Photo of the Month
"On a recent drive through the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge I found a standing pool of water where a number of shorebirds were busy feeding. The water was left from a Feburary draining of the old rice fields. The early spring drawdown provides welcome nourishment to waterfowl in late winter and attracts migratory visitors. I stopped to observe Lesser Yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitchers and Dunlins as they were busy feeding. From the corner of my eye I saw a pair of Hooded Mergansers surface from their underwater foraging. This small fish-eating duck dives underwater to catch its prey. The male, with its shocking black and white, fan-shaped crest, was a bit too far away for me to get a decent image. Instead, I was able to photograph his mate as she surfaced right in front of my vehicle. I was impressed by how calm she appeared when she came up for air. I felt sure that my presence would startle her, but I had two things going for me. She was very busy feeding and I was somewhat concealed inside my vehicle.
Savannah National Wildlife Refuge offers excellent access for the public to view great numbers of wading birds, shorebirds, migrating winter waterfowl and a range of other lowcountry wildlife. On March 1 they open the closed portions of the refuge dike system north of S.C.170 for hiking/biking and the migrating songbirds can be spotted on their return from southern wintering grounds."
Eric Horan
Photo tip-exposure: Birds become desensitized to vehicles like cars and golf carts long before they relax around humans on foot. Because I managed to stay quiet and motionless in the comfort of my automobile, these birds proceeded with their business of feeding, preening and other natural behavior. Portable blinds are good as well, but do require setup and a period of time after entering them before wildlife will accept you, drop their inhibitions and return to their natural behavior.
Hooded Mergansers frequent South Carolina in winter and usually arrive in pairs. They find their prey underwater by sight and actually change the refractive properties of their eyes for underwater vision. They have a translucent membrane, also referred to as a third eyelid, that works much like goggles to protect the eye. For more information on birds contact Cornell Lab of Ornithology http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ and for in-the-field viewing of lowcountry wildlife visit the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. Check out their calendar of events including education and volunteer opportunities at http://www.fws.gov/savannah/.
For more information visit Eric Horan's Website
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