HHI – South End

For most tourists, the South end of Hilton Head Island means going around Sea Pines Circle, relaxing on the beaches, shopping at Coligny Plaza, dining along Pope Avenue, and in strolling in the shadow of the lighthouse at Harbour Town.

Yes, you will likely see some shorebirds along the beach, including Laughing Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Brown Pelicans, Sanderlings, Egrets, various Terns, and the occasional Osprey soaring overhead. However, birdwatching is probably not the main reason that folks frequent this part of the island.

Hilton Head Island South end - from airplane

Hilton Head Island South end - from airplane

But there are some parts of the South end of Hilton Head Island where bird life is abundant and a surprise may be awaiting you just around the bend of a trail. Here are some of the places on the South end of Hilton Head Island that you might want to check out as birdwatching venues:

Audubon Newhall Preserve

Audubon Newhall Preserve Saw Palmetto

Audubon Newhall Preserve Saw Palmetto

The Audubon Newhall Preserve is located along the south side of Palmetto Bay Road on the South End of Hilton Head Island, almost exactly halfway between the Sea Pines Circle and the Cross Island Expressway’s toll bridge over Broad Creek. Details about the preserve and a trail map are available from the SC Trails website.

This “living museum” can be an interesting place to explore. It is primarily a forest that extends for 50 acres along with a small pond and even a “pocosin” or bog. Along with the usual woodland fauna, it is also home to a good deal of bird life.

One of the nice features of the Audubon Newhall Preserve (besides it being FREE) is that the different species of trees and plants are clearly identified by labels, making a walk through the Preserve’s 2 miles of trails an educational experience for the whole family. It has a small but sufficient parking area, and the trails are well maintained and marked; guided tours are occasionally provided by members of the local Hilton Head Island Audubon Society (P.O. Box 6185, Hilton Head Island, S.C., 29938-6185 — Telephone: +1 843-842-9246), which purchased, developed, and now maintains the preserve.  Check out their “Outings” page for more details.

Sea Pines Forest Preserve

Great Egret - Sea Pines

Great Egret - Sea Pines Forest Preserve

The Sea Pines Forest Preserve allows you to walk through the last remaining large tract of undisturbed land on Hilton Head Island. The Preserve protects 605 acres of mostly swamp, forest, and marsh land located in the midst of Sea Pines Plantation Resort. Some of the land that now makes up this preserve was once a rice plantation, the remains of which you can still see along some of the trails. Hundreds of years ago, it was home to a village of Native American Indians, who left the Indian Shell Ring — a reminder of their presence that remains here in the form of a large ring of shells.

The Sea Pines Forest Preserve has about 8 miles of trails that follow rice dikes built by slaves in the 1840s and old logging trails from the 1950s. (Yes, the lumber and paper industry was BIG in Beaufort County back in those days before the developers moved in!) Bridle paths, boardwalks through the wetlands, observation decks, bridges, and docks have been added to improve visitor access. There are also a couple of man-made lakes that provide some good waterfowl viewing opportunities; I saw an American Bittern sitting in the open along the banks of St. Joe Lake a few years back.

Mama Alligator - Sea Pines Forest Preserve

Mama Alligator - Sea Pines Forest Preserve

The trails in the Forest Preserve are open from sunrise to sunset. DO be aware that there ARE alligators along some of the trails. The picture to the left is one that I took along the boardwalk in the Forest Preserve a few years ago.  One of the Preserve staff members was walking past us with an animal removal expert that we got to know as “Critter Joe”; they were going to deal with a potentially dangerous situation – a mama ‘gator had laid her eggs in a nest right next to a low-lying section of the boardwalk, and she was guarding that nest!  The resolution? Well, if you see a bunch of “chicken wire” along the sides of a section of the boardwalk, you’ll know why it was put there!

Unless you are a guest staying in the Plantation, there is a $5 per vehicle charge to get into the Sea Pines Plantation and visit the Sea Pines Forest Preserve; I believe they also charge $1 per bicycle if you are bringing your bikes in to ride around the Plantation. However, I must say that, from our experience, biking is one of the best ways to travel through Sea Pines Plantation – both the residential/resort areas and the Forest Preserve are very bike-accessible (except no bikes are allowed on the boardwalk through the old rice paddy area).  But you DO need to watch our for vehicular traffic at the crossovers and intersections, especially during the summer months when tourism is at its peak.

There are self-guided trail maps and tour brochures available at the Preserve entrances, and some guided nature walks are available on a limited schedule for Sea Pines Plantation guests.  For more information, contact the Sea Pines Recreation Department, 175 Greenwood Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC — Tel. +1 843-363-4530.

Broad Creek and the Calibogue Sound

Hilton Head Island - Broad Creek and the Calibogue Sound

Hilton Head Island - Broad Creek and the Calibogue Sound

When most visitors think of Broad Creek and the Calibogue Sound, images of boat rides and dolphin cruises come to mind.  However, there are also a number of “nature” cruises and kayaking adventures available on both sides of the Broad Creek.  Some kayak rentals are available in the Shelter Cove harbor area (towards mid-island), while many others, included guided tours, embark from the other side of Broad Creek at the Broad Creek Marina located off Marshland Road.  Some specialized tours focusing on birding are also available there.