Birding Jekyll

It's another whirlwind of a week for me. This past weekend I ran my first half marathon in Jacksonville, Florida. It was an amazing experience and with the help of my friends and family I raised over $600. After coming home late Sunday, I have house shopped all day on Monday, taught over 100 kids yesterday, and today after work I head back north to Jekyll Island, GA.


If you've read anything on this site you know I love Jekyll. And if you're interested in visiting I have some detailed tips here and here. I lived on Jekyll for 3 years and since leaving I have missed it immensely. Tomorrow I have an interview for a job that would put me back on the island. So wish me luck.

A few weeks ago my family drove down from South Carolina to visit me. And luckily, a couple of my friends dropped by for a little birding and joined us for dinner. If you are on the Georgia coast and you want to see some nice shorebirds head out to the South end of Jekyll Island. I promise that not only will you see plenty of Black Skimmers and gulls but if you're lucky you're find a few more fun shorebirds as well.

As you can see the weather was pleasant though a bit windy. We saw Piping Plovers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, American Avocets, one Wilson's Plover, and plenty of Dunlin and Sanderlings. As far as gulls go we were lucky to find a Greater-Blackbacked Gull mixed in with the Ring-billed, Laughing, and Herring Gulls. There was a Snow Bunting reported in this area all the previous week but I couldn't find it. I did however find a Black-bellied Plover and Semipalmated Plover and ended the day's count with 46 species. Not bad for a couple of hours at the beach.