The Editor’s Desk
Kiawah, naturally …
W
e are Kiawah people. Whether we are
permanent residents or just visiting for
a time, we understand that this is a
very special place. We are fortunate
to recognize the unique qualities of the Island and to
find the time to know and enjoy them. We rejoice in
the blazing colors of the sunsets and the comforting
shade of the majestic maritime forest. We work to get
to know our wildlife neighbors, especially the wonderful
feathered creatures who populate our luxurious 10 miles
of Atlantic Ocean.
Who doesn’t love a shorebird? We could not wait to put
this issue together, but we have learned quite a bit along the
way. First of all, the flocks along the beach are not properly
referred to collectively as “shorebirds.” According to our
experts, the term shorebird as a classi fication actually refers
to relatively long legged, small- to medium-sized birds that
wade close to the shore and search for food around that area.
They are often migratory. Think of sandpipers, plovers, and
oystercatchers.
Seabirds are highly migratory, often nesting in large
colonies, and spend most of their time foraging out at sea. One
of our best-known residents in this category is the pelican.
Christine Sudell writes about those special birds in this issue.
Finally, wading birds have long skinny legs and can be found
in both fresh water and salt water. Roseate spoonbills, ibis, and
our much-loved blue herons are all in this category. We have
learned to refer to them in general as beach birds!
In this issue, Paul Roberts will help you distinguish
among all those little brown birds that accompany you on
your beach walks. Aaron Given, our Town of Kiawah Island
wildlife biologist, will let you know which birds to look for at
various times of the year. Tina Schell tells you how to capture
those elusive creatures with your camera, and Jacob Zadik,
a naturalist with the Kiawah Island Golf Resort, offers great
advice on how to spot them. Experts Jean Woods, Melissa
Chaplin, Felicia Sanders, Janet Thibault, Larry Niles, and
Brad Winn share their professional and personal experiences,
providing information from around the world with special
emphasis on the Lowcountry and Kiawah Island. Best-selling
author Mary Alice Monroe tells us about her creative process
as she wove in the birds of the South Carolina coast as a
central feature in her most recent novel Beach House for Rent.
Indeed we are Kiawah people, and we know we are
privileged to walk the beach with every single feathered
friend who lands there. NK
Spring 2017
5