November SIB Activities

SIB has plenty of activities leading up to the holidays. Get in a bit of fun, fresh (low humidity) air, and exercise before the holidays take place.

Wine & Backyard Birding at Marsh Hen

When: Thursday, November 3, 2022, 3:00 pm-5:00 pm
Location: 2335 Marsh Hen Drive
Max: 12
Cost: None for members; $10 donation for guests

Join SIB for wine and backyard birding at the home of Carole and Rick Heilman Their home is a beautiful, large wooded lot that has many songbird visitors. There are Wild Turkeys there too! The Heilmans have an elaborate bird feeding system set up on two sides of the yard with a nice seating area. There will be wine and light snacks served for those who want, with an outside deck and inside porch for bird viewing. Please come in from the front door.

As always, be sure to bring your water, binoculars, hats and sunscreen.

Please register no later than Tuesday, November 1 by 10:00 am. All registrants will receive a confirmation letter on November 2 .

Beyond our Backyard – Biking & Birding the Greenway

When: Wednesday, November 9, 2022, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Meet at the parking area for West Ashley Greenway (McLeod Mill Rd. near Main Rd./SR S 10-20)
Max: 12
Cost: None for members; $10 donation for guests

Grab your bike and join us as we bike the West Ashley Greenway! This trail stretches about eight miles from Johns Island to the South Windermere Shopping Center on Folly Road (parking available at either end). The trail is open from dawn to dusk. It’s 100 feet wide and mostly hard-packed dirt and some asphalt. Plus, the trail is flat so it’s great for beginner bikers and kids. For the most part, the trail runs parallel to U.S. Highway 17 past neighborhoods, parks and marshes so there’s plenty to see. The City of Charleston Department of Parks has confirmed motorized handicap scooters may utilize the Greenway for this activity so some members may want to “bike” the Greenway in their scooters.

On Johns Island, the dirt gives way to rough gravel and narrow bridge crossings (beach/mountain bikes are better than road bikes on this section). Here the broad wetlands flank the trail, presenting magnificent views and rewarding bird sightings. If our timing is right, we may catch sight of the tidal flow that carved these lacework channels.

The map of this Rails-to-Trails site can be found here.

Join several SIB Executive Committee Members for this biking & birding trip at the West Ashley Greenway. We hope to see shorebirds like egrets, herons and Roseate Spoonbills in the tidal marsh areas. We should see/hear some of our winter residents like Eastern Phoebe, Northern Flicker and Palm Warbler. Birds of prey are also common to see flying overhead. Fifty eight species were seen or heard when we did this ride in December 2021 .

Be sure to bring binoculars, camera, hats, sunscreen, bug repellant, snacks and water. Once we complete our ride, some participants will likely visit Angel Oak Cafe for lunch where all are welcome to join us.

Please register no later than Monday, November 7, 2022. All registrants will receive a confirmation letter the day prior to the event.

Learning Together at North Beach

When: Tuesday November 15, 2022 10:00 am – 12:00 am (high tide: 12:44 pm)
Location: Meet at Boardwalk # 1 parking lot
Max: None
Cost: Free for members; $10 donation for guests

Join SIB Shorebird Steward leader, Mark Andrews, to bird at Seabrook Island’s North Beach. This three mile round trip walk travels from Board Walk #1 to the tip of North Beach along Captain Sam’s Inlet as high tide approaches. Birders from beginners to advanced will enjoy the variety of birds found on North Beach. At this time of year, many different species of shorebirds rest and feed near the point or along the beach ridge near the beach’s pond. Along the way, we will explore the many different species that can be found in this unique area. Piping Plovers and other winter residents should have returned from their summer nesting areas.

As always, be sure to bring your binoculars/cameras, hats and sunscreen. There should be spotting scopes available for viewing. Bring plenty to drink and a snack if desired. There are no facilities.

Please register no later than November 13. All registrants will receive a confirmation letter on November 14, the day prior to the trip. If you need to cancel, please let us know so we can invite people on the waitlist to attend.

Beyond Our Backyard – Caw Caw County Park

When: Nov 18, 2022, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Where: Caw Caw Interpretive Center, 5200 Savannah Hwy. Ravenel

Carpool: Meet at Seabrook Island Real Estate Office at 8:15 am. The drive is approximately 40 minutes.

Cost: Free to members, $5 for non- members (Park entrance fee is $2 per adult, or a gold pass)

Join SIB at Caw Caw County Park as we look for resident wintering birds. The park is comprised of three colonial era rice fields, fresh, brackish, saltwater marshes, cypress-tupelo swamps, bottomland, and beech-holly forests. All told, these varied habitats comprise a total of 654 acres with six miles of trails. Over 250 bird species have been observed within the boundaries of Caw Caw.

Some of the bird species we may find during this time of the year include wading birds, ducks, Eastern Phoebe, Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, Ruby and Golden Crowned Kinglets, Red Breasted Nuthatch, Bobolink, Yellow Throated Warbler, Blue Headed Vireos, Pine Warbler, Northern Paula, White-Eyed Vireo, Wilson’s Snipe, Loggerhead Shrike, Rusty Blackbird, Brown Creeper, Winter Wrens and a variety of raptors.

Appropriate footwear is recommended, as a likely walking distance of two miles is expected, and even during dry spells, wet trail conditions may be encountered. Participants should also consider these other items to maximize their comfort and enjoyment: binoculars, bug spray, sunscreen, hats, layered clothing to adjust to the morning’s weather, field guides if print is your preference, eyeglass – lens cleaner, water, snacks, camera, and a pack or shoulder bag for your needs.

Please register prior to Nov 15, 2022. You will receive a confirmation letter the day prior to the event.

Learning Together on Crooked Oaks Golf Course

When: Monday, November 21, 2022, 8:30 am – 10:30 am
Location: Meet at Island House (Golf Course Parking Lot next to Spinnaker Beach Houses) for ride along the golf course in golf carts
Max: 24 (If all seats in golf carts are used)
Cost: Free for members; $10 donation for guests – Priority will be given to prior waitlisted & members

The Seabrook Island Club closes one course a day each week and allows SIB to use golf carts to travel the course to bird. Join us for a morning of birding by riding in golf carts for at least 9-holes on Crooked Oaks golf course. We expect to see a large variety of birds including Egrets, Herons and birds of prey. We will also see and hear some of the smaller birds like Tufted Titmice, Eastern Bluebirds, Northern Cardinals, Carolina Wrens and some of the many warbler species.

Since it is fall/winter, we can also expect to see Eastern Phoebes, Northern Flickers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Belted Kingfishers, Double-crested Cormorants, Bald Eagles, and more!

As always, be sure to bring your binoculars/cameras, hats and sunscreen. Water will be provided.

Please register no later than Friday prior to the trip. All registrants will receive a confirmation letter on the day prior to the trip. If you need to cancel, please let us know so we can invite people on the waitlist to attend.

Learning Together – Camp St. Christopher Conference Center

When: Friday, November 25, 2022, 8:00 am-11:00 am
Where: Meet at bus parking lot at St. Christopher
Max: 10
Cost: Voluntary donation to Camp St.Christopher

Come walk off the bird by doing some birding!!! Explore the lakes, lagoons, paths and slough at St. Christopher. This event will have one to two miles of walking over uneven terrain. We should see all the usual suspects, but will also hopefully get a look at our some of our winter friends-Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Yellow-rumped Warbler and sparrows.

Bring sun block, bug spray, a hat, water and binoculars. We are asking our attendees to make a voluntary contribution to Camp St. Christopher to help support their efforts after a few trying years.

Please register no later than Wednesday, November 23, 2021. All registrants will receive a confirmation letter on Thursday, November 24, 2022. If you need to cancel, please let us know so we can invite people on the waitlist to attend.

Beyond our Backyard – Kiawah Preserve

When: Tuesday, November 29, 2022, 8:00 am-11:00 am
Location: Meet at the parking lot by The Station at Freshfields at 8:00 am
Max: There is a limit of 12 people, in three cars. Passes for Kiawah will be obtained the night before
Cost: None for members; $10 donation for guests

We will be birding through a well maintained trail through a variety of habitats including wetlands, maritime forest, ponds and a waterway. There’s an observation tower for those who would like to do some climbing to get a better view. Hopefully, we will see some late migrants, as well as birds that are overwintering there.

As always, be sure to bring your binoculars, hats, water and sunscreen.

All registrants will receive a confirmation letter on Monday, November 28.

Backyard Birding at Cat Tail Pond

When: Thursday, December 1, 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Location: 2500 Cat Tail Pond
Max: 12
Cost: None for 2022 members; $10 donation for guests

Come join us in Paula and Bob’s Adamson’s backyard. They live right on the golf course and have six feeders plus a birdbath and two bluebird boxes. They even have two owl boxes. Many birds can be seen from the deck or the yard. In addition to birds, they have turkeys, squirrels, bunnies, raccoons and possums.