Today is the first day of Spring, and LSSI is filled with activity! Red Maple, Mulberry, and Toothache trees are leafing out, and fresh growth on the Wax Myrtles and other trees is very evident. Snakes have been moving about and being seen along roads with increasing frequency; in the last week we’ve seen Yellow Rat Snake, Eastern Garter, Eastern Diamondback, and Black Racer on several occasions.

Birdsong is filling the woods. A drive through the maritime forest will fill your ears with the trill of Yellow-throated Warblers, Northern Parula, Pine Warblers, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, vireos, and other songbirds. Great Blue Heron have been spotted sitting atop nests, and so have Osprey! The Bald Eagle chicks continue to grow larger and more active. We have seen them stand on the edge of the nest and flap their wings, but they will stay on the nest site for at least a couple more weeks.

At the beach, ghost crabs are active and coming out of their burrows to scuttle along the sand. The fiddler crabs are active in the salt marsh, coming out of their holes to feed and the males are waving their claws in shows of dominance. The increased fiddler crab activity has increased the number of raccoon sightings during the daytime!

At Sancho Panza beach, the shorebirds are spectacular as ever! Marbled Godwit, Willet, and Dunlin are in large groups and can be seen feeding in the tide. Wilson’s Plover and American Oystercatchers are frequenting the dunes, beginning to find pairs and set up territories for the breeding season. Forster’s and Royal Tern are already in their colorful summer plumage, and Red Knot have been seen in large flocks, perhaps staging for their long journey farther north.

Along the roadsides, dragonfly, grasshoppers and other insects are active. Butterflies such as sulphers, swallowtails, monarchs, and whites are gracefully fluttering through the air. Alligators are seen nearly everyday, lounging in their usual haunts. Overall, the whole island is a flurry of activity!

A tiny orchid is in bloom on Little St. Simons Island, but you have to look closely because Coral-root can be easily overlooked. The orchids are a tan to purplish color, and can blend in with the leaves on the ground. They stand only about 16 inches tall. The nongreen orchids feed on decaying plant matter. The flowers, when viewed close-up, reveal a beautiful lilac and magenta spotted pattern. These tiny plants are growing along the walkway near the lodge and throughout the compound.

It’s time for a nest update on Little St. Simons Island. The eagle chicks are growing like crazy, getting their darker feathers and becoming much more active. On Saturday, guests were treated to a sighting of two young in the north nest, and an adult flying in as we watched. Later that afternoon, we went to the south end nest. At first, only one baby at at time was barely visible, but eventually one got up on the edge of the nest and flapped its wings quite a bit. The parent was at the nest initially, but we heard a vocalization, then moments later watched it soar from the nest. Another eagle, an immature bird possibly raised in the nest previously, was in the area, and was consequently chased from sight. 

How about the great horned owl? Naturalists and guests got some great views (but unfortunately not photos!) as the chick matured and developed over the past few weeks, but it appears that the little bird fledged without us. The past few nest checks have turned up empty. We are giving it a bit of time (sometimes when owls fledge they stay on the ground very near the nest tree) and then we will go to the base of the tree for a look around.