HBSP on 6-19

[Jack Peachey <ppaw@sccoast.net>]

Hi Carolinabirders,
	Today, June 19, I birded at Huntington Beach S.P., Murrells Inlet,
Georgetown County, SC.  My companions were a birding couple from
Connecticut, who called me for advice on where to go birding in the Grand
Strand and I invited them to join me since I was doing a shorebird survey
anyway. It is always good to have two more sets of eyes. This couple was
most pleasant company highlighted by their delight in the good breeding
birds of the park and their interest in butterflies. The areas covered
were: causeway, jetty ponds, jetty, relic road leading back to the beach,
Kerrigan Trail and its overlook of Mullet Pond, and 3/4's of the carriage
path. 50 species were id'd.

Brown Pelican-10
Double-crested Cormorant-1
Least Bittern-1 seen from the Kerrigan Trail overlook
Great Blue Heron-2
Great Egret-4
Snowy Egret-5
Little Blue Heron-2 both adults
Tricolored Heron-2
Green Heron-2
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron-1 immature
Wood Stork-8
Osprey-2
Common Moorhen-1
Black-bellied Plover-7 all in basic plumage
Wilson's Plover-6 three adults, three chicks
Semipalmated Plover-2 both in basic plumage
Am. Oystercatcher-1
Black-necked Stilt-3 all appeared to be adults along east edge of Mullet
Pond, if they successfully bred there I should be seeing juveniles soon.
Greater Yellowlegs-1 True to form an individual of this species showed up
in mid-June. This one was not in really great breeding plumage. 
Willet-21 
Ruddy Turnstone-10
Laughing Gull-15
Ring-billed Gull-3
Royal Tern-50 all that I saw were adults
Common Tern-1 immature obvious carpal bar
Forster's Tern-6 breeding plumage adults
Least Tern-75 about a third of them were juveniles
Mourning Dove-3
Chimney Swift-6
Ruby-throated Hummingbird-1 on the carriage path where there is lots of
Trumpet Creeper in bloom
Hairy Woodpecker-2 one seen and one heard nearby.  
Great Crested Flycatcher-2
E. Kingbird-1 adult
Purple Martin-4
Barn Swallow-12
Blue Jay-1
Am. Crow-1 id'd by voice
Fish Crow-1 id'd by voice
Carolina Chickadee-1 heard only.  
Tufted Titmouse-1 heard only
Carolina Wren-1 heard only
N. Mockingbird-4
N. Cardinal-4
Painted Bunting-1 heard only
E. Towhee-4
Red-winged Blackbird-2
Boat-tailed Grackle-14
Brown-headed Cowbird-5 including a flyby flock of 4-ugh!
Orchard Oriole-3 one was a first year male

There was an interesting standing black capped medium sized tern in the
jetty pond area which had the underwing pattern of Arctic, seem when it
took off, but the bill color was all wrong for that species. The tail of
the bird could not be seen because of crowding.

Good birding, good company.

Jack
 


 

  
Jack Peachey
Conway, SC