Registration closes 6/14/24

Become a Lowcountry Master Birder with Hilton Head Audubon

Hilton Head Audubon invites you to embark on a transformative birding journey with the pilot Lowcountry Master Birder Program, starting June 21st, 2025. This year-long intensive program is designed to challenge and inspire bird enthusiasts to reach new heights of expertise in Lowcountry bird identification, ecology, and conservation.

About the Program

In the Lowcountry, there’s a need for advanced-level birding education beyond university settings. This program fills that gap, offering an unparalleled opportunity to develop exceptional birding skills while volunteering and fostering leadership within the birding community.  This pilot program will include a mentor assigned to each student to guide them through a combination of self-study, in-person and zoom classroom discussions.  It includes attendance at selected HHA events, including programs, classes and field trips.  In addition, the students will be asked to perform a series of activities and take exams to demonstrate their increasing knowledge about Lowcountry birds. 

Who Should Apply?

Are you ready to deepen your connection with the avian world? We’re looking for passionate participants who are committed to learning, volunteering and inspiring others. Graduates will earn the prestigious title of Lowcountry Master Birder.

Further information about the program 

Draft Curriculum for Program

Application for Lowcountry Master Birder Program

Registration opens 6/1 for Members; Nonmembers on 6/8.

Join expert birders Jim Asmuth and Chip Walker for a car caravan sandpiper hunt at this working turf farm. We will be stopping when we sight activity on the sod fields. Scopes would be helpful; Chip and Jim will be bringing theirs. Target birds are the Upland, Buff-Breasted and Pectoral Sandpipers, all of which were seen around that time in 2024. There is a colony of year round Ground Doves, as well. It takes about 2 2- 2.5 hours to cover the various sod fields. Note that people are welcome when the farm is NOT working - which means weekends only. We will meet at the Piggly Wiggly, 10847 N. Jacob Smart Blvd. in downtown Ridgeland. SC parking lot at 8:30am. Take Rte 278 to I-95North and get off at the Ridgeland exit. We will carpool from there, so we have more eyes in each vehicle, and fewer vehicles. The drive is about 35-40 minutes from Bluffton. There are no facilities or water available after the Piggly Wiggly. There is little shade and the roads are packed sand but very passable. If we have really nasty weather (e.g. hurricane?), our rain date will be Sept 6.

Tickets are $12.00 for members and nonmembers. Limited to 15 people.

This field trip date is now Saturday Sept 6th!!

Member registration opens 8/3; nonmembers on 8/10.

Start the fall field trip season with a slow meander with Master Birder, Terry Cerisoles, around the newly established Mid Island Community Park, which is being converted from many years as a golf course. At present, there is a small parking lot, some port-o-potties, and plenty of old, uneven, but mowed golf cart paths and fairways. Bordering pines and oaks are very popular with many resident bird species. Some are common, but others are not often seen elsewhere on Hilton Head. The very tall dead standing pines host the only Red-Headed Woodpecker colony we know of on the island. Join Hilton Head Audubon along the paths and lagoons, for about 2 or 3 hours, 2 or 3 miles. Except for occasional overflying aircraft , this place feels very wild but is in the heart of the island. 

Directions: The parking lot is about 100 yards off of Rte 278, on Union Cemetery Rd, Hilton Head SC. If coming from the north (from Bluffton or the Cross Island Expressway), take 278 Business East. Go past Matthews Rd, then past the Dillon Rd interesection (McDonald's) -- both of which have traffic lights. The next left (no traffic light) is Union Cemetery Rd. If coming from the south on Rte 278 Business (e.g. from Sea Pines), go past Port Royal Plantation entrance, and take the next right onto Union Cemetery Rd. If you make the turn onto Union Cemetery Rd, but miss the parking lot, you will soon see the Union Cemetery itself, and need to turn around.

Tickets are $12.00 for members and nonmembers. Capacity is limited to 15 people. Rain date is Sept 20th.