Early Returning Piping Plovers!

North end of Folly Beach -- Lighthouse Heritage Preserve -- July 27, 2015

       Yes!  Piping Plovers are beginning to return to our beaches!  I had read of a couple of sightings in recent days but had not yet seen one myself until yesterday!   A quiet weekday morning, I decided to take a walk on the north end of Folly at the Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- taking my new scope to look for shorebirds.  It is somewhat early for shorebirds and I am beginning to feel impatient.  So I was delighted to find this guy just around the corner on the front beach.  Not wanting to stress this bird, but still wanting that photo, I sat down on the beach about 15 meters from him.  Pointing my big lens towards him, I determined that he was still not stressed.  So I sat, waited and hoped that he might become comfortable enough to come closer.  Sure enough, my patience paid off.  In typical plover feeding fashion, he zigzagged his course up along the water's edge towards me.  Perhaps this bold and beautiful bird was curious about the clickity click of my shutter.   Eventually, he fed his way past me at a distance of about 2.5 meters.  What a nice wildlife moment!

Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015

Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015

Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015

Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015

Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015

Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015

Piping Plover -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015

By the time of my arrival, the tide had receded such that many terns and pelicans had left Folly to roost on the exposed sandbars out by the Morris Island lighthouse.  It was difficult to differentiate species -- even with the scope.  I did note Sandwich terns, Royal terns, Least terns and possibly Gull-billed terns.  I managed to get a couple of flyover shots of a Royal Tern to add to this collection.

Royal Tern -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015

Royal Tern -- Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve -- Folly Beach, SC -- July 27, 2015

       It is such a treat to be able to enjoy our  beaches without the crush of a crowd.   Early mornings on weekdays in the summer is the best time for this activity.  In a couple of weeks, I will be back to work teaching French so I am glad to have been able to visit Folly yesterday and to be able to share that bold and beautiful Piping Plover in this post!