Field Trip: Exploring Bear Island National Wildlife Refuge

(Member registration opens 1/5; Nonmembers on 1/12)

Bear Island is always one of the highlights of our Field Trip year. We will gather at the entrance, on Titi Road, which faces Mary’s House Pond, where we will set up spotting scopes. Depending on water levels, this pond may have lots of waders and/or ducks, and possibly White Pelicans or Tundra Swans. Then we will drive into the WMA, stopping frequently to look and listen. Bear Island consists of 12,021 acres of brackish water marshes, maritime forests, bottomland hardwoods, upland fields, and water-controlled impoundments, lagoons, etc.  

From the Bear Island WMA website: “Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, owned by the SC Department of Natural Resources, is managed to provide quality habitat for wintering waterfowl and other wetland wildlife including threatened and endangered species such as wood storks and bald eagles; to provide habitat for upland game and nongame species; and to provide recreational opportunities for the hunting and nonhunting public. Public hunting on the WMA includes waterfowl (by special drawing only), white-tailed deer, mourning dove and small game. The diverse area provides excellent bird watching, attracting waterfowl, bald eagles, wading birds, shorebirds and song birds.”

The drive from HH is about an hour and a half. There are no facilities once you turn onto Bennett’s Road. The last chance for gas, snacks, bathrooms is a small gas station/store on Rte 17, shortly after the Donnelley entrance. 
Cost of field trip is $12.