24 Hours on Little St. Simons Island

Editors Note:

Through his love for the Island and his passion for photography, Office Assistant and Photographer Phillip Murdaco finds ways to make the most of his time at LSSI. Phillip chronicled a single day on the Island to show how many amazing experiences an intrepid visitor can enjoy in 24 hours on Little St. Simons Island.

24 Hours on Little St. Simons Island

What can be possible with a minimal amount of planning and a moderate amount of determination.

Most mornings when my alarm goes off at 5:30a.m., a moderate amount of determination is the maximum I can muster. However, at dawn I find fortitude in my first cup of coffee and peaceful dawn bike ride to the beach.

    I am alone on an undeveloped beach. Even after two years of living on this island, the solitude remains a strange feeling. As a Jersey boy, I am more accustomed to the beautiful-in-their-own-right yet exceptionally crowded barrier islands of Sea Isle City and Long Beach Island. Nothing rivals the peaceful solitude and balanced tranquility of the undeveloped beaches of Little St Simons Island. 

      Don't get me wrong, the beach here is still crowded-- though not with people. Everywhere I look, life abounds. Bugs buzz, ghost crabs scuttle, and birds begin their day. Wilson's Plovers with newly hatched chicks sound the alarm as I pass by. I keep moving towards the wet sand to put them at ease. Black Skimmers glide skillfully in the surf and American Oystercatchers pass by in pairs. Overhead, gulls and terns fly, and bands of pelicans stream across the sky. Absolutely worth a 5:30a.m. wake-up call.

     On my way back to the Lodge, I stop at Norm's Pond. From the blind, I see hundreds of nesting birds of many different species. In the upper branches of a single tree, I count Wood Stork, White Ibis, Snowy Egret, and Tri-colored Heron fledglings. After witnessing a Roseate Spoonbill parent return to feed its chick, I make my way back to the Lodge. I am still blown away by all I have already seen. For those of you keeping count (the Sunrise, Norm's Pond rookery, Spoonbill feeding experience), that makes three potentially once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and all before 9am[O3] !

     After breakfast, some guests head for the beach. Seeing as I just returned from there, I decide to take a naturalist-led North End Adventure. Our guide is naturalist Emily. Her knowledge of the Island is extensive, and her passion for nature, conservation, and education is evident. I learned about many new things including island history, recent conservation efforts, and fascinating flora.

     Wildlife abounds on the north end as well. Emily leads us a short distance from the road for a sight only seen this time of year (approximate time: 10:45am, potential once-in-a-lifetime experience #4…). Hibiscus grandiflorus, or Swamp Rose-mallow, is a giant species of Hibiscus flower. There are several lesser known ponds on the Island where these plants grow by the thousands. Although near the road, the ponds would have remained completely hidden from us, had Emily not suggested we stop to take a look. Many of these plants tower above us reaching heights of eight feet or more, with flowers reaching six inches in diameter.

     Standing among these giant flowers, I felt for a moment transported. I would not be surprised if Emily told us we would next be climbing a rather large beanstalk… She instead leads us back to the truck, and we continue along North End Road. 

     Next, we come to the south dike of Myrtle Pond and Emily describes some of the area’s history and management. 

     As the day heats up, we stop at Myrtle Pond Blind to sit in the shade, drink cold water, appreciate the breeze, and admire the view. The blind provides a ground-level perspective of a pristine coastal ecosystem where we witness grasshoppers, dragonflies, frogs, lizards, skinks, alligators, Roseate Spoonbills, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Black-necked Stilts, and Anhingas. Our binoculars (or in some cases, camera lenses...) put us right in the middle of all of the action. 

     The group shows interest in visiting the Treasure Oak. Located just a short walk from the road, Treasure Oak is estimated to be over 400 years old. In 1898, a particularly powerful hurricane battered the Georgia Coast, and this tree was knocked over sideways. Such is the strength of Live Oak roots and the resilience of these trees, as it has continued to grow sideways with its trunk parallel with the ground. The trunk alone reaches a height of more than 6 feet! After admiring this legendary tree for a few minutes, it is time to truck back to the compound for lunch.

            After recharging with a nice midday meal, many guests want to return to the Beach for the afternoon. Additionally, naturalist Katie will be doing a presentation in the Barn about the snake species on LSSI.

            After an enriching and educational presentation, I am beginning to feel tired from my early morning and action-packed day. Experience has taught me it is sometimes best to avoid the Georgia Sun in July during the hottest part of the day. So, I opt to relax until dinner, and am sure to take a stroll through the Garden on the way to my Island home.

            That evening after dinner, Ecological Coordinator Kate Tweedy presents on the numerous ongoing research projects at LSSI. She describes how LSSI partners with organizations like the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to investigate at-risk species and habitats. Scientific findings inform on-the-ground land management and conservation practices.

            As Kate finishes up her talk, I can’t help but notice the sunset is beginning to look gorgeous. I head to one of my favorite spots on the Island to watch the sun disappear below the horizon. “Sunset Bench,” as it’s called, is only a few minutes’ walk from the lodge compound. My words cannot describe the natural beauty that occurs with the setting sun, and all I can do is sit and appreciate the opportunity and privilege I have to see it.

            Once twilight takes over, I begin my short walk home, taking time to admire the night sky. I reflect on all I have seen, learned, and experienced today. I crawl into bed recalling all the once-in-a-lifetime experiences that were possible in just 24 hours on LSSI

Quash's House: Preservation Efforts At a Significant Site Part 2

Before we began building a structure to help preserve the ruins of Quash’s House, we decided to engage with local archaeologists to dig the footings for the 4 posts that we would install, ensuring that we would not lose any of the story or history of the site through our efforts to protect it. Archaeologist Marie Meranda agreed to lead the dig working with Coastal Georgia Historical Society board member Myrna Crook, whose late husband, Dr. Ray Crook led the only previous archaeology projects at this site. Working alongside Marie and Myrna were three dedicated volunteers, Billy Bice, Scott Clark, and Deana Davis. The archaeology crew worked for three days in the field carefully digging four, one meter deep holes and sifting the soil for artifacts. After the field work was completed, Marie and Myrna worked in the Coastal Georgia Historical Society’s archaeology lab to curate the artifacts found in the four holes.

Previous archaeology at the site by Dr. Ray Crook from the University of West Georgia revealed interesting information about the size of Quash’s House – it was 15 x 35 feet, larger than most enslaved

dwellings and it seemed to match Fanny Kemble’s description of the site – “We landed on this forest in the sea by Quash’s House, the only human residence on the island. It was larger and better, and more substantial than the Negro huts in general, and he seemed proud to do the honors to us.” Fanny Kemble’s description of Quash’s House and the dimensions determined by Dr. Crook have led archaeologists and historians to question whether the historic structure at this site may have initially served a different purpose. One theory is that it was a house for a white overseer. Some of the artifacts found at the site during the most recent dig were representative of items that could have been associated with the dwelling of either a white overseer or an enslaved African, leaving the door open for this theory. Others who have studied the history of the island theorize that Quash’s House was previously the colonial home site of Samuel Augsoporger, the Swiss colonist and surveyor for Fort Frederica, who was the first European to receive a royal land grant on Little St. Simons Island in 1760. If accurate, this theory provides another explanation for the larger size of Quash’s House. Items from the colonial era were recovered at the site during the 2019 archaeology project, providing further evidence for the theory of colonial occupation.

Artifacts found during the archaeology project conducted this past summer represent human occupation at this particular site during several periods, the prehistoric (Native American) period, the colonial period, and the antebellum period. Artifacts of note include shell and bone fragments including a decorative bone pin (Prehistoric), a kaolin pipe stem (Colonial), the flint from a flint-lock rifle (Colonial), and a brass button with a carved eagle and wreath (Antebellum). These artifacts and others help to tell the story of the rich human history at this site and at Little St. Simons Island. Although the archaeology work to date cannot tell us exactly who occupied the site and when; it does provide an important glimpse into multiple layers of history at this site.

The Preservation of Quash’s House

After the archaeology crew carefully excavated the holes, Little St. Simons Island Land Steward, Bard Wiesen set out to build a rustic structure that would help to prevent further weather degradation of the historic ruins. Designed after similarly functioning structures on St. Catherines Island, he built a roof

over the ruins. With environmental sustainability in mind, Bard was able to upcycle all of the building materials from the island, the 4 posts were made from the trunks of cedar trees blown down during Hurricane Irma. The wood for the framework came from an old staff house that was being taken down and the materials for the roof came from the old roof of the main Lodge. The end result is a structure that blends well with the natural surroundings at the site and will help to prevent rainfall from further eroding the historic tabby and bricks.

Our hope is that the protective covering over the ruins of Quash’s House will help to preserve the historic physical remains for generations to come. By preserving the physical ruins, we are preserving the opportunity to learn more from this site in the future, and preserving an important platform to tell the stories of those who were here before us.

Chef Renée Everett & Her Gluten Free Pecan Coconut Banana Bread

Renée Rigaud Everett’s life-long passion for cooking began as a young child when she would watch and emulate her mother and her grandmother soaking up all their secret recipes like a sponge.  At the age of 14, while visiting her grandmother in New Orleans, Renée talked her way into a hostess job in her cousin’s restaurant all the while always keeping an eye on what was going on in the kitchen.

After graduating college and a long stint in local governmental public relations, the siren’s call of the kitchen grew louder and Renée enrolled in and obtained her degree in Culinary Arts from the Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago.   Renée has worked at many Chicago-area restaurants including Gibson’s Restaurant Group, working in both Gibson’s and Hugo’s, LuxBar, Quartino’s, Ditka’s in Oakbrook Terrace,  and Park 52 in Hyde Park.

Renée is a former culinary arts instructor for a nationally recognized culinary arts college where she also served as the school’s brand ambassador, was featured on local news and served as C-CAP judge and mentor to local National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Pro-Start teams.

Renée competed on season one of ABC’s reality cooking show, The Taste.  Although she didn’t make it far in the competition, she won the ultimate prize when celebrity chef Ludo Lefevbre, on-air,  offered her a job at his new restaurant Trois Mec in Los Angeles. She packed up her life in Chicago and headed to Los Angeles where she worked side-by-side with Chef Lefevbre.

In October 2013, Renée joined the staff of Belcampo Lodge in Belize as the Chef and Culinary Director.  After two life-changing moves in less than a year, Renée was excited to be a part of the Belcampo team and eagerly utilized the lush farm-grown ingredients, livestock, and fresh seafood available on the lodge’s property. On any given day she could be found with her hands in the organic garden, planning and overseeing the vegetable and leafy green crops and harvests; in the kitchen working with her team to develop recipes, hone skills, and enhance menu offerings; working with local fishermen to make sure that fish and seafood were caught in ways that were in line with local ordinances, practices and above all, sustainable for not only the aquatic life but for the fisherman as well, as well as managing the property's livestock and small scale slaughter facility. In addition to all of the behind the scenes work, she also helped train the dining team on various aspects for food service and helped to develop the Lodge's bar and cocktail program often creating specialty drinks using seasonal ingredients and culinary techniques. Renee always takes great care to ensure that her team was trained, well informed and ready to serve our guests consistent, high quality ingredient driven plates, as well as making sure guests were provided with individualized, unique experiences through local cuisine, food, and culture sharing.

After 4 years of continuous kitchen leadership abroad in Belize, Renee spent two years as an independent consultant working on various culinary projects for Omaha Steaks (Omaha, NE), Paradise Cove Resort in Fiji, and historical property, Sugar Water Manor (Westover, MD). She also returned to culinary education teaching classes at College of the Desert (Palm Desert, CA) and Kendall College of Chicago.

In October, Renee joined the team of Little Saint Simon’s Island Resort to lead the kitchen and culinary program. Having Celiac disease, Renee works hard to ensure food safety and allergen awareness throughout planned menus.  She is excited to build on southern food traditions and create new ones that respect the locality, region, the ingredients, and the historically rich culture of the area.

Gluten Free* Pecan/Coconut Banana Bread

Ingredients

•     ½ cup vanilla yogurt
•     1 egg
•     3 medium brown bananas, mashed (about 1⅓ cups)
•     3 tablespoons vegetable oil
•     1⅓ cup GLUTEN FREE flour blend (I like to blend 1/2 gluten free flour and 1/2 almond flour. It helps keep a nice moist crumb)
•     ½ cup sugar
•     1 teaspoon baking soda
•     ¼ teaspoon salt
•     ½ cup chopped pecans plus 2 tbs for topping (for richer flavor, toast your pecans in the over just until they are fragrantly nutty smelling, being sure to check them frequently and stir a few times)
•     ½ cup shredded coconut  plus 2 tbs for topping (for richer flavor, toast the coconut using the same method to toast the pecans)

Streusel Topping

•     3 tablespoons GLUTEN FREE flour (again, use 1/2 almond flour)
•     3 tablespoons brown sugar
•     2 tablespoons butter
•     2 tablespoons coconut
•     2 tablespoons pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan.

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, pecans, and coconut. Stir well.

In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, egg, oil, and bananas. Add to flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Do not overmix (With Gluten free flour there is no gluten to develop, so just mix all the ingredients to incorporate fully. Batter may have a few lumps and that's ok.). Pour into prepared pan. (buttered or non-stick)

Combine topping ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle over batter.

Bake 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If you want muffins, use a muffin pan and bake for 15-20 minutes.

 *Recipe can easily be adapted to use regular all-purpose flour

Winter Wonderland

The transition from fall to winter brings a certain crisp spirit of adventure to Little St. Simons; one which makes us feel calm and innately connected to nature and the people with which we share this beautiful space. Synchronously, it plants a seed of vagabond angst; as if in the dwindling daylight hours, there’s never enough time to take in all that this temporary time has to offer. The fear of fading day inspires exploration into uncharted oceans of blushing Muhly grasses, hidden ponds of vibrant greens, and wild windswept beaches; We push ourselves to experience the wonders of the autumn world before it fades to winter. Surrounded by serenity and captivating beauty, it proves challenging to capture these fleeting moments. The past four months have been hosts to several programs dedicated to immersing ourselves in the island landscape with fly fishing and marine debris clean ups, and to documenting the passing period through photography and plain air painting. We hope you’ll join us on island adventures as we relish in the tail-end of this winter season.

The cooler months bring a plethora of wildlife to the Little St. Simons. September was symbolized by the spiraling flocks of tree swallows soaring above the island’s maritime grasslands. As if ushering in the shift in seasons, thousands of these aerial artists danced in on northern winds, descended onto groups of Wax myrtle bushes, and refueled on the fatty wax berries to continue their migrations southward. Large raptors of the island like the Great Horned Owl and the Bald Eagles have once again taken advantage of the prime nesting real estate in our pine and live oak forests. With binoculars you can witness eagle nest renovations taking place and will soon be able to see juveniles peaking over the side. Biking on beach road in the late afternoon you will often hear the shrill whistle of eagles overhead; as the light fades in the dusk hours, you will often be serenaded by the hollow howls of owls. Winter storms brought a surfeit of sea birds within scope shot of our beaches. Naturalists often spent their mornings perched at the end of Bass Creek Road waiting to catch a glimpse of a Northern gannet flying by. Recently we have been experiencing fly-overs from the NOAA Right whale plane, soaring in search of the endangered North Atlantic Right Whales swimming northwards right off or beaches. Learn more about these magnificent giants on our blog: The Right Whale to Save. Low temperatures push alligators and other reptiles deep into insulated burrows. However, when the sun comes out, it is often greeted by Diamondbacks stretching out to sun and gators bathing in the warm rays. The animals seem to enjoy the shift in seasons just as much as we do.

Here's a look back at some of our wonderful winter programs:

The beautiful colors emerging in the early fall make an inspiring pallet for painters at LSSI’s plein air painting workshop. This program featured instruction from Peggy Everett, a local artist on St. Simons Island who has dedicated her painting career to protecting natural resources. On Little St. Simons Island she has helped painters capture the islands natural beauty through open air painting. This creative program allowed beginning and advanced painters alike to immerse themselves in the environment and create captivating pieces to document their stay. The workshop entailed both guided instruction, and time to explore the island to find new inspiration. An exhibition held in the barn was the ideal way to round out an exciting stay and admire the creativity of fellow artists.

In December LSSI held its last marine debris clean-up of the year. A team of 28 amazing guests and staff worked to clear marine debris including railroad ties, crab posts, and infinite amounts of plastic pieces (learn more on our blog: Mico Plastic; Macro Problem) from our island’s beaches totaling 1414 pounds of waste. This extraordinary effort goes towards the protection of our oceanic systems and promotion of regulatory policies to limit marine pollution. In addition to the debris’ removal, trash was sorted by type and counted. The collected data was entered into the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Rivers Alive Program Website (https://riversalive.georgia.gov/). This state-wide database helps to keep a record of particularly problematic debris which frequently occur on our coast. In the long term, our numbers in combination with data from across the state can go to support the implementation of legislation to limit the production and improper disposal of debris. Thank you to all those who dedicated their time and effort to cleaning up the island’s beaches and protecting coastal Georgia’s waterways for generations to come. We look forward to our next cleanup in February! Interested in joining us? Your third night is half-off with each two night stay booked as a coast clean-up volunteer. Learn more about our marine debris cleanup at: LSSI Marine Debris Clean-Up

This past month LSSI held its annual fly-fishing workshop. In the words of Harry Middleton, “Fishing is not an escape from life, but often a deeper immersion into it.” Fishermen and women of all levels where in attendance looking to immerse themselves in the serene natural environment and thrill of a good fishing hole. Kenny Dodd, Willy Hazlehurst, and Cohen Carpenter led this year’s program featuring casting practice, fly tying, fishing in the field, and of course story time from Kenny Dodd himself. The fishers ventured to the banks of Mosquito creek and fishing holes at Sancho Panza to test their luck. The first day fish were running slow, but by the final days of the program, participants had success pulling in spotted sea trout, flounder, and redfish on flies they tied themselves. Dedication, patience, and good company are three clear characteristics shared by all fly-fishers. By the end of the weekend all participants were sending beautiful casts across the water; it’s safe to say watching a good cast brings new meaning to the word elegance.

This January the naturalist team was thrilled to host its annual winter photography workshop. Ben Galland, renowned, local photographer, led the event with guests exploring the island in search of all things beautiful and photogenic. Ben has a self-described “obsessive drive for creative integrity”, and pushes his fellow photographers to venture out in search of amazing shots. This means early mornings spent at the beach sipping bitter coffee and soaking in the sweet dawn hours, afternoons searching for the prefect wildlife shots, and evenings dedicated to acquiring editing techniques. A beautiful natural setting, plethora of animal inspiration, and excellent teacher made this the ideal program for beginners and photo-pros alike. Check out some of the wonderful shots captured during the event:

Here's some of our upcoming programs. We hope you'll join us!:

Spring Birding Days: April 30th – May 8th: https://www.littlestsimonsisland.com/promotions#spring-birding-days

Celebrate the spring migration on Little St. Simons Island! Guest ornithologist, Scott Weidensaul joins our staff naturalists on excursions highlighting the abundance of species that flock here during this special time. 

Shark Days: July 10th – 13th: https://www.littlestsimonsisland.com/promotions#shark-days

This event is a deep dive into the world of shark biology and the role of sharks in our coastal and marine ecosystems! Join shark biologists and Little St. Simons Island naturalists on adventures and activities that give you and your family hands-on experience with real research.

Fall Birding Days: September 25th – October 2nd: https://www.littlestsimonsisland.com/promotions#fall-birding-days

Experience fall migration at Little St. Simons with guest ornithologists Richard Hall and Adam Betuel on excursions to view birds on their journeys south.

Garden Updates January 2020

Little St. Simons Island welcomes its new gardener, Wesley Boccardo! Though he’s a California native, Wesley calls Philadelphia home, where he grew up. Wesley has been working as an itinerant agricultural consultant for many years, but he was drawn to Little St. Simons Island because he was “looking for somewhere peaceful to grow some roots for a while.”

After falling ill on a backpacking trip some years ago, Wesley found refuge and recovery on a local farm and simultaneously developed a passion for farming. Since then, he has gained experience in urban agriculture, aquaponics, large scale organic farming, and more. He specializes in biological soil management, propagation, and producing organic inputs (ie. compost).

Wesley says he’s excited to use his experience with intensive market farming to “transition LSSI’s gardens toward higher production and 100% waste stream utilization.”

Wesley is also an oil painter and climate justice activist in his free time. Welcome aboard Wesley!

This from Wesley on his new position:

This year will be big for the Little Saint Simons garden project! Our goal is to provide as much beyond-organic, highly nutritious produce and culinary herbs from right here on the island for our guests and staff. To that end, we will be focusing on two major projects which are the culmination of years’ worth of work and research done by our naturalists, ecologists, and previous gardeners: 

Raised Bed Production and Propagation. We will be installing roughly 90 twelve-foot, two-foot-high raised bed sections to give us a very expanded growing area which should be able to produce a significant portion of what you eat while on the island. To aid in intensive production and succession planting we will also be installing a fifty-foot cool house to allow us to propagate all of our own transplants, native landscape plants, and produce a healthy amount of micro-greens and shoots for the kitchen.
100% Waste Stream Utilization. From our kitchen we have two main waste products: post-consumer waste(cooked food) and green waste (kitchen scraps). The former will be processed through an anaerobic composting method which uses pest-proof stacked pallet cubes that break down the waste over a long period to ensure the elimination of pathogens and other undesirable elements involved in composting things such as meat and dairy. The latter will be processed in vermiculture(worm) batch bins to produce vermicompost for our gardens and container systems. We will also be building a large Actively Aerated Compost Tea vortex brewer to provide biological soil management and nutrient solutions. 
 

Upon completion, we will have brought the island to a new level of sustainability and significantly lessened ecological impacts - an overarching goal with everything we do in every department. We anticipate these projects to take the better part of the year, during which you can expect to see some “transitional stages” in the garden. Though the mess may be mighty, please stop in and say hello! I am always happy to give a tour or explain what current project is being worked on. Hope to see(and feed) you soon!

Naturalist Update: Meet our Newest Team Members

The past 4 months have been filled with excitement on Little Saint Simons as we welcomed our three newest naturalists Katie, Nick, and Tyler! These outstanding individuals have diverse backgrounds of knowledge and experience which they look forward to sharing with all those who visit.

Katie is a recent graduate from Appalachian State University where she earned a degree in Environmental Science with double minors in Biology and Spanish. She has a love for reptiles and amphibians, and you’ll often find her hiking, camping, or “herping” (searching for reptiles and amphibians in the field). 

Nick Smith hails from Massachusetts where he graduated from Wheaton College with a degree in Environmental Science in 2018. Since then, he has spent multiple field seasons monitoring nesting shorebirds and working at a bird banding lab for Manomet. In his free time, he enjoys bird watching, foraging, hiking, and photographing wonders of the natural world.

Tyler Thomas is a recent graduate of Plymouth State University where he completed his M.S. in Biology with a thesis focused on the effects of circatidal rhythms and biomedical bleeding on horseshoe crabs. He received his undergrad degree in Environmental and Field Biology from Ohio Northern University. He enjoys running, talking sports, hiking, and traveling.

We are so excited for our new sprouts to be a part of the island family!

Winter Ecological Updates

On Friday, January 3, we counted our island’s birds as part of the Christmas Bird Count. Over two dozen people in our area gathered to document 117 species and 7,096 individual birds!

Highlights of our day include 2 Long-billed Curlews, 56 Red Knots, 96 American White Pelicans, 20 Bald Eagles, 1 Painted Bunting, and 77 Ruby-crowned Kinglets. We even spotted 14 Rusty Blackbirds and one Eastern Whip-poor-will, LSSI CBC firsts!

Data like these are incredibly useful for tracking long-term trends in bird populations, distribution, and much more. Because all CBC citizen science data are compiled into an international database, volunteering on a CBC makes a huge contribution to global bird studies!

We extend a big “thank you” to our volunteer bird counters at LSSI, Cannon’s Point Preserve, and Sea Island. Well done!

On Tuesday, January 7, we completed our annual Mid-winter Eagle Survey. This survey contributes to national eagle conservation efforts led by the USGS and the US Army Corps of Engineers. This survey began during the 1970s when widespread application of the insecticide DDT led to declines in U.S. raptors. Now, with more responsible pesticide usage, U.S. eagle populations are rebounding.

In a two-hour sweep of the whole island, we found 16 Bald Eagles, beating our record of 14 eagles in 2019! We are also monitoring two active Bald Eagle nests. The eagle pairs are incubating eggs and we should see chicks in the nests soon!

Mid-winter Shorebird Count

The Georgia DNR initiated the mid-winter shorebird census over 15 years ago. Across all coastal Georgia sites, professionals and volunteers coordinate to gather on the same day and the same 4-hour window; together we census shorebirds that rely on our coast for overwintering. The findings from this survey have already helped the Georgia coast gain recognition as a landscape of hemispheric importance for shorebirds in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. That means our region is very important for shorebirds!

On Monday, January 13, volunteers at LSSI saw 19 shorebird species and counted 4,588 individual shorebirds. Highlights include 39 Ruddy Turnstones, 241 Least Sandpipers, and 2,274 Dunlins!