Trip Report for Congaree Swamp National Park Venture
21 April 2007
It certainly was a beautiful day as the temperature barely got into the 70's with clear blue skies and a pleasant breeze. Even the "moderate" mosquitoes were not too troublesome - for a change. Twelve of us gathered at the Visitors Center at Congaree National Park for our annual birding foray into this spectacular forest.
Many of the summer residents were already on territory and the woodlands rang with the songs of White-eyed, Red-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireos, Prothonotary, Yellow-throated, Northern Parula, Hooded and Kentucky Warblers. Chimney Swifts twittered above the slowly greening canopy and Great crested Flycatchers uttered their loud "wheep" calls from high overhead. Surprisingly there were still a few winter birds around, such as White-throated Sparrows, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a single Hermit Thrush along Sims Road that allowed excellent views.
Other avian highlights had to be the Barred Owl that we watched through the telescope, a very high Osprey passing through and an equally high Anhinga circling over the swamp. As with every trip into the Congaree, we took time to enjoy any other wildlife that we came across. A Cottonmouth was watched as it slowly swam across a quiet pool and a Red-bellied Water-Snake was basking in the sun prior to shedding its skin. The opaque eyes gave this away. A bright green Carolina or Green Anole was displaying its pink gular pouch and a big patch of blooming blackberries was attracting quite a show of nectaring butterflies. The highlight had to be the somewhat ragged Great Purple Hairstreak that allowed us to take many photographs, along with several Zebra and Palamades Swallowtails.
It was, all in all, a great day to be out in the Congaree enjoying nature all around us. Simon Thompson
| Bird List | |
| Anhinga (1) | Carolina Wren |
| Great Blue Heron (1) | House Wren (1) |
| Black Vulture (2) | Ruby-crowned Kinglet (3) |
| Turkey Vulture | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (+ nest) |
| Osprey (1) | Hermit Thrush (1) |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | Gray Catbird (1) |
| Red-tailed Hawk (2) | Brown Thrasher (1) |
| Barred Owl (1) | Northern Parula |
| Chimney Swift | Yellow-rumped Warbler |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird (2) | Yellow-throated Warbler |
| Belted Kingfisher (Heard) | Pine Warbler (Heard) |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | Black-and-white Warbler (Heard) |
| Red-headed Woodpecker (Heard) | American Redstart (1) |
| Downy Woodpecker | Prothonotary Warbler |
| Pileated Woodpecker | Ovenbird (Heard) |
| Eastern Kingbird (2 on Bluff Road) | Kentucky Warbler (2) |
| Great Crested Flycatcher (Heard) | Common Yellowthroat (Heard) |
| White-eyed Vireo | Hooded Warbler |
| Yellow-throated Vireo | Summer Tanager |
| Red-eyed Vireo | Northern Cardinal |
| Blue Jay | White-throated Sparrow |
| American Crow | Common Grackle |
| Carolina Chickadee | Brown-headed Cowbird (Heard) |
| Tufted Titmouse | Baltimore Oriole (1) |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | |
| Other Critters | |
| Gray Squirrel | Five-lined Skink |
| Cottonmouth/Water Moccasin | Yellow-bellied Slider |
| Red-bellied Water-Snake | Eastern Mud Turtle |
| Black Racer | Longnose Gar |
| Green Anole | |
| Butterflies | |
| Palamedes Swallowtail | Red Admiral |
| Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | American Lady |
| Zebra Swallowtail | Common Buckeye |
| Great Purple Hairstreak (1) | Carolina Satyr |
| American Snout | Silver-spotted Skipper |
| Pearl Crescent | |
What is over there?
Yeah - right there!
WOW! Cottonmouth!
Great Purple Hairstreak