Venture to Anne Springs Close Greenway, Fort Mill, South Carolina  

May 9, 2005

Our first Venture to the Anne Springs Close Greenway near Fort Mill, South Carolina, was a great trip! We saw or heard over 70 species, including sixteen warblers and five thrushes! The habitat in the Greenway varied from open fields to wooded areas. We spent the morning birding the 1.5 mile loop around Lake Haigler. The trail around the lake was easy walking and led us through mixed hardwood forest as well as near the water's edge. We did not find the birds in scattered mixed flocks as often is the case on some bird walks, but we found them all along the trail, often close by and easy to see. There didn't seem to be a single birdless minute-birds were everywhere! There were many highlights on this Venture: a scope view of a nice male Kentucky Warbler singing from an open perch; a Veery very close to the trail being very patient as we watched it for several minutes; watching both Downy Woodpecker parents feeding their noisy nestlings in a hollow tree. But the most exciting highlight was watching a parent Louisiana Waterthrush feeding her three fledglings along the path, not ten feet away from us! The youngsters posed nicely while waiting to be fed, allowing for great photos. We were surprised at the early nesting of this bird, plus the fact that they prefer nesting along swift-flowing streams, not lakes. Other good sightings were seeing at least six male Blackpoll Warblers, a Northern Parula hanging upside down from a limb over the path, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak singing its melodious song, a beautiful Prothonotary Warbler near the lake, several pairs of Black-throated Blue Warblers, and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo just over our heads. This beautiful greenway is a wonderful spring birding destination and Ventures will be sure to put it on next year's calendar for a return visit.