Birding with Pam…of South Carolina Low Country Nature Journaling and Art!

…with “South Carolina Low Country” in the title, I bet you already figured out we weren’t birding in Cincinnati! Rick, Matty, his friend, Kedar, and I returned last night from a wonderful week in Hilton Head, SC. The weather was fabulous, the birding was extraordinary, and I met a fellow bird and nature artist, Pam Johnson Brickell! Pam lives in Bluffton, SC very close to Hilton Head and Pinckney Island National Wildlife Reserve. She paints and journals the low country in a beautiful style I love (check out her blog here). Pam also is a contributor in the new journaling book about to be released, “Artist’s Journal Workshop." I also got to meet Pam’s husband, Rob, whom he said came along purely as Pam’s “pack mule,” but I don’t think that was really the case. Rob also is an avid birder and exceptional photographer and writer!

Pam sketching at Ibis Pond on Pinckney Island NWR.

I love meeting blogging friends!!

When we arrived at Ibis Pond on Pinckney Island NWR, the evening sun had just melted into a warm glow. It was the first time I had seen Pinckney in the softer, golden light of approaching dusk, and I liked it. I normally visit Pinckney and Ibis Pond in the morning and early afternoon when the light is intense and harsh, and the ruckus and activity of the birds can almost seem frantic, but as the sun faded on the horizon, so did the hectic pace of Pinckney. The island was changing, and you could feel the birds were ready to end their day…

...the evening sun kisses the feathers of a Black-crowned Night Heron as he surveys his territory at Ibis Pond.

...even though the feel of the island in the evening light was subdued, the red of the Black-crowned Night Heron's eyes was anything but subdued! Here a shaft of gold seems to ignite those gorgeous red eyes!

...as his name implies, the Black-crowned Night Heron hunts at dusk and at night. His large red eyes are sensitive to the light, giving him exceptional night vision. While the other birds are tucking it in for the evening, he's just getting ready to go (hmmmm, he sounds a lot like me...)! While breeding, Black-crowned Night Herons also hunt during the day. I've watched several catch fish in the morning light. They are very patient birds, sitting motionless until a fish swims into striking distance. In the past three years at Pinckney, I've seen day-active Black-crowned Night Herons every time I was there.

A White Ibis flies into the glow of evening at Ibis Pond, reminding us that the park would soon be closing! Yikes... We really had to hustle to make it back to the parking lot (a mile hike) and to the front gate before closing time.

The time went much too fast...unbelievably fast! Two hours on Pinckney is like 15 minutes in the regular world. Pam...I'm so glad we were able to meet and bird. I had so much fun and look forward to the next time we can bird on Ibis Pond!!