Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet, SC is a wonderful birding site! Originally the property was purchased by Archer and Anna Huntington in 1930. Being from NY City, Archer wanted the property to study the wildlife in their natural habitats. They left the property as part of their legacy.
There is around three miles of ocean beachfront, with only a small portion open for public recreation. In addition to the shore you will find freshwater wetlands, salt marsh, dune habitats, maritime forest as well as oak-pine forests.
With plenty of nature trails, viewing platforms, and boardwalks, there are many opportunities to view all of the different bird species that can be found in the park.
The Merlin
A small, fast-flying falcon, they are found in North America and Europe. It prefers to eat mostly small birds, which it will catch while flying in mid-air, rapidly pursuing them until caught!
The Roseate Spoonbill
I always enjoy seeing the Spoonbill, I think I just really like the color pink! They eat small fishes, shrimps and crabs, catching them by moving their bill slowly from side to side in the water, then straining out to get their prey.
The Painted Bunting
He’s just sooooooo beautiful!!! One of the brightest North American birds, you really can’t mistake him for any other bird. I will usually find the buntings in the park at the site of the burned down visitor center. They continue to have the bird feeders there and the birds keep showing up and eat!
The Summer Tanager
Heard but not often seen, the Tanager likes to stay concealed high in the trees where they feed on insects. You can find them across southern US, occasionally found in the Northeast. In the winters you’ll find them in Mexico down to South America.
The Anhinga
At first you might think that you are looking at a Double-crested Cormorant, but look closely and you will see that the Anhinga has a longer fan-shaped tail and a thinner neck. The males have the black and white streaking on their wings and back. I usually see them perched on a post, like this one. Often times they have their wings spread out.
