Venture to Congaree Swamp National Park Venture With stop at Fairview
& Caroland Farms, SC
8 May 2008
It was a cool overcast morning as we started along the boardwalk into the Congaree with barely a sign of any mosquitoes. The dreaded "mosquito-ometer" was warning us of a moderate attack but thankfully the cool conditions kept them at bay. After finding a Swainson's Thrush and a Black-throated Blue Warbler within the first 50 meters, I was expecting a good drop of migrants in the swamp. However, the dry conditions seemed to affect the birds in the dry woodlands and it wasn't until we reached the wetter areas that we started to come upon good numbers of the resident species. Both Acadian and Great Crested Flycatchers were singing, as well as Yellow-throated Vireo and the first of several "Golden Swamp Warblers." A walk down to the camping area did not produce the hoped for Mississippi Kites, but instead several "brush-loving" birds that are uncommon in the heart of the Congaree- Gray Catbird, Common Yellowthroat and Indigo Bunting. Thankfully we did get our kites when we walked along the entry road at the end of our stay.
It's a long drive back to Asheville, and our stop to see the Purple Martins at Exit 1 in Landrum, South Carolina continued into quite a little birding excursion. Starting with Grasshopper and Savannah Sparrows, several Orchard Orioles, a couple of migrant Bobolink flocks and finishing with a Barn Owl, our day was long, but very birdy!
| Bird List | |
| Double-crested Cormorant (4) | Brown Thrasher (2) |
| Great Blue Heron (2) | Wood Thrush (Heard) |
| Green Heron (1) | Swainson’s Thrush (1) |
| Wood Duck (3) | Eastern Bluebird |
| Black Vulture (10+) | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher |
| Turkey Vulture | American Pipit (1) |
| Mississippi Kite (3) | Cedar Waxwing |
| Red-shouldered Hawk (2) | European Starling |
| Bald Eagle (1) | White-eyed Vireo |
| Osprey (1) | Yellow-throated Vireo |
| Northern Bobwhite (Heard) | Red-eyed Vireo |
| Wild Turkey (1) | Prothonotary Warbler |
| Rock Pigeon | Northern Parula |
| Mourning Dove | Black-throated Blue Warbler (5+) |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Heard) | Yellow-throated Warbler |
| Barn Owl (1) | Pine Warbler (Heard) |
| Barred Owl (Heard) | American Redstart (1) |
| Chimney Swift | Kentucky Warbler (1) |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird (2) | Northern Waterthrush (2) |
| Northern Flicker | Common Yellowthroat (2) |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | Hooded Warbler (1) |
| Red-headed Woodpecker (Heard) | Yellow-breasted Chat (Heard) |
| Downy Woodpecker | Summer Tanager (5+) |
| Pileated Woodpecker | Scarlet Tanager (Heard) |
| Eastern Kingbird (6) | Northern Cardinal |
| Great Crested Flycatcher (2) | Blue Grosbeak (1) |
| Acadian Flycatcher (2) | Indigo Bunting |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee (Heard) | House Finch |
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow (2) | American Goldfinch |
| Cliff Swallow (2) | Eastern Towhee |
| Barn Swallow | Savannah Sparrow |
| Purple Martin (10+) | Grasshopper Sparrow |
| Blue Jay | Chipping Sparrow |
| American Crow | Song Sparrow |
| Carolina Chickadee | Bobolink (30+) |
| Tufted Titmouse | Eastern Meadowlark |
| White-breasted Nuthatch (Heard) | Orchard Oriole (5+) |
| Brown-headed Nuthatch (1) | Red-winged Blackbird |
| House Wren (heard) | Common Grackle |
| Carolina Wren | Brown-headed Cowbird |
| Northern Mockingbird | House Sparrow |
| Gray Catbird (1) | |
| Other Critters | |
| Gray Squirrel | Five-lined Skink |
| Black Racer | Yellow-bellied Slider |
| Green Anole | Eastern Mud Turtle |
| Butterflies | |
| Palamedes Swallowtail | American Lady |
| Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | Common Buckeye |
| Red-banded Hairstreak (1) | Carolina Satyr |
| Pearl Crescent | Silver-spotted Skipper |
| Red Admiral | |