On the Road--Down South: Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (June 11, 2013)

On June 11, I got up fairly early and headed to the Savannah National Wildlife Reserve, a short drive North from Savannah, just across the South Carolina border. The road takes you across the Savannah River on the Talmage Memorial Bridge, an attractive cable-stayed bridge completed in 1990 that has become a symbol of the city, although it's a bit removed from the center of things. I walked a weedy, trail along an embankment for a couple miles, but turned back early because of the oppressive heat and humidity. I later learned that it had been over 105 degrees. The trail is completely exposed--not a single tree to shelter under. The embankments are the remnants of an old rice plantation that operated here. Despite the heat and the aborted walk, I had the pleasure of seeing a Red-bellied Woodpecker shortly after I started walking (life bird No. 12 for the trip). A little further along I saw female Orchard Oriole, and a pair of Indigo Buntings. Yellowthroats were singing in the small trees in the swampy areas below the embankment. Anhingas (life bird No. 13 for the trip), Great Egrets, and Little Blue herons flying overhead kept me looking up and, before long, a couple of Wood Storks flew by (life bird No. 14 for the trip)--very large birds with broad white wings and black primaries, much like a White Pelican in coloration.

Before long I started seeing unfamiliar raptor-like birds that turned out to be Mississippi Kites (life bird No. 15). Other birds included Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and Eastern Kingbirds. On the way back, walking slowly to keep from getting overheated, I noticed a group of about 30 birds circling in the distance. When I looked at them with binoculars I was surprised to find that they were mostly kites, with Swallow-tail Kites among them (life bird No. 16). The Swallow-tail Kites have a strange combination of fierceness of aspect and elegance that makes them fascinating to watch. In California, our kites, White-tailed Kites, are occasionally seen in small family groups during breeding season, but they are otherwise mostly solitary. I wonder if these Southern kites normally fly in groups like this? In the end, the walk turned out to be quite productive, if uncomfortable.


After recuperating with a cold beer and a lunch of wild Georgia shrimp and avocado quesadillas at the Kayak Kafé back in Savannah, I decided to drive out to Tybee Island, another spot supposed to be good for birds. Along the way, I stopped at Fort Pulaski, a low, brick Civil War fort that was worth a quick wander through. The island has powdery sand beaches and a lot of restaurants with a look that suggests their focus is scooping up tourist dollars rather than serving good food. I was going to stay and have dinner on the island, but couldn't find a respectable-looking restaurant or even an inviting outdoor table. Before leaving I walked down to the beach and watched a group of people playing bocce ball and kept an eye out for birds. It was mostly Laughing Gulls and Brown Pelicans, but there were also terns flying further out, occasionally hovering and then diving headfirst into the water for fish. They turned out to be Royal Terns (life bird No. 17 for the trip). I ended up going back to Garibaldi's again for a late dinner and a glass of wine after a much-needed nap.