February brings huddled masses of birds… sheltering in the marshes and in the impoundment from the cold winter winds. It’s a great chance to learn your feeder birds, begin to identify shorebirds, and look for otters who might otherwise be further afield.
Check out your Bird Feeders
As some of our winter migrants begin to fatten up to fly north for nesting, you might see birds at and around the feeders that are unusual. Pine warblers can be attracted to suet and bark butter bits, and Yellow-Rumped Warblers will also come in for suet and water.
Robins and Sapsuckers are in the Forest
Some mornings, American Robins are singing in the forest, and their songs might be interrupted by the calls of the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker.
Stealthy Otters Can Be Spotted in the Marsh
While river otters are present year round in the Lowcountry, I seem to see them more in the winter. (Full disclosure, one of these videos was from January 2015, but we thought we’d put him on this page with his friends!)
Getting to Know the Wrens
We have four species of wrens that winter here, and they seem to be easier to see when the leaves are sparser. Carolina Wrens are here year round, but look carefully and you might spot a house wren, a sedge wren, or a marsh wren.
You might spot Horned Grebes along the Waterway
Along the Intracoastal Waterway or out at the beach at sunrise, you might be lucky enough to spot some of these graceful waterbirds: Horned Grebes dive in the breakers for small fish.
Signs of Spring
One of our earliest wildflowers is Carolina Jessamine. This cheery yellow trumpet is a vine that can climb high into the trees. It’s toxic enough to provoke reactions in people and pets, so be careful handling.
Eagle Chicks Hatch in February
Somewhere between the 1st and the 15th, our Bald Eagle Pair hatches one or two chicks.