2 CAVE SWALLOWS at Caw Caw in Ravenel, SC

["Paul Champlin" <skua99@hotmail.com>]

Hi Folks,

A friend and I checked out Folly Beach (both ends) for swallows today, after 
trying to find the thrush on James Island (better directions would have been 
good… like “continue beyond where the road turns to dirt”). ORANGE-CROWNED 
WARBLER and MERLIN topped the list for the island, but no swallows. We were 
on our way to Edisto Beach to see if the winds might have pushed swallows to 
the point… but we never made it there.

At 2:30 we stopped in at Caw Caw Interp. Center on Rt. 17 (# 5200 to be 
exact) in Ravenel and headed out into the wetlands ($4 each). It was well 
worth it… there, a single CAVE SWALLOW passed every 15 to 20 minutes, 
offering the best looks right when we got there. At that point it was 
feeding off of the surface of the water within 30 feet of us. Later it was 
quite high (200 feet), but then twice was low enough to see well. The last 2 
passes it made it was accompanied by a near-identical twin (2 CAVE SWALLOWS 
seen in the same scope-view). The birds are both buffy-throated and dark 
foreheaded, with one having a slightly darker rump than the other. The 
maximum number of TREE SWALLOWS seen at any one time was 22.

Directions while in the park: We best saw the bird(s) as they came in and 
fed over the Wading Bird Sanctuary (that’s the name of the pool… the 
furthest pool to the east). Even if you arrive there earlier in the day bet 
on this pool. I got the impression that that the birds feed more over this 
pool than any other. The pool can be viewed with the sun pretty much at ones 
back at any time of day.

Note that the majority of the CAVE SWALLOWS have been found in locations 
where the birds did NOT cross water... they seem to be hugging the coast, 
but not crossing inlets etc. This was the case in the midatlantic, and seems 
to be holding true here. The point is that (as a model) Edisto would be a 
better bet than Folly, because it is more landlocked than Folly (it is also 
south-facing instead of north).

By the way Caw Caw is south of Charleston, SC by about 20 minutes.

Looking at the bird list for Caw Caw, I wonder if anyone has ever tried for 
Black or Yellow Rails. Looks great for them as well as Le Conte's

On another note: I claimed Mottled Ducks at Phinizy last weekend… The three 
of us are now not nearly as certain about the ID of these birds.

Cheers
Paul Champlin
New Ellenton, SC




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