Tag Archives: Bird Key

Brown Pelican Flyby

This Brown Pelican buzzed our boat on our way out to Bird Key Stono.

Brown Pelican Flying By
Brown Pelican Flying By

With a long steady swoop he caught up to us.

Brown Pelican Flying By
Brown Pelican Flying By

The local birds have learned that boats can mean scraps from fisherman/shrimpers.

Brown Pelican Flying By
Brown Pelican Flying By

He gave us the look then dropped into the water. Too bad for him that as bird watchers we had nothing for him.

Brown Pelican
Brown Pelican

June 2, 2022

Brown Pelican Chicks

Ted and I went on the same guided boat adventure as last year to see the juvenile Pelicans at Bird Key Stono Seabird Sanctuary. This trip was much earlier in the young birds’ lives as they are still in the nests.

Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono
Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono

These pictures are taken from a bobbing boat; I did learn from last year and upped my shutter speed to 1/1600.

Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono
Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono

There are thousands of birds on this island right now, and as you might expect there were always some in flight. The parents have to go for food, and swoop in and out constantly.

Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono
Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono, Maybe a Cloudless Sulfer flying over

The chicks are still in the nests, which are collections of sticks/reeds, with the young being protected by an adult from the sun. As you can see in the center top a few are starting to move around.

Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono
Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono, Dragonflies

Laughing Gulls are also nesting here and were flying all over, constantly chattering.

Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono
Brown Pelicans on Nests, Bird Key Stono

June 1, 2022

Bird Key, not much more than a sandbar, is a barrier island that sits in the mouth of the Stono River, between Kiawah and Folly Islands.

Brown Pelican Over Surf

There was a lot going on at Bird Key and it was hard to focus on just one bird. The boat was moving, many of the birds were moving and every which way, the water was moving…you get the idea.

Brown Pelicans
Brown Pelicans

I did follow this one Pelican flying along the shore, hoping to see him land.

Brown Pelicans
Brown Pelicans

He flew over another Pelican frolicking in the surf and past some Laughing Gulls.

Brown Pelicans
Brown Pelicans

The Pelican in the water started flapping like he was going to take off.

Brown Pelicans
Brown Pelicans

I’m not sure now if this was the flying bird settling into the water, or the flapper who just sunk back down for some more spa treatment from the surf.

Brown Pelicans
Brown Pelicans

Taken from a boat at Bird Key Stono Heritage Preserve
Between Kiawah Island and Folly Beach, SC

July 12, 2021

Brown Pelican Chicks On the Beach

These are a few more images of Brown Pelicans chicks showing the chicks interacting, very awkwardly.

Brown Pelican Adult and Two Chicks
Brown Pelican Adult and Two Chicks

Adult Brown Pelicans are somewhat awkward on land, and if you notice the feet you can see why.

Brown Pelican Adult and Two Chicks
Brown Pelican Adult and Two Chicks

 

As previously mentioned, I regret I didn’t use a higher shutter speed to offset some of the bobbing boat motion. The images are over-sharpened somewhat to try to make up for that, but I wanted to share them for the seldom seen chick behavior.

Taken from a boat at Bird Key Stono Heritage Preserve
Between Kiawah Island and Folly Beach, SC

July 12, 2021

 

Gulls Took To The Air

Danger, danger, fly, fly!

Can you spot the Eagle?

Birds in the Air over Bird Key, Stono
Birds in the Air, Eagle is about 1/4 of way in from the left, one of the top birds

This island has a lot of advantages for nesting birds, but it is not without risk. This time the Eagle appeared to leave without a meal.

Birds in the Air over Bird Key, Stono
Birds in the Air over Bird Key, Stono, Mostly Laughing Gulls

About a half hour later it happened again. We were further away from the action and I didn’t capture the Eagle, but this view gives an idea of how many birds are nesting on this little island. And how unconcerned the Pelicans appeared.

Birds in the Air over Bird Key, Stono
Birds in the Air over Bird Key, Stono

Taken from a boat at Bird Key Stono Heritage Preserve
Between Kiawah Island and Folly Beach, SC

July 12, 2021

Brown Pelican Chicks Getting Fed

Ted and I went on a guided boat adventure today that included watching juvenile Pelicans at Bird Key Stono Seabird Sanctuary, a significant nesting habitat for seabirds and shorebirds.

Two Brown Pelican Chicks Getting Fed By Parent
Two Brown Pelican Chicks Getting Fed By Parent

Taking pictures from a bobbing boat is a challenge and I regret I didn’t use a higher shutter speed. The chicks are very awkward walkers and not yet flying

Two Brown Pelican Chicks Getting Fed By Parent
Two Brown Pelican Chicks Getting Fed By Parent

Brown Pelican chicks feed a lot like the herons, with the young reaching down into the adult’s throat to get food, not the mouth pouch which is used to catch food.

Two Brown Pelican Chicks Getting Fed By Parent
Two Brown Pelican Chicks Getting Fed By Parent

Bird Key, not much more than a sandbar, is a barrier island that sits in the mouth of the Stono River, between Kiawah and Folly Islands.