Fourteen participants gathered at the Visitors Center of Congaree National Park for a day of birding. Participants ranged from parts of South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. This was the first time visit to the Park for most participants. The weather was nice, but it was one of the hottest days of the year.
Congaree National Park is the largest expanse of old growth floodplain forest in America. The canopy is as tall as or taller than any deciduous forest in the world. The Park is home to hundreds of plant and animal species, and has been designated an International Biosphere Reserve.
The Park was alive with bird songs, however with the trees leafed out it was very challenging to find the songsters. It was a good time to learn bird songs. What may have made up for the difficulty of seeing the birds, was no biting bugs! Most of us did not even put bug spray on and some participants even wore shorts!
We left the Visitors Center and walked the boardwalk loop trail. As we enter the woods, Great Crested Flycatchers, Red-eyed Vireo, Summer Tanagers, Yellow-throated Vireos, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Northern Parulas and Yellow-throated Warblers could be heard overhead. As the understory thickened, we began encountering White-eyed Vireos, Wood Thrushes, Acadian Flycatchers, American Redstarts, Hooded Warbler and Swainson's Warblers. We heard quite a few Swainson's Warblers singing throughout the walk, but they were some distance away from the boardwalk. We tried to pish and squeak them in for a view, but had no luck. A couple of participants stayed behind and eventually got a look at a bird as it moved across the boardwalk. Throughout the walk Mississippi Kites, seen through openings in the canopy, soared above us. At Weston Lake we were entertained by Prothonotary Warblers. They appeared to be setting up territories and we witnessed some squabbles and chase scences. As we began to loop back to the Visitors Center, we got great looks at a Barred Owl perched just off of the boardwalk. A second owl, further back in the woods called and our bird flew back towards it.
The rising heat and humidity began to take its affect on us and we welcomed the lunch break. Back on higher ground, in the picnic area, we listened to Pine Warbler and Eastern Wood-Pewee. The Pewee's lazy, slurred, whistled song seemed fitting to how the heat and humidity was affecting us.
After lunch we went over to the campground to look for some different species of birds that can be found in the large field and along the forest edge. We found indigo Buntings and Blue Grosbeaks fairly easily, as they flew around the field. Next we decided to go over to Cedar Creek Landing and look for birds in that part of the Park. Some participants had quite a drive home and with the heat continuing to climb, decided to head out.
On the way over to Cedar Creek Landing, we stopped to look at a singing Prairie Warbler. After enjoying the good looks at the bird, the rest of us decided to call it a day as well and we ended the trip.
Even with the heat and humidity, it was a good day to be out in the swamp. Of course any day in the swamp with no biting insects is a good day!
Good Birding,
Lex Glover
Trip Leader
| Great Blue Heron | Tufted Titmouse |
| Green Heron | White-breasted Nuthatch |
| Black Vulture | Carolina Wren |
| Turkey Vulture | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher |
| Mississippi Kite | Wood Thrush |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | Cedar Waxwing |
| Broad-winged Hawk | European Starling |
| Mourning Dove | Northern Parula |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | Black-throated Blue Warbler |
| Barred Owl | Yellow-throated Warbler |
| Chimney Swift | Pine Warbler |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | *Prairie Warbler |
| Red-headed Woodpecker | American Redstart |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | Prothonotary Warbler |
| Downy Woodpecker | Swainson’s Warbler |
| Hairy Woodpecker | Louisiana Waterthrush |
| Pileated Woodpecker | Kentucky Warbler |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee | Common Yellowthroat |
| Acadian Flycatcher | Hooded Warbler |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | Summer Tanager |
| White-eyed Vireo | Northern Cardinal |
| Yellow-throated Vireo | Blue Grosbeak |
| Red-eyed Vireo | Indigo Bunting |
| Blue Jay | Eastern Towhee |
| American Crow | Common Grackle |
| Fish Crow | Chipping Sparrow |
| Carolina Chickadee | Brown-headed Cowbird |
| * seen outside of the Park |