HBSP on 7-15

[Jack Peachey <ppaw@sccoast.net>]

Hi Carolinabirders,
	Yesterday, I birded at Huntington Beach S.P., Murrells Inlet, Georgetown
County, SC. I was alone but met up with a Colorado birder who was overjoyed
with his two life warblers that we were able to find and also with the male
Painted Bunting.  The weather was really pleasant with temperatures in the
mid 70's to low 80's with little humidity.  It had been that way for the
previous two days and will continue today with temps and humidity steadily
rising to normal for summer over the next two days. The person at the fee
booth said that Saturday there were over 5,000 visitors to the park.  A
tribute to the fine job that SC Dept of Parks Recreation and Tourism does
in managing the park for multiple uses. Next up for updating the park
checklist are jaegers,gulls, terns and alcids (auks)especially interested
in dates of sightings (need month) for Little Gull, Black-headed Gull,
Franklin's Gull, Glaucous, Iceland any Murre, Dovekie, Black Guillemot,
Razorbill, REMINDER-Any bird that is out of place in regard to range and
season at the park should be noted and e-mailed to me or the park
naturalist (Steve Roff) see the address in the header or enter in the
sightings logs located around the park.  
	The new Nature Center is finished, including painting and only awaits
completion and installation of the exhibits. A September opening is still
anticipated. I'll  keep you posted. At the opening ceremonies I intend to
hoist a glass of grape juice or a suitable derivative in a toast to its
success.    
	There were some migrant shorebirds (but no peep) and two of the three
warblers were also movers.  Places covered were the causeway both sides the
Kerrigan Trail and overlook, carriage path and old entrance road to "the hole"
(the low spot in the former entrance road that has a creek running under it).
A little bit more singing attributable to the cooler temps. 35 species.

Great Blue Heron-2
Great Egret-6
Snowy Egret-5
Little Blue Heron-2 one adult and one white immature
Tricolored Heron-2
Green Heron-3
White Ibis-3
Wood Stork-5
Turkey Vulture-2
Common Moorhen-1
Black-necked Stilt-2 This year I have not seen any juvenile birds.
Willet-3
Whimbrel-1 fly over heading south
Shorebird sp. Seen in flight. Large brown Sandpiper with long slightly
curved bill and long pale brown(not yellow)legs and long white rump
including tail coverts. Seemed larger than a yellowlegs, not a Willet. ???
Couldn't find a match in Sibley, Any ideas.
Short-billed Dowitcher-2 adult breeding
Laughing Gull-2
Caspian Tern-1
Mourning Dove-3
Chimney Swift-1
Red-headed Woodpecker-1 juvenile
Red-bellied Woodpecker-2 heard only
Eastern Wood-Pewee-2
Great Crested Flycathcer-4
Purple Martin-3
Carolina Chickadee-3
Tufted Titmouse-2 heard only
White-breasted Nuthatch-1 heard only
Carolina Wren-5
N. Mockingbird-2
Brown Thrasher-3
Pine Warbler-6 family group
Prairie Warbler-1 
Prothonotary Warbler-1
N. Cardinal-3
Indigo Bunting-2
Painted Bunting-1 male, as usual this year singing right at the east end of
the causeway.

The day was excellent, and the birds were pretty good too.

Jack


   







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Jack Peachey
Conway, SC