Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
Bridwatching Christmas 2005 12-17-2005 19:00
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Get in the holiday spirit with Christmas bird counts
Tired of fighting crowds at the mall? Want to see a real partridge in a pear tree? Join thousands of other volunteers in the National Audubon Society’s longest-running wintertime tradition, the 106th annual Christmas Bird Count.
“Christmas Bird Counts are a good way for beginners to learn birdwatching from experienced birders,” said Laurel Barnhill, wildlife biologist with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Section. “Anyone interested in birds can participate. The most important thing is having eyes out in the field. Even people who are feeder watchers within the count area can participate.”
South Carolina’s Christmas bird counters are among the more than 50,000 volunteers participating in the National Audubon Society’s 106th Christmas Bird Count Dec. 14 – Jan. 5, the world’s largest volunteer survey of its type. This marks the 106th anniversary since 27 conservationists decided to protest the traditional bird shoot, and instead of killing birds with guns, they counted them on Christmas Day 1900. The event originated as a protest to the traditional holiday “side hunt” in which teams competed to see who could shoot the most birds and animals in one day.
For further information on bird counts in your area, visit the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count Web site at http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/; check the Carolina Bird Club Web site at http://carolinabirdclub.org/christmas_counts.html; or call the DNR at (803) 734-3886 in Columbia.
This year, nearly 2,000 individual counts are scheduled to take place throughout the Americas. The data, 100 percent volunteer generated, have become a crucial part of the federal government’s natural history monitoring database. During Christmas Bird Counts, all birds within a 7.5-mile radius are identified by species and counted during a 24-hour period. Most counts begin at 7 or 8 a.m. and last the entire day, but participants can leave at their convenience if they make prior arrangements with the trip leader. Barnhill advises bringing a lunch and drink since many bird counts are conducted in rural areas. Dress for the weather.
Count participants are asked to pay a $5 fee to defray costs of the program; observers 18 years of age and under count for free. Count results and participants’ names will be published by the National Audubon Society. A list of the counts, and contacts for more information, includes:
2005-2006 South Carolina-area Christmas Bird Counts
Saturday, Dec. 17 COLUMBIA, Robin Carter, (803) 782-8820, rcarter@sc.rr.com
Saturday, Dec. 17 AUGUSTA, GA., Anne Waters, (706) 793-2788, birdannelady@earthlink.net
Saturday, Dec. 17 CLEMSON, Drew Lanham, (864) 656-7294, lanhamj@clemson.edu
Sunday, Dec. 18 CONGAREE SWAMP, Robin Carter, (803) 782-8820, rcarter@sc.rr.com
Sunday, Dec. 18 MCCLELLANVILLE, Nathan Dias, (843) 607-0105, offshorebirder@yahoo.com
Sunday, Dec. 18 PEE DEE/FLORENCE, David McLean and Calvin Clyde, (843) 853-7084, (843) 669-7836, dcmclean@gmail.com
Monday, Dec. 19 YORK/ROCK HILL, Bill Hilton Jr., (803) 684-5852, Hilton@hiltonpond.org
Saturday, Dec. 24 AIKEN, Calvin Zippler, (803) 642-2264, zipplerc@bellsouth.net
Thursday, Dec. 29 LITCHFIELD/PAWLEYS ISLAND, Jack Peachey, (843) 347-5810, ppaw@sccoast.net
Thursday, Dec. 29 SPARTANBURG, Lyle Campbell, (864) 585-1228, lcampbell@uscupstate.edu
Saturday, Dec. 31 SANTEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, Lex Glover, (803) 438-9855, bglvr@clemson.edu
Saturday, Dec. 31 NORTH GREENVILLE, J.B. Hines, (864) 706-8421, jbhines3@chesnet.net
Sunday, Jan. 1 CHARLESTON, Burton Moore, (843) 853-1100, bmoore@audubonart.com
Sunday, Jan. 1 SAVANNAH, GA., Dorothy Bambach, (912) 598-3764, dotbam@bellsouth.net
Sunday, Jan. 1 ACE BASIN, Pete Laurie, (843) 559-2046, farmall41@aol.com
Tuesday, Jan. 3 LAKE WATEREE, Donna Slyce, (803) 951-7122, dslyce@alltel.net
Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
Local Ponds Edgefield & McCormick 12-16-2005 13:37
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Most pond shooters saw some early action from wood ducks, not much in terms of new birds beyond the woodies and local geese.
Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
Thurmond Lake 12-16-2005 13:36
Sunny & Clear, Morning Fog – 35-40 Degrees
My buddies hunted the channel and saw very few birds except very early. A few coves were banging away, but most boats had limited shooting.
Posted By:
jct
Guest
12-13-2005 10:45
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any report from the cooper river? Santee delta?
Posted By:
Drake26
Guest
Upstate 12-06-2005 12:44
Sunny & Clear, Morning Fog – 45-50 Degrees
Saw a lot of new ducks today. Can’t wait till the season reopens.
Saw high numbers of mallards.
Saw 200 GWT this morning
4 Bull sprigs
2 Blacks
40 Gadwalls
24 Widgeons.
All these ducks have recently moved here in the last 3 days!
Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
DU Events 12-01-2005 20:02
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Lexington Wild Game Dinner
Date: December 1, 2005
Location: Lexington
Event Type: Dinner
Contact: G.A. Weathersby
Phone: 803-238-1758
East Cooper Membership Banquet
Date: December 2, 2005
Location: Mt. Pleasant
Event Type: Banquet
Contact: Mark Hartley
Phone: 843-224-5142
Columbia Chapter
Date: December 5, 2005
Location:
Event Type: Greenwing
Contact: Bill Short
Phone: 803-542-7823
Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
Wingshooter News 11-30-2005 14:34
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Wild Quail Management Seminars March 9-11, 2006
Bobwhite quail populations in South Carolina and the Southeast have been declining steadily over the past 50 years due to land use change and reduction in suitable habitat. The 19th Annual Wild Quail Management Seminars, sponsored by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources and the S.C. State Committee of Quail Unlimited, are designed to instruct landowners and land managers in the proper techniques of creating habitat that will support native populations of bobwhite quail.
Two seminars will be conducted over a three-day period, March 9-11, 2006, at the Webb Wildlife Center in Hampton County. The registration fee is $75 and includes meals, overnight accommodations and seminar materials. Space is limited, so register early to reserve a slot in one of the two sessions. For more information write: Quail Management Seminars, DNR, PO Box 167, Columbia, SC 29202, call the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Small Game Project in Columbia at (803) 734-4306, or e-mail barnesj@dnr.sc.gov.
“Properties that consistently carry medium- to high-density wild quail populations are actively managed to provide quail with all the habitat components necessary throughout the year,” said Judy Barnes, DNR small game biologist. “These seminars are designed to improve quail habitat management skills, and the information is presented so that anyone with an interest can implement these practices on their property.”
Field demonstrations and classroom instruction will focus on habitat practices including firebreak establishment, prescribed burning, timber management, brush control, discing for natural foods and supplemental food patch plantings. Presentations will be given on wild quail natural history, biology, diseases and parasites, predation and other factors that may be contributing to the population decline. An update on current research will also be presented. Speakers will include wildlife and forestry professionals from state and federal agencies.
About 700 people have attended the seminar since its inception in 1987. These sportsmen and sportswomen have positively affected thousands of acres across South Carolina by applying basic techniques to improve habitat on their lands.
Posted By:
PJ-Perea
Guest
Savannh River and Backwaters 11-30-2005 08:22
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 50-60 Degrees
Based on what I’ve gathered from my buddies the GA side of the river seemed to be holding more mallards and woodies. SC Thurmond hunters saw few birds over opening weekend mostly ringnecks, a few mallards, woodies and wigeons. Geese were not nearly as numerous compared to early season numbers—we must of whacked them pretty good early on. Overall, the opener was slow with a few exceptional pockets of birds in local ponds and backwaters.
Posted By:
Chevelle
Supporting Member
11-29-2005 20:55
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
To all Waterfowlers back in SC…I am in Ontario for the week and I can tell you that thousands are pouring out.
Posted By:
Drake26
Guest
Upstate 11-29-2005 15:27
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – 45-50 Degrees
Hunting 3 days during the Thanksgiving Season
Killed 12 ducks
6 Mall Drakes, 2 hens
3 Wood duck drakes
1 Gadwall Hen
All and All the opener was my best, but I did kill a few more to close out the first split! Can’t wait till the cold hits in late Dec., Early Jan.
