Joey's notes
Week ending 08-03-03
If you ever want to enjoy yourself, please let me suggest the coast of South Carolina. Heping is good, bugging is good, birding is good, food is good, life is good. My wife, son, and I spent the majority of the week on Seabrook Island (Charleston County) and the surrounding area with our old friend and her sons. They had flown in from Minnesota and it was great to spend some time with them. We had never met the boys, and had not seen our friend since our wedding in 1983! Time flies!
Monday (7-28-03), It was a bit overcast and stormy. We went up to Charleston. Shopping, walking, and eating out took priority!
Tuesday (7-29-03), Collected a few Tiger Beetles (Cicindela dorsalis media, C.marginata, and C.trifasciata). We took a nice tour of Charleston, and when we visited the waterfront, and even saw a Snowy Egret, Yellow-Crowned Night Heron and Black Skimmer. Nice to see great birds like this right in a big city. Back at Seabrook, I saw a Loggerhead Shrike. Now I have not mentioned butterflies, but Gulf Fritilaries, Giant Swallowtails, Tiger Swallowtails, Buckeyes, and Sulfurs were all there to be admired.
Wednesday (7-30-03), We visited Folly Beach. The surf there was better for swimming. The ladies lounged, the boys swam, and I explored the north end of Folly Island, where few people go. There was a beach, inlet, shoreline with mud flats. It was all nice. I found a few Tiger Beetles, C.dorsalis media and marginata, and enjoyed the birds and gentle wind.
Thursday (7-31-03), I got up fairly early and headed out towards Edisto Beach. That is Colleton County’s only beach, so I needed to go there to collect certain beach Tiger Beetles in Colleton County. Easily accomplished. I also wanted to stop off at the Edisto Serpentarium. It was right on the way. I even got to have a nice visit with Heyward and Ted Clamp, and Heyward even gave me a personal tour of the facility. It is very nice. The animals seemed well cared for. The exhibits were nicely decorated. I was impressed. After leaving, and less than a mile up the road, I saw a Swallow-Tail Kite. Great bird! I explored a bit more of southern Colleton County, going to the Bear Island/Bennetts Point area. Saw lots of great wading birds Snowy Egrets, American Egrets, White Ibis, Wood Storks, and several species of Heron! Birders Paradise! Even got to score some Tiger Beetles, C.trifasciata that make for a new county record. Along the way I flipped a few boards/debris and found a few Eastern Narrowmouth Toads and some Southern Cricket Frogs but little else.
Friday (8-1-03), I had some work business to tend to over near Beaufort. Stopped in Beaufort at a patch of sand by the road and collected a Tiger Beetle, C.punctulata, but did not spend much time outdoors. I did find a Copperhead shed skin (pattern still quite visible) and a DOR Armadillo that was in the Beaufort city limits. That is cool. Later, back on Seabrook, we had some pretty bad (and overpriced) pizza and on the way back to the room found a pretty little AOR Copperhead. Neat.
Saturday (8-2-03), Up too early, we loaded the vehicles and hit the road. My wife and son would drive our friends to the airport and I would make a few stops along I-26. Orangeburg County did not give me anything I needed, nor did Calhoun. In Lexington County I flipped some plywood (from an old billboard) and finally got my Lexington County snake! A smallish, thin, butt-ugly, sub-adult, mutt Ratsnake. No points for beauty, this snake at least gives me a catch in that county. Now I have scored snakes in 40 of the 46 counties in South Carolina! Not bad, if I do say so myself! Edgefield! Bamburg! Barnwell! Lee! Darlington! Dillon! I am coming soon!
Sunday (8-3-03), Crashed after the vacationing. I pinned some beetles, wrote some notes, updated some maps, tried to get the laundry done, and went to the grocery store. I had a full week.
Joey Holmes
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