Christine

Living on Hilton Head Island, we have a lot of bird activity year-round. I have 4 feeding stations and a birdbath. After reading the birdbath safety tips, I will be adding some rocks to the bowl so when it rains, the water doesn’t get too deep for the smaller songbirds. The birds have great sources of seeds, insects, worms, etc. The subtropical environment keeps the bugs well stocked. We have many Live Oaks and Pine Trees that provide lots of shelter and food as well as plants that are dense and low to the ground. Birds are plentiful and I want to keep them safe and keep them engaged in our backyard so I will be researching a moving water feature.

We moved into our house on Hilton Head Island a year ago. We have a lagoon in the backyard and tall live oaks and pine trees. I have put out feeders and had some landscaping done to attract the birds. We have a long way to go to reach our goals of providing an oasis for the birds and wildlife. I have 4 feeding areas for the birds and they visit all day long. I would like to create a lusher garden full of plants that offer natural food to them as well as the option for feeding on seeds at the feeders. I do have issues with deer and raccoons as well as feral cats. Feeders are baffled and up high as well as camouflaged with branches to keep the occasional feral cats at bay. The deer eat everything so that is also a challenge. I plant something and the next day they are gone or pulled up out of the ground. I am taking this class to learn more about our native plants and to hopefully find ideas that will enrich the biodiversity but also discourage the “trouble makers.”

Activity 2: I live on Hilton Head Island. I love all the shorebirds, waterbirds, raptors, and songbirds that live here. Three that I see year-round are Anhingas (aka snakebird), Wood Storks, and White Ibis. I have different locations across the island that I can see these birds anytime of the year that I would like. The Anhingas and Wood Storks are usually spotted somewhere near a water source (fresh or salt) and the White Ibis are literally everywhere in every type of environment. I see the Ibis on the marshy side of the beach and I see them in my backyard. Three that are temporary residents are Mississippi Kites, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and Eastern Phoebes. Mississippi Kites took up residence over the summer as two adults raised 2 juveniles high in the canopy of the pine trees in our backyard. From sun up to sundown they were squawking for food. They were very cool to watch as they grew. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are winter migrants and are not hard to find in the local parks. Eastern Phoebes are also easy to spot in the park or even the backyard perched on a tree branch or the top of the feeder.