SWALLOW-TAILED KITE
Photo by John Schwarz
Each year in early March I find myself hoping that each trip outside will yield my first Swallow-tailed Kite sighting. During my programs I will say things like, "about this time last year...", or "you never know when you'll see the first one....", all with an intense hope that today will be the day. For me, yesterday, March 14, was the day for 2009. At least I was leading a birdwalk, and not repeatedly directing the attention of participants to the sky during a walk for say, early spring flowers...
So, I dropped the bird's name a few times and lingered in areas that would give us a good view should she appear. Sometimes the name-dropping technique really gives the impression that it works! As we gazed out over a salt-marsh, looking at the white necks of Great Egrets extend above the Spartina, I turned around and looked up to see it. I tried to speak with what little breath I had left, which didn't quite work, so a quick inhale allowed me to quickly shout it's name. Many murmurs of exclamation followed as the bird soared overhead at a mere 75ft or so. What is daily routine to this animal creates awe in us birdwatchers. There is effortless grace in its flight that still somehow carries a sense of strength and power.
As it was still overhead, a flock of about 200 White Ibis flew between us and the kite. We could hear the flaps of their wings and watched them land in nearby trees. Most were juvenile, and quite a few were well on their way to adult plumage. It was truly a moment of sensory overload. I love those moments when you have no choice but to just soak it all up in silence. By the time they settled in the trees, the kite was a mere speck in the distant sky. Still, we had a great, although brief, look at my favorite bird.
CONSERVATION NOTES: This is an endangered bird in South Carolina! There are an estimated 120-170 breeding pairs in the state during summer months. It is also a species of high concern in all of its range in the US. The SC coast has quite a few places that are suitable for them. Large swampy areas such as the Caw Caw swamp are excellent places to see one. Learn more about the current status of this bird and how you can help here.
Leatherback Hatchlings
With the first post to my new blog I have a couple of goals. The first is to dive right in and begin sharing my adventures in coastal South Carolina. The second is to see how these posts will appear in the blog layout. I've slowly been adjusting the blog to look more like I want it to, which is rather time consuming for me considering I have no experience with html code. I'm okay with it how it is now, but I have a feeling that may change as I add posts and widgets.I've been curious about nature for as long as I can remember, but there was a pivotal moment for me as a young adult that led me to pursue my curiosities as a profession today. That moment would involve our state reptile, the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta). It was on Jekyll Island in Georgia, and I just happened to witness hatchling Loggerheads boiling out of the sand to begin their long (or short) journey in the Atlantic. I was silent for so long, thinking about how incredible it was that these creatures could march so fearlessly into the great unknown. Following the path of the turtles, I decided to move forward, awkwardly at first, like the turtles on the sand, toward a life of study and sharing in the world of environmental science. And so, it seems fitting that I talk about this event in my first post.
The pictures I'm sharing here are of hatchlings of the rarest kind here in South Carolina - Leatherback Sea Turtles (Dermochelys coriaea)! Again, I just happened upon the turtles, but this time during an inventory of a nest on Folly Beach in 2008. These have been taken out of the nest by hand and given a shot at surviving an improbable journey in the ocean. Here's a quick tip on identifying a Leatherback crawl - they don't alternate their flipper strokes across the sand, so the marks will be side by side, and they are known for making circles as they make their way to the surf!
I will be sharing lots of information that you will find useful in your outdoor ramblings. Always feel free to comment, ask questions, and share your knowledge as well! It is through other people that I have learned the most.
