Lessons learned from Audubon

I knew nothing about birds when I returned to Hilton Head after being away for years. But it was COVID. Outside was the only place to go. “Join Hilton Head Audubon,” a friend said. “It’s a great group.”
Four years later, I’m glad I did. Birds are fascinating, beautiful creatures. And learning how to birdwatch is surprisingly social. Birders are friendly people.

They hang out with sea turtle trackers, who swap intel with salt marsh protectors, who socialize with hunters and deeply committed environmentalists. They all know a Master Naturalist here or there who just spent two weeks hiking and kayaking from Greenville to Charleston with 12 other friends. When they get married, it is not just under an oak tree; it is a mile inside the ACE Basin.

They are citizen-scientist volunteers for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and their children want to be marine biologists when they grow up. They’re good influences on healthy living: they rise with the birds, walk miles to track their prey, and eat healthy snacks because that’s the only food that fits in a pocket stuffed with a refillable water bottle.

They know every tiny thing happening within a mile of every tree, including plans you might not have heard about for a new parking lot that could take down 27 bird-filled trees unless stopped. They have good parties. At one, we saw two love-struck ospreys entwined on a limb above the wine station as a full moon rose overhead.

Your friends might roll their eyes if you mention birdwatching, but it has a cool factor. Celebrities like Paul McCartney do it. Birdwatching is also emerging as a popular, budget-friendly activity for single millennials and Gen Z looking to meet potential partners, often connecting on Instagram using birding hashtags.

Meeting all these people was like discovering a sky full of stars shining light on the threats facing our Lowcountry. In turn, they are tied to a worldwide network of people working to keep water clean, protect land from flooding during heavy rains and hurricanes, and prevent further loss of birds and wildlife to human impact.

From these non-couch potatoes, I learned:

Every new development built here takes away habitat for birds and other wildlife. As our world grows denser, theirs grows smaller.
Most private developments use pesticides that can be harmful to people, pets and wildlife, including birds.

Birding and ecotourism are big business. Keeping the Lowcountry environment clean, green and protected from careless development benefits both the economy and property values.

Despite South Carolina’s political divisions, many residents and elected officials agree that protecting the environment is essential to preserving the region’s natural beauty.

Protecting ecosystems remains a priority for organizations such as Hilton Head Audubon and its partners. Groups including Conservation Voters of South Carolina, Coastal Conservation League, South Carolina Conservation Coalition and the Lowcountry Land Trust work to preserve ecologically and culturally significant lands through conservation easements and partnerships with landowners.

South Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, and neighboring Jasper County is among its fastest-growing areas. For those concerned about that growth, local organizations encourage community involvement. For more information, visit hiltonheadaudubon.org.

Shannon Wilkinson is a Member of Hilton Head Audubon & Hilton Head Island Rotary Lowcountry Environmental Group.