Hello, Adventurers! Welcome to the Coastal Expeditions blog! If you love outdoor activities such as hiking, paddling, exploring nature and learning about wildlife, you’ve come to the right place! Here on the Coastal Expeditions blog we dive deep into different habitats, excursions, conservation efforts and nature programs. To our return readers, thank you for your support! We commend you for being committed to learning. Our site is filled with interactive maps, destination guides, and educational resources. Speaking of educational resources, The Outdoor School consists of afterschool programs, weekly camps, school field trips and more! We offer hands-on workshops taught by highly-trained guides on wilderness skills, birding, identifying native plants, sustainability, kayaking, and camping. Basically anything you want to learn about, we teach! If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take a look around our site to learn more about our offerings. If you are an educator interested in planning a fun trip for the students at your school, do not hesitate to reach out to us!

Our last article was a super-fun deep dive into the field trips offered by Coastal Expeditions! Field trips are a unique opportunity to learn in a hands-on environment and, with the help of our expert guides, there’s no shortage of things to learn! From our Crab Bank Quest to our South Carolina Outdoor Education Program, our field trips cater to those in first grade all the way through college. Many of our programs offer scholarships (which include the bus fee) and packed lunches included into the per student fee. In case you weren’t already interested, we also provided a comprehensive overview on the effect of nature field trips on learning. Nature-based learning is scientifically proven to deepen and enhance student understanding of classroom concepts. We shared a few simple tips on how to make a field trip extra effective by using joint productive activity and preliminary questions. Here at Coastal Expeditions we value education and educators. Therefore, if you’re interested in working with us, please do not hesitate to reach out! Our last article is filled with links to pages where you can read more about the trips we offer!

Today, we’re adding another post into what will soon be a series on birding. Our last article in said series, titled ‘Summer Birding: Which Birds to Keep an Eye Out For,’ was a mini-guide to summer birding here in the Lowcountry. Today, we’d like to continue the tradition for winter! The end of the year is a beautiful time. Whether you’re spending the day raking up the last of fall’s leaves or hanging up lights for the holidays, you’re in a prime position to spot a few birds unique to South Carolina during the winter season. Veteran birders may be well-versed in the species we cover here today, but for the uninitiated: You may not be aware of the birds nesting in your own neighborhood. We’re here to help!

As we approach the end of December and move into a new year, most bird species have already moved further south. They seek warmer temperatures and food to survive this harsh season. That said, it’s technically not too late to complete your Sighting List (if you haven’t already). The South Carolina coast is actually considered a prime place to be during winter, as migratory waterfowl make their way here each year. Overwintering is the term used to describe how and where a bird chooses to spend their winter season. A great many ducks, geese, shorebirds, finches, and owls find our winter to be mild enough to endure. There are dozens of bird species which call South Carolina home during the winter months and we’ve taken the time to name (a handful of) them!

Green-winged Teal Duck

These small ducks are, simply put: adorable. Straight out of a children’s book. “To die for.” Their short necks and stout bodies are decorated with what seems an understated color palette, namely black, white, brown, and green. However, their black and white feathers showcase stunning striated patterns, their brown heads could more adequately be described as “toasted cinnamon,” and their teal swatches (which extend from the eyes backward) are vibrant enough to be likened to an emerald. Green-winged teal ducks feed on vegetation, as they are herbivores. You’re most likely to find these ducks in shallow wetlands, coastal marshes, and estuaries—especially during winter. They’re about the size of a crow, though they’re still much smaller than you might think.

Snow Geese

We could understand you mistaking the snow geese for a swan, what with their all-white bodies and statuesque countances. However, there are quite a few marked differences between the swan and their ganglier cousin, the snow goose. (And we use the word “cousin” without any of the familial implications the word would ordinarily carry.) These geese honk, like most, and bear dark wing tips. They travel in great crowds. The oldest known snow goose was twenty seven years old. And a half. These birds aren’t common in South Carolina, even during winter, but you might try your luck at the Santee National Wildlife Refuge. Keep in mind, the snow goose may not bear its titular snowy appearance. Adult blue morph snow geese actually bear dark blue feathers. You’ll recognize them by their white head, however. The snow goose is known as “Ánsar Nival” in Spanish-speaking countries and “Oie des neiges” in French-speaking countries. Oh, one last thing! The snow goose is known to have a particularly efficient digestive system. This means they’re likely to produce six to fifteen droppings per hour. If you’re on the lookout for snow geese, you’ll want to be on the lookout for their droppings as well!

Dunlins

Dunlins, once called “red-backed sandpipers,” are a type of shorebird. They frequent the South Carolina coast during their nonbreeding season, using their long beaks to poke food from the mudflats exposed by receding tides. They might also be found foraging on muddy farm fields or sewage treatment facilities. You can distinguish dunlins from sandpipers by their slightly larger size, as well as their brown color. This color gains a bit of vibrance and turns tawny during their breeding season. Dunlins nest on the ground and feed on invertebrates they find hiding below the earth’s surface. Their name is actually derived from the word “dun,” meaning a grayish-brown, and “-ling,” which means little. These guys are essentially called “little brown jobs.” How awesome is that?!

Red-throated Loons

Now, as far as names go, red-throated loons deserve an award. The red-throated loon has, as its name suggests, a red patch on its throat. Its throat is almost always visible due to its upturned beak. Considering its red eyes, you’d be hard pressed to mistake the red-throated loon for any other kind of bird. It’s known to frequent lakes and ponds as its favorite food is fish, namely herring, capelin, trout, cod, and stickleback. They make their way down to South Carolina during nonbreeding season and this is about the furthest south they’ll go. In fact, these are arctic birds, known to breed in the upper reaches of Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. If you’re lucky enough to see a red-throated loon swoop and dive for fish, take note of their gracefulness, which is among the most notable of their entire species.

Harlequin Duck

The harlequin duck, like the green-winged teal duck, is a sight for sore eyes. The breeding male looks like a modernist painting, with swatches of blue, brushstrokes of white, and bold pops of red. The female is a warm brown, though she has patches of white on her face and head. Ordinarily, these ducks call whitewater rivers and windswept coasts their home. They’re rarely seen this far south and do not frequent South Carolina’s coast. However, sightings of the harlequin duck have been made at Huntington Beach State Park. Coastal Expeditions leads excursions to and within Huntington Beach State Park, therefore we thought we’d give this beautiful duck a mention!

Great Horned Owl

You’re unlikely to see the great horned owl unless you yourself are a night owl. In reality, you’re more likely to hear the great horned owl than see the great horned owl. However, the wonderful thing is this species can be spotted here year-round. The great horned owl breeds during this time of year and actually makes its nest from the leftover nests of the red-shouldered hawks which have already left by this time of year.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this little lesson! Learning about these bird species is so much fun and it’s an honor they’ve chosen to winter in our humble abode. Be sure to check back in the coming months to learn which birds will call our state home during spring! If you’re interested in getting out in nature and seeing these birds in their natural habitats, join us on an excursion! Our Awendaw Creek Paddle and Hike, Blackwater Kayak Tour through the ACE Basin, Bull’s Island Ferry, and kayaking tour of Francis Marion National Forest are wonderful options for veteran and newbie birders alike! We hope to see you there! Until next time, Adventurers!