo Point consists primarily of three plant communities: salt marsh, salt shrub thicket, and maritime forest.

Location: southwest end of the island. Located after the Kiawah River Bridge but before the first security gate. It is approximately 4 minutes (or 1.7 miles) from the traffic circle by Freshfields Village as you drive to the entrance of Kiawah Island.

**Owner: Mingo Point is private property-- owned and operated by the Kiawah Island Golf Resort. The golf resort runs fishing charters, motorboat, kayak, and paddleboard tours from this property. Mingo Point is not open to the public for unsupervised, personal fishing, shrimping, crabbing, or motorized boat launches (even if you are a Kiawah Island Property owner or resort guest). What does that mean? Simple: if you want to play, you have to pay. And you must pay and have permission from the resort in order to launch your own kayak, canoe, or paddleboard from Mingo Point. If you have questions about what you are allowed to do at Mingo Point, call the Kiawah Island Golf Resort.
Note: Resort Security regularly checks the property for trespassers, nefarious characters, illegally parked cars, and the like.
You can still visit the property and look around and ask questions. And birders are always welcome there.
Birding at Mingo Point can be done by walking around the parking lots and visiting the feeders near the Kayak Outpost which is located to the far left (southwest) side of the property.