Scaup.
Prarie warbler.
The very back section of the Ocean Course—I think
it is green 6—has a couple of ponds (I call them alligator
ponds because I always see tracks coming and going). These
ponds will frequently have ducks on them. Most are scaup
(above left), but sometimes there are hooded mergansers or
bufflehead.
If one keeps walking east toward the Stono River, there is
a line of wax myrtles before you come out onto the marsh
that circles the first nine holes of the Ocean Course. There are
frequently little birds in the branches—mostly yellow-rumped
warblers, but one morning I happened to catch this colorful
little warbler—a prairie warbler, I believe (above center).
A series of wooden boards across the wetter portions of the
marsh (probably placed there by would-be fishermen) allows
one to cross the hundred yards to the set of dunes behind the
open water of the lagoon. I have frequently seen common
nighthawks wheeling high in the sky above the marsh looking
for insects. But, this morning on a small sand beach at the
edge of the marsh is a spotted sandpiper (above right) looking
for little crustaceans for breakfast.
A series of dunes stretches down the onshore section
between the marsh/lagoon and the Ocean Course 6, 7, 8 and
9 fairways. If you work your way down the dunes, there is a
circular United States Government bronze plaque on the top
marking the extent of the land at the point in time that it was
Common nighthawk.
30
Osprey.
Spotted sandpiper.
placed there—about 1950 I believe. Further down the dunes,
I spied an interesting dark spot that caught my eye because it
moved as I approached. It turned out to be none other than
the common nighthawk (below left) resting on the ground
looking for-all-the-world like a small tumbleweed.
As I came to the open part of the lagoon which presents a
mixture of spartina grass in shallow water, and open mud flats
at low tide, I found the full range of common wading birds—
great blue heron, great egret, little blue herons, beach-feeding
birds such as dunlins, red knots, black-bellied plovers, and
flocks of marsh birds like grackles, red-winged blackbirds all
topped off with gulls and terns.
As I leave the lagoon area down near the farthest end of the
driving range, there is a pole with a warning sign to stay away
from bird nesting areas, what should land on the top of the
pole but a very beautiful osprey (below center).
It is still a hike from the back of the driving range to my
parking spot. As I am crossing the cart path, I noticed that
there is a bird in a dead tree near the cart path and after using
my binoculars, I note that it is a small hawk. I approached
slowly and carefully and managed to get close enough to use
my long lens to catch a shot up close. It appears to be a young
Cooper’s hawk (below right) showing off for his photo.
I arrive back at my auto a little tired, hot, sweaty, and thirsty
but with a nice list of birds to show for the morning’s effort. NK
Cooper’s hawk.
Naturally Kiawah