2025 Charleston Outdoor Adventures - Exploring Folly Area By Water

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2025 Oyster Festival - Boone Hall Plantation / CCA Shell Recycling

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2024 Gamekeepers / Winter - Ducks

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2025 SEWE / DU Oyster Roast - Conservation Dividends

Chas. DU Committee Members at 2024 SEWE

Valentine’s Day weekend holds a unique meaning for those who love the outdoors, since that date is occupied by the annual Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) each year. The ethic of conservation permeates through these endeavors over time to causes both big and small. Legends of conservation like Jungle Jack Hanna have come to Charleston to support SEWE, with youthful leaders of future conservation efforts listening intently. From the Junior Duck Stamp competition, to preserving wetlands in South Carolina, the Ducks Unlimited presence at SEWE goes well beyond their Friday night oyster roast and auction. 

John Powell is the CEO of the SE Wildlife Expo and 2025 will mark his 20th show. “SEWE has been working with Ducks Unlimited (DU) at the national, state and local level for years,” said Powell. “DU is great at fundraising and our SEWE platform is available to all conservation groups, no matter their size. The Friday night DU oyster roast at the Visitor Center Bus Shed allows the Charleston Chapter of DU to be one of the top chapters in the United States and we are proud that we helped build this partnership. All during SEWE weekend you won’t have to look hard to see an enthusiastic DU presence at many of our venues. And I still think it’s neat that anyone who attends their oyster roast gets a DU membership too.”

To view the feature article in the Post and Courier click on Tideline.

To view past blog entries from Tideline click on Search for Shed Antlers -  Save The Light - Christmas Wish List - 2025 Christmas Bird Count -  December Saltwater Forecast - Fall Hunting Seasons -  2024 Red Trout tourney -  Sullivan's Island Bird Banding Station -  Beidler BioBlitz -  October Conservation Calendar -  October Saltwater Forecast -  Birds of a Feather Toast-  Photography Tips - Riton Optics - Lighthouse Inlet Preserve

To view past blog entries from SEWE Sunday click on 2024 - 2023- 2022 - 2019- 2018 - 2017-  2016- 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 

2025 Hunting for Shed Antlers is Sneaky Fun

Male white-tailed deer shed their antlers during the start of each year, and the exact time they drop off is unique to each individual buck. Bucks grow a new set of antlers each summer and then cast those off in Winter, making this a great time of year for some woods walking in search of shed antlers. Seasoned outdoorsmen know to scour known deer trails or bedding areas for shed antlers, and if you find one antler then be sure to look closely for another, but any single antler found is a treasure that reveals information into whitetail behavior. 

Deer hunting season ends on January 1 each year, making this a perfectly safe time to ramble in the woods, perhaps with family and friends since more eyes looking out for the prize equals a better chance of success. Whether looking for sheds on private or public lands, agriculture fields are a good place to start, paying attention to deer trails leading to the ag field where bucks are likely to have traveled back and forth to the food source. It may not take much more than the head-bob of a buck dropping its mouth down to eat grass or drink water for the antler to drop off.

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To read the feature article in the Post and Courier click on Tideline.

To view past blog entries from Tideline click on Save The Light - Christmas Wish List - 2025 Christmas Bird Count -  December Saltwater Forecast - Fall Hunting Seasons -  2024 Red Trout tourney -  Sullivan's Island Bird Banding Station -  Beidler BioBlitz -  October Conservation Calendar -  October Saltwater Forecast -  Birds of a Feather Toast-  Photography Tips - Riton Optics - Lighthouse Inlet Preserve -  Coosawhatchie WMA -  Holy City Tarpon Tourney - Int'l Fly Fishing Film Festival - Carolina Kingfish Classic -  Fishing For Mountain Trout -  Hooked On Miracles -  HMY Lowcountry Cup - Turkeys For Tomorrow-  Carolina Ladies Billfish Classic - Paddling For Pups Photos - 2024 Atlantic Cup - Silvopasture Forestry- Beidler Forest 50th Anniversary - Charleston Race Week Photos - Southeast Shorebird Festival - ACE Basin Day Photos - Santee Big Cat Brawl - Carolina Marsh Tacky Association - SEWE Photos - Five Birding Hotspots 

2025 Edisto Island - Christmas Bird Count

Immature bald eagle harassed by crows on Jan. 2

Cold weather greeted my team at dawn on January 2, 2025 for the 4th Annual Edisto CBC. Assigned to Section 7 of the Island we began by listening for owls at the Editor Driving Range and heard the hoots from both the Great Horned Owl and the Barred Owl. As daylight arrived we began to drive around our area stopping at multiple hotspots that we had counted in the past, and added at least one new spot. The tide was high on Edingsville Beach at 9 AM and while we were able to visit Jeremy Inlet to count, we had to wait until low tide before traveling down the beach to Frampton Inlet, where a plethora of pelicans, cormorants and seagulls were waiting.

Organizer Tom Austin with Edisto Land Trust says that 43 volunteer birders counted a total of 14,709-birds and that the 142 total overall number of species sighted was a new record. The most abundant species was Dunlin, with 4860 of these shorebirds counted, largely on Otter Island in the ACE Basin. One notable sighting from Section 7 came when Capt. Phillip Albenesius and saw an immature bald eagle sitting in a dead tree near a road where a dead deer carcass was being feasted on by a swarm of black vultures. The baldie never ate because black crows were alerted to its presence and harassed it, causing it to fly off after a while. Sorry for the deer, but it was good for the bird counting! To view the entire species list for the Editor CBC click on E-bird.

Distance traveled while birding is recorded too

To view my feature article on the 2025 Christmas Bird Count in the Post and Courier click on Tideline.

To view past blog entires from the Edisto CBC click on 2024 - 2023

To view past blog entries from the Palmetto Bluff CBC click on  2024- 2023 - 2022 - 2021 

To view past blog entries from the Yemassee CBC click on 2025 - 2024

To view past birding trips from 2024 click on  Stono Preserve - Beidler Forest - Carolina Bird Club -  Earth Day / Kiawah - Spring Island - Southeast Shorebird Festival - Hammock Coast Birding Festival - Huntington Beach State Park - Yawkey Center 

2025 Save The Light - Oyster Roast / Bowen's Island

Preserving the Morris Island lighthouse vista while traveling to and from Folly Beach appeals to both locals and visitors. That's why the annual Save The Light oyster roast is such a popular event that helps raise money for the historic lighthouse that is the tallest in South Carolina.

Morris Island Lighthouse; sunrise in 2022

This year the oyster roast will be held on Sunday, Jan. 5, at Bowen's Island Restaurant, and will feature a new VIP house, where guests can sample appetizers from seven different chefs, enjoy a signature cocktail and receive a swag bag with goodies such as a Yeti tumbler engraved with a lighthouse logo.

Patty Geery is the office manager for Save The Light, a nonprofit organization formed in 1999 to save the Morris Island lighthouse from being lost to the sea. "A group of neighbors purchased the lighthouse at auction and then turned around and gave ownership to the State of South Carolina in 2000," said Geery. "Each year we rely on the General Assembly for funding to maintain the lighthouse and we also hold our own fundraisers like the oyster roast and the Save The Light half-marathon and 5K coming up on February 8."

To view the feature article in the Post and Courier click on Tideline.

To view blog entries from Tideline click on Christmas Wish List - 2025 Christmas Bird Count -  December Saltwater Forecast - Fall Hunting Seasons -  2024 Red Trout tourney -  Sullivan's Island Bird Banding Station -  Beidler BioBlitz -  October Conservation Calendar -  October Saltwater Forecast -  Birds of a Feather Toast-  Photography Tips - Riton Optics - Lighthouse Inlet Preserve -  Coosawhatchie WMA -  Holy City Tarpon Tourney - Int'l Fly Fishing Film Festival - Carolina Kingfish Classic -  Fishing For Mountain Trout -  Hooked On Miracles -  HMY Lowcountry Cup - Turkeys For Tomorrow-  Carolina Ladies Billfish Classic - Paddling For Pups Photos - 2024 Atlantic Cup - Silvopasture Forestry- Beidler Forest 50th Anniversary - Charleston Race Week Photos - Southeast Shorebird Festival - ACE Basin Day Photos - Santee Big Cat Brawl - Carolina Marsh Tacky Association - SEWE Photos - Five Birding Hotspots 

2025 Yemassee - Audubon Christmas Bird Count

Barn Owl on the Wing

The Second Annual Yemassee CBC took place on Jan. 3 under near freezing AM conditions, that gave way to sunny, brisk and windy conditions after lunch. My team was made up of Master Naturalists from Spring Island and our first stop at dawn was Buckfield Pond to count waterfowl. A larger flight of wood ducks than in our count the previous year, got out count numbers off to a good start. The pond was dried than usual and a nearby water control structure had been damaged by Hurricane Helene, and the paved road was closed for a time to make those repairs. We still picked up gallinule, Wilson's Snipe and a few other assorted marsh birds.

Heading into mature pine uplands to search fro Bachman's sparrows and woodpeckers was fruitful, and gopher tortoise burrows dotted the landscape. Another hotspot in a powerline allowed for viewing of woodland songbirds, raptors and some wood ducks. At our next stop the resident Barn Owl that gave us the slip in 2024, was more obliging and everyone saw the grey ghost winging through the pine trees. While I was dispatched to take our report to Bray's Island during the 1 PM round up by organizer Jake Zadik, this team stayed in the field and made this Ebird list for the Yemassee CBC. A total of 132 bird species was counted, which is the same exact number as in 2024!! (including Sandhill cranes each year)

Cold weather sky at dawn over Buckfield Pond

To view my feature article in the Post and Courier on the 2025 Christmas Bird Count click on Tideline.

To view past blog entries from Yemassee CBC click on 2024

To view past blog entries from the Palmetto Bluff CBC click on 2024 - 2023 - 2022 - 2021 

To view past birding trips from 2024 click on  Stono Preserve - Beidler Forest - Carolina Bird Club -  Earth Day / Kiawah - Spring Island - Southeast Shorebird Festival - Hammock Coast Birding Festival - Huntington Beach State Park - Yawkey Center 

2024 Gamekeepers / Winter - Mallard DNA: Things are Changing

Feature article on Mossy Oak E-newsletter

When is the last time a duck hunter in the Southern states muttered aloud that the ducks had short-stopped their location? Topics as to why the ducks fail to continue on and visit the lower flyway includes that more impoundments with food are available further north and that it doesn’t get as cold anymore. After some research and new technology, it turns out that a genetic marker that wills these birds to migrate could be diluted due to the influx of game farm mallard DNA. When game farm birds are released some survive to breed with wild ducks. In the last several years, an explosion of DNA data is leading researchers and generations of duck hunters to compelling new philosophies about what comes next.

To read the entire feature article on Duck DNA click on Mossy Oak Gamekeepers.

To view past stories from Mossy Oak Gamekeepers click Quail Habitat Philosophy -  2024 Fence It In -  2024 Reforestation -  2024 Predator Control- 2023 Wild Turkey Decline - 2022 Managing Duck Impoundments - 2021 Regional Wood Duck Study -  Fall 2021- Summer 2021 - Winter 2020- Spring 2020 - Fall 2017- Spring 2016 - Winter 2016 - Fall 2015 - Summer 2015 - Spring 2015 - Winter 2015 - Fall 2014 - Summer 2014 - Spring 2014 - Winter 2013 

2024 Birding Journal Observations - November / December

American Kestrel sighting on Dec. 21, 2024

Drier than average weather with mild temperatures prolonged the beginning of any type of cooler Fall weather until after Thanksgiving. Some cold spells in December made things feel more normal, but warm ups at Christmas and New Years showed that winter was not quite here yet. Sightings of wading birds were still very common, but sightings of waterfowl were more scarce than normal, aside from hooded mergansers and a few lesser scaup. Raptors like the Bald Eagle and osprey seems to be in abundance. 

Backyard bird feeders continue to welcome Baltimore orioles to the grape jelly, and ravenous bluebirds looking for dried mealworms too. Suet brings a bevy of woodpeckers and in some areas lots of pine warblers and ruby-crowned kinglets as well. Hermit thrush sightings are up, with some painted buntings mixed in, while goldfinch sightings are then. The double-breasted cormorant seem to be doubling up their presence on the landscape all across the coastal plain.

Male downy woodpecker

To read about the start of the Christmas Bird Count season click on 2024 Palmetto Bluff Count

To view past Birding Journal Observations from November / December click on 2023 - 2022- 2021 - 2020 - 2018-  2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013- 2012 - 2011 - 2010