A Great Egret at Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge (near Hilton Head Island, SC)

Birding Hilton Head Island and Pinckney Island NWR…continued from Sunday's White Ibis post

I could have stayed in that sheltered little cove all day long just watching those leggy wading birds hunting and squabbling with each other. I also was becoming accustomed to the unique smell of that part of the rookery. You can't smell it up on high land, but down by the water, only feet from the island, a unique odor hangs in the air. After all, when over a thousand birds are nesting together and are eating a mix of fish and aquatic animal remains, you can expect something, but the odor wasn’t really that offensive—just unique. I kind of liked it because it was a totally new smell. At the heronry back home, I am so, so far away, probably at least a half mile, that I can’t smell anything. I had read about the unique fishy rookery smell, now I knew what they were talking about!

Just as I decided it was time to move on, a brother and sister climbed down to my little hideaway, so I left them there to enjoy the view and walked back up the small hillside. As I was walking, two older gentlemen came up and with huge smiles on their faces and said, "If you like it so far, wait until you get to the other side. There are easily a thousand birds on this little island." They also let me know Wood Storks were roosting on the other side of the pond in the pines. I was so excited. I came to Pinckney Island NWR looking for two life birds, Painted Buntings and Wood Storks. I couldn’t believe I was going to be able to see both on the same day. As I set off to find those Wood Storks, however, I quickly got sidetracked. There, not more than 25 feet away, was a beautiful Great Egret displaying his showy white plumes. The Wood Storks would have to wait. Who can resist a lime green eye mask (which will be fading soon as the breeding season ends) and spectacular fluffy white feathers...