Some of the widest variety of winged creatures can be found right here in Lake Murray Country and the Saluda, Broad and Congaree River areas. Saluda Shoals, along the banks of the beautiful Saluda River, is a 480-acre area park operated by the Irmo- Chapin Recreation Commission. That’s not to mention the Congaree National Park in Richland County, which is internationally famous for birding enthusiasts.
Along with Saluda Shoals Park, although not claiming to be complete, top birdwatching spots in our local area include Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve and Timmerman Trail, Fourteen Mile Creek Trail, Gibson Road Soccer Complex, Lake Murray Dam and Bomb Island, Cayce and West Columbia Riverwalks, Gibson’s Pond Park and Shealy’s Pond Heritage Preserve.
You don’t have to go far to witness some of the best birdwatching experiences in the country. Right here in South Carolina we are fortunate to have a truly world-class opportunity at Lake Murray’s Bomb Island. During the summer, more than a million Purple Martins roost for the summer on the island, traveling from their winter home in South America from late June to early August, with numbers peaking in July. Many of us have seen their huge cloud of black dots in the distance as they descend on the island each evening in a feeding frenzy. Many times they will disperse into a 100 mile radius.
Congaree National Park is known to be home to some 200 bird species. Although that number is not considered high for a particular area, the park is known for the sheer number of birds present at any given time of year. In addition, the national park is an ideal habitat for migrant birds, especially for populations looking for a suitable nesting site or wintering grounds. Almost all of South Carolina’s woodpeckers have been recorded at Congaree National Park, including the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and the Red-cockaded Woodpeckers.
Artist and ornithologist James Audubon received much of the inspiration for his renowned paintings in South Carolina. In 1831 he went to Charleston where he began painting his famed edition, “The Birds of America.” In 1905, the National Audubon Society was formed to protect birds and preserve their habitats, a role more critical than ever as species become more endangered. Today, Audubon South Carolina in Charleston has more than 26,000 supporters, including an active Columbia chapter. The state society has two major conservation areas, Francis Beidler Forest and Silver Bluff, and oversees some 22,000 acres.
In the birding world, there is a distinction between a “birder” and a “birdwatcher”. A birdwatcher may be content to enjoy avian observations from the kitchen window or an outside deck. Birders are noted for their dedication, patience and expertise; including the ability to recognize birds for their songs and calls. One of the most enthusiastic local birders is Patricia Voelker, who conducts birdwatching walks at Saluda Shoals Park.
Although she has always appreciated birds, Voelker says she did not become a birder in the accepted sense of the word until 2005. “I met several others who were long time birders and began birding more intentionally, buying my first pair of binoculars. Meeting other birders led to my joining the Carolina Bird Club, attending annual conferences and getting on ebird, the free app from Cornell University of Ornithology,” she explains.
Birding Tips from Patricia Voelker
- Anywhere you are, you can find birds, if you just be still and watch. Watch the sky for Turkey or Black Vultures circling, or for a Great Blue Heron on its way to a lake, or a flock of robins, or blackbirds, or grackles or Cedar Waxwings just moving from tree to tree.
- Watch shrubs for sparrows or juncos and towhees in winter. When you see a branch move, check it out. Notice an odd lump in a tree or unexpected color? It could be a sleeping owl or watchful hawk or crows gathering to torment a hawk in another tree. Watch and you will be rewarded.
- If you are a beginner, simply open your eyes and ears. Expect to see and hear birds and you will. Check out guidebooks and buy the one you like best. Get a free app for your cellphone or computer.
- Become a regular on Cornell’s ebird site, which tracks birds through your posts. You can find good local birding sites listed there and which birders in this area have seen certain breeds and where. Sign up for the emails that notify you of unusual birds.
- Reach out and network with others who enjoy birding. Start talking about birding and you’ll meet others who bird. If you’ a website and holds regular conferences with guided walks.
For upcoming bird walks with Patricia, visit ICRC.net.