Skip to Main Content
Road Scholar logo
South Carolina

Birding the Lowcountry

Program No. 20959RJ
With its salt marshes, abundant forests, coastal estuaries and diverse wildlife refuges, South Carolina’s Lowcountry is a haven for both birds and birders alike.
WishlistShare
Start
  • 20959-birding-lowcountry-coot-lghoz.jpg
  • 20959-birding-savannah-georgia-c.jpg
  • 20959-Savannah-National-Wildlife-Refuge-c.jpg
  • 20959-south-carolina-birding-lowcountry-woman-c.jpg
BirdingOutdoor AdventuresSmall GroupRetreats
Length
6 days
Rating (5)
Activity Level
Starts at
1,849

Enroll with Confidence

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more

Protecting the Environment

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more

Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
14 meals ( 5B, 4L, 5D )
3 expert-led lectures
6 expert-led field trips
1 hands-on experience
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Expand All
Activity Note
Check in from 4:00 p.m.
Afternoon:
Arrive at Palm Key between 4:00-5:30 p.m. to check in and pick up program materials. Once you are settled into your room, meet the others who are sharing your cottage and enjoy a chat on the back porch. At 5:30 pm, meet and greet other participants at a little party before dinner.
Dinner:
You are probably hungry after traveling, so enjoy the first of our sumptuous lowcountry dinners, served at 6:00 pm. Join other scholars to compare notes about previous programs and follow up on earlier conversations. Don't miss the dessert buffet!
Evening:
After dinner, join us for a short orientation as the Group Leader and instructors review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will review COVID-19 protocols and will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and requirements throughout the program. Finally, we'll talk about some of the birds you might expect to see this week and have a preview of the places we'll visit. Please note that Indicated times are approximate. Program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances including weather and seasonal hunting restrictions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Activity Note
Comfortable walking shoes, binoculars, Sibley's Guide, and sunscreen are recommended. Short bus rides to birding locations. You will be walking on uneven terrain, standing for periods of 30 min. or more while looking at birds. Getting on/off a 15-passenger van.
Breakfast:
Breakfast will be served starting at 8:00 am. Fuel up on our sumptuous low country breakfast--you'll have an active day! Will it be grits and eggs? Or is it an oatmeal day? Come dressed for birding.
Morning:
With breakfast over, it's time to get down to the business of birding! Today we’ll be introduced to some of our local birds, which include a variety of waterbirds such as herons and egrets, songbirds (like sparrows), warblers, wrens and perhaps raptors such as red-shouldered and red-tailed hawks. Appropriately dressed, well-equipped with binoculars, your bird ID book and a water bottle, we'll set out to visit several wildlife refuges. Be prepared to stop along the way and spend some quality time in the bus discussing the birds we see. Our instructors will highlight the day's likely sightings: Carolina Wren, Little Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher and much more. Alligators and turtles, though not on your bird list, are still exciting to see!
Lunch:
Today's lunch will be a picnic, prepared by us from the delicious lunch buffet at breakfast. Did you make a sandwich out of whole-grain bread? Or choose trail mix, nuts, and fruit? Or both? Whatever you fixed, you'll enjoy it while we talk about what we've seen and what we hope to see.
Afternoon:
Enjoy the beauty of the refuges as we bird from one place to another. Everyone's eager, but we're being polite and letting everyone take a look through our spotting scopes. Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge, our destination this afternoon, is a former plantation made up of a wide variety of land types: salt marsh, forestland, brushland, fallow field and freshwater ponds. These habitats support a diversity of bird and plant life. On Pinckney, we have the opportunity to see waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, raptors, neo-tropical migrants, white-tailed deer, and alligators. The area is rich in white ibis, herons, and egrets. If you want help extra help with bird ID, just let our instructors know--they are always happy to help and share their knowledge!
Dinner:
Back at Palm Key, showered and relaxed, it's time to enjoy a leisurely lowcountry dinner. Will it be rosemary chicken and brown rice? Or long-simmered roast beef with salad? Or savory southern barbecue? Whatever the menu, you'll surely enjoy it!
Evening:
After dinner, join us for one of our popular evening programs. We always try to offer you the opportunity to use your brain cells after supper--as well as relax, have some fun, and learn more about the lowcountry.
Activity Note
Wear comfortable shoes, you will likely do a lot of walking and standing as you take in the birds and different sights. Plan to ride on the bus from 30 minutes to 1 hour. You will be walking on uneven terrain, standing for periods of 30 min. or more while looking at birds. Getting on/off a 15-passenger van.
Breakfast:
Start the morning out right with a delicious low country breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Is today the day you'll try grits? Or is fruit and toast more your style? Be sure to fill your plate: you'll need energy for today's outing! And don't forget, you'll want to pack your lunch before making your final preparations for the morning's birding extravaganza.
Morning:
We're visiting some gems today: Sites within the ACE Basin are recognized as some of the best birding areas of the state. Besides a wide variety of year-round common and migratory species who are regularly here. Bear Island, Donnelly Wildlife Management Area and Bennett’s Point have been known to host a number of uncommon birds: Roseate Spoonbill, Black Rail, American Avocet, Hudsonian Godwit, and a variety of shorebirds. Who knows what birds we might see?
Lunch:
Today we enjoy a bag lunch--did you bring a boiled egg and craisins or a turkey and cheese sandwich? We hope you picked up a homemade cookie at the buffet this morning!
Afternoon:
This afternoon is a continuation of the morning--birding by foot, by eye, by ear. Keep a snack out of your lunch to enjoy during the mid-afternoon--you'll be glad you did!
Dinner:
At 6:00 p.m. we'll enjoy another lovely lowcountry meal--maybe fish tonight, with black-eyed pea salad! Swap stories about the day's adventures with your table-mates, and don't forget the dessert!
Evening:
This evening, join us for a program on South Carolina's lowcountry and its history and culture. The LifeTides Institute is known for its engaging presenters and interesting programs. Whatever it is, you don't want to miss it.
Activity Note
Pack your scopes and binoculars, sunshade and insect repellant. Please wear comfortable shoes and clothing as you will do plenty of walking and standing. The bus ride to Hilton Head is about 1 hour. You will be walking on uneven terrain, standing for periods of 30 min. or more while looking at birds. Getting on/off a 15-passenger van.
Breakfast:
As always, be sure to fuel up with a delicious lowcountry breakfast. Don't forget to prepare your bagged lunch for later!
Morning:
Load up the bus! It's time to head out to Hilton Head Island. Known for its beaches and golf courses, Hilton Head Island also features a number of terrific birding locations. We’ll visit a beach site known for some of the best shorebirds in the area including Ruddy Turnstone, Back Skimmer, and the nationally threatened Piping Plover.
Lunch:
We'll have a healthy picnic lunch on our outing. Was it turkey today? Or organic peanut butter? Soy nuts or craisins? There's something for everyone.
Afternoon:
After lunch we'll continue our field trip in the Hilton Head area, exploring some forested and freshwater habitats to search for any songbirds, raptors, and waterbirds we may not have seen yet.
Dinner:
This evening, we'll meet for another lovely lowcountry meal--maybe shrimp and grits, or barbeque ribs and the fixings. You will have worked up an appetite today!
Evening:
This evening, join us for a program on South Carolina's lowcountry and its history and culture. The LifeTides Institute is known for its engaging presenters and interesting programs.
Activity Note
Webb is a one-hour bus ride west of LifeTides' location. Make sure you again wear your most comfortable footwear as there will be walking on uneven terrain and standing for periods of time up to 30 minutes or more; getting on/off a 15-passenger van. Hats and sunblock, depending on the time of year, are advised.
Breakfast:
What will it be this morning? Ham and eggs? Homemade bread? Or maybe a bowl of fruit? But don't be late: we have a busy day ahead! (Don't forget to pack your lunch.)
Morning:
After breakfast we all load up in the bus and travel to Webb Wildlife Center. Webb Wildlife Center contains longleaf pine forest, the preferred habitat of the Red Cockaded Woodpecker, a jewel in this program’s crown. This morning, Scholars will bird in hardwood forest, blackwater swamp, and the aforesaid longleaf pine forest.
Lunch:
Once again, we'll picnic on our outing--what did you choose today? Whatever it is, it's sure to be healthy and delicious.
Afternoon:
We continue the fun into the mid afternoon. This is a full and active day, but it's not over yet.
Dinner:
Dinner begins early tonight with an old-timey Oyster Roast (weather and availability dependent)! Come join us at 5:00 p.m. as we steam fresh, local oysters over an open fire. Don't know how to open oysters? You can learn by doing--and eating. And then--it's time for another lowcountry dinner!
Evening:
After dinner, you won’t want to miss the wrap-up party. This is our last evening, and we can’t let it go by without doing it up special. Everyone will find something to enjoy as we share highlights from the week over dessert (if you still have room). You don’t want to miss this--but to tell you more right now would be to spoil it! If you brought one with you, do bring your musical instrument to our gathering spot.
Breakfast:
Breakfast is at 8:00 a.m., and it's your last chance for grits! If you haven’t tried them yet, you just have to have some today. You’ll want to eat heartily, as today you will be packing up and leaving us for wherever your road takes you.
Morning:
This morning, after telling parting stories, asking questions, issuing invitations, or listening to one more joke from you-know-who, it’s off to pack up and prepare for departure. We hope you’ll stay in the area and do some more exploring—and/or birding--ask the staff for recommendations and directions. We’d love to share more of South Carolina and the lowcountry with you! This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
Please select a day to update the map
Map details are not available for this location.





Recommended For You