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Re: Inquirey about the swallowtail kite field you reported



Donald,

I went down to the kite spot near Allendale today and found only three
kites -- two Swallow-tailed Kites and one Mississippi Kite. I also found two
other Swallow-tailed Kites in the plantation country near the Savannah River
in southern Allendale County (Road 41, Cohens Bluff Road, east of SC 3, see
DeLorme Atlas , page 61, C-9). The Swallow-tailed Kites in NC are less
reliable. You should know that most of our Swallow-tailed Kites here in SC
leave the state in early August, since they go all the way down to Brazil.
The stakeouts might not work. You have to be prepared to look around a
little bit, especially near the Savannah River.

If you come down for the kites you should be prepared to check out a lot of
the boat landings along the Savannah River in Allendale, Hampton, and Jasper
Counties. The best spots for the kites are those near the Webb Center in
Hampton County, and also along the river is Jasper County north of I-95,
such as B&C Landing, near Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage Preserve.

Here are my suggestions for looking for Swallow-tailed Kites along the
Savannah River in South Carolina.

1. Becks Ferry Landing, at the end of Road 170, near Hardeeville, Jasper
County, SC (Delorme, p. 62, B-2). There are Bachman's Sparrows and
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers long Road 170 (private property -- stay on the
road).

2. B&C Landing, end of Road 201, Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage Preserve,
Jasper County, SC (DeLorme p. 58, G-1)

3. Stokes Bluff Landing, near the Webb Center, Hampton County (DeLorme, p
58, F-1).

4. Along Road 20 in Hampton County, near Shirley. This is the road by the
Webb Center, where there are Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Purple Gallinules,
and Bachman's Sparrows. (DeLorme p. 61, F-10).

5. Cohens Bluff Landing, Allendale County (DeLorme, p. 61, C-9). There are
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and Bachman's Sparrows along Road 49 nearby,
DeLorme p. 61, C-10).

6. The pastures along Road 19 south of Allendale (DeLorme, p. 52, G-4).

7. Little Hell Landing (DeLorme p. 52, F-1).

Of course the landing on the Georgia side of the Savannah River are just as
good for Swallow-tailed Kites. At the river landings in SC you often see
birds in GA, and visa versa.

If you want a sure thing Swallow-tailed Kite go to south Florida where they
can be abundant in the Everglades.

There are lots of cheap motels in Allendale and Hampton Counties, SC. Check
out Allendale, Fairfax, Estill, Hampton, and many other places. These are
older motels, not usually chain motels, and they are very inexpensive. If
you want a chain motel then stay on I-95, where they are abundant.

I spent the day today in Allendale, Hampton, and Aiken Counties, where I
watched Common Moorhen families At Lake Warren near Hampton, listened to
Little Blue Herons complain, enjoyed the song of the Bachman's Sparrow (in
the plantation county near the Savannah River). At one time today I was
listening to Bachman's Sparrows sing while watching two Swallow-tailed Kites
swooping overhead. Birding does not get much better than that!

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

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Donald Sweig
  To: rcarter@sc.rr.com
  Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2003 5:33 PM
  Subject: Inquirey about the swallowtail kite field you reported


  Mr. Carter,

   I live in  Virginia, just outside D.C.    I saw the report you posted
about the 35+ swallowtail kites in the field south of Allendale in S.C.
I have your book,  and have used it in years past but cannot find any info
on where to see such assemblages of kites.  I have seen kites only on the
Santee delta before and would be interested in driving down to see the birds
you saw in this field.   It is, however, a LONG  drive.   So, I would want
to be reasonably sure the birds were likely to be there before I came.  I
could not come until at least next Thursday or Friday.   Do you know if the
kites are there most days or every day this time of year?.   Do you have any
idea how much longer they might be there.?   Can you tell me about what time
of day you saw the kites there?  Was it a sunny day ( I have found that I
can only see kites on the Santee on sunny days)?    I do not have a SC
Delorme (though I will get one if I come); but I assume from your directions
and what I can find on the maps on the web that it should be simple enough
to go south from Allendale on Rt.-19 , look for the Revolutionary Trail
intersection, and then begin to look for the kites.  Think so??   I would
appreciate any info you could send me about seeing these birds.



  Also I understand that there are often large numbers of STKT flying over
the dykes at the Savannanh River NWR near Savannah, Georgia.  Do you know
anything about this.  Again, I would appreciate any advice, suggestions you
could give me. Thank you.



  Donald Sweig

  Falls Church, Virginia

  703-573-6607

  dsweig@cox.net



  P.S.:  Do you have any recommendations on a good place to stay in this
area??