Finding coastal plains specialities near Edisto Beach, SC

["Robin Carter" <rcarter@sc.rr.com>]

Skip and Carolina Birders,

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Bachman's Sparrows, and Swallow-tailed Kites.
These seem to be, along with Mississippi Kites, Painted Buntings and
Swainson's Warblers, the main bird species that visiting birders want to
find along the South Carolina coast. (If you want Black Rails you are better
off in North Carolina or Florida.) Fortunately most of these species are
rather easy to find in South Carolina during the breeding season.

While there are plenty of Bachman's  Sparrows at the Aiken Gopher Tortoise
Heritage Preserve this area is not especially close to Edisto Beach. A
better place to find Bachman's Sparrows, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, and
Swallow-tailed Kites is in the Francis Marion National Forest, along US 17
northeast of Charleston. Stop in at the Seewee Visitors Center along US 17
for information about birding in the national forest area. A good place for
both Bachman's Sparrows and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers is at the Santee
Coastal Preserve, in the pine woods along the entrance road. A good place
for Swallow-tailed Kite is the Santee Delta Wildlife Management Area, along
US 17 where US 17 crosses over the South and North Santee Rivers. There is a
parking lot on the south (right hand side of US 17 as you go towards
Georgetown) side, just before the bridge over the North Santee River. For
the woodpeckers and Bachman's Sparrow I personally like the Halfway Creek
Road, which runs through the national forest along the Charleston --
Berkeley County line, but there are lots of other great little spots in the
Francis Marion if you take the time to poke around a bit. This forest is one
of the best places left anywhere to find Red-cockaded Woodpecker.

Bachman's Sparrows are rather wide spread. They occur in just about every
county of the state, though they can be very tough to find in the Upper
Piedmont. You can even find them fairly near Edisto Beach. Look and listen
for them on private lands (old growth pine woods) along the road to the
Grove Plantation Unit of ACE Basin NWR. Observe from the road side, since
this is private land. This is about 30 minutes drive from Edisto Beach (or
less).

Two good places for Swallow-tailed Kite near Edisto Beach are at Caw Caw
County Park, on US 17 near Ravenel, and also at West Bank Landing on the
Edisto River. To get to West Bank Landing from Edisto Beach, go to US 17 and
turn southwest, towards Georgia. Cross over the Edisto River at the town of
Jacksonboro. In Jacksonboro look for a secondary road south, with a sign
"Edisto River Access". Follow this road south, along the river, for a couple
of miles to a boat landing. If you watch and wait from the convinient bench
near the landing you will see a lot of good birds. Eventually one of the
local Swallow-tailed Kites will fly by, as well as numerous Mississippi
Kites. Other species to watch for here include Osprey, Bald Eagle, Wood
Stork, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, White Ibis, and many others.

While you are at Edisto do not fail to visit Bear Island WMA and Donnelley
WMA, south of the village of Green Pond on US 17, just a few miles beyond
Jacksonboro. These areas have some of the best birding in the state. You
will also see dozens of alligators.

Robin Carter
Columbia, SC
rcarter@sc.rr.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Skip Hyberg" <Skip_Hyberg@wdc.usda.gov>
To: <rcarter@sc.rr.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2002 8:09 AM
Subject: Robin


Robin

I hope you do not mind my writing. I read your posting re the Aiken county
on the Carolinas bird list. I will be vacationing in Edisto Beach for 2
weeks at the end of June and begining of July.  I plan to do a lot of
birding and nature viewing.  I have 3 target birds the Bachman's sparrow,
Red-cockaded Woodpecker, and the Swallow tailed Kite.  I copied your
discussion on the sparrow. Do you any suggestions regarding the  RCW or STK?

Thank you in advance.

Skip hyberg