Looking for Hummingbirds with Patrick McMillan

Patrick McMillan at Seabrook Island Birders club

As host of the TV show Expeditionswith Patrick McMillan, his annual travel schedule includes meetings all around the state to meet fans of his show on PBS. “This is my last engagement during my winter speaking tour,” said McMillan. “But it is actually my first time giving this presentation about hummingbirds, and I am eager to share my photos and knowledge with you.” McMillan admits that birders make up a huge audience, with something on the order of 40 million birders out there.

Charley Moore addresses the crowd

The Seabrook Island Birders (SIB) group formed for like-minded folks who want to learn about and foster an appreciation for avian life. Part of their outreach efforts includes an invitation for off-island guests to attend and participate in lectures like this one. SIB founder Charley Moore opened the meeting by reporting that 73 volunteer birders had recently recorded 158-species of birds on Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island and John’s Island during the recent Backyard Bird Count initiative. A similar array of birds can be found on most of the Sea Islands in the Lowcountry. 

  McMillan speaks with a tone of voice that makes the subject matter exciting, no doubt a part of his trade when he is being Professor McMillan back at Clemson. “A hummingbird must drink more than his body weight each day in nectar,” said McMillan. “They still require insect life for about 10-percent of their diet, because they need protein too. A full 30-percent of their body mass is flight muscle, and they beat their wings 50 times per second."

Wonderful exotic looking hummingbird

To view the entire feature article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view past blog entries about Seabrook Island click on 2016 Beach Preservation Award.

To view my most recent Birding Journal Observations click on Jan./Feb. 2017

To view past blog entries with Patrick McMillan click 2009 Edisto Island

To view past blog entry about Rudy Mancke click 2017 Charleston Botanical Society.

To view past Field Notes and Photos click on January 2017 - December 2016 - June 2016 - February 2016- December 2015 - October 2015 - September 2015 - August 2015 - July 2015 - June 2015 - February 2105 - October 2014 -  September 2014 - August 2014 - June 2014 - March 2012 - February 2012 - October 2011 - September 2011   

Aija and Ed Konrad