South Carolina Wildlife Federation

From birds and bats to bees and butterflies, all pollinators play a crucial role in the ecosystem. They support important wildlife habitats and make it possible for us to have many of the foods we love to eat. They are the little powerhouses of our planet! For National Pollinator Week, join us at these family-friendly pollinator events:

Wednesday, June 19, from 2pm-4pm, Savannah Jordan, SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager, will be teaching a class about native pollinators at the Richland County Ballentine Library. This program is free and open to the public! Learn more here:
https://www.richlandlibrary.com/event/2024-06-19/native-pollinators

Friday, June 21, from 10am-2pm, SCWF is excited to have a table at the Lowcountry Land Trust's Pollinator Palooza in Charleston! Registration is free for this family-friendly event; check out the link below to register.
https://give.lowcountrylandtrust.org/event/2024-pollinator-palooza/e588927

Image credit: Richland Library, Tami Kyre

On World Sea Turtle Day, we recognize the incredible efforts of biologists, volunteers, and researchers that help to monitor sea turtle populations all along the coast of South Carolina. Researchers can usually determine the species of sea turtle just by analyzing the tracks they make on the beach, known as a "crawl".

Image credits: Loggerhead sea turtle tracks, eggs, and nest by Savannah Jordan

Happy Father's Day from SCWF!

Image Credit: "Wood Duck Father Watching His Nest" by Kay Fox.

Have you visited The Hollow Restaurant yet? SCWF’s Forks, Knives, & Spoonbills conservation dinner is the perfect time to try Columbia’s new forest-to-table restaurant located in The Vista! Secure your tickets *before July 3rd* for this special five-course, wine-paired dinner featuring dishes inspired by imperiled bird species created by Executive Chef Danté Serra. As each course is served, SCWF Industry Habitat Manager Jay Keck will share information about each species and the conservation efforts needed to help them thrive. Use the link below to purchase your tickets and sponsorships to join us for a convivial evening!

https://www.scwf.org/events/2024-forks-knives-and-spoonbills-columbia

Thank you to Columbia Water, our presenting sponsor, Republic National Distributing Company, our wine sponsor, and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, SCWF Friend sponsor.

Image Credit: "Feathered Flock" by Candace Thibeault.

Happy Nature Fact Thursday! In honor of Father’s Day on Sunday, we wanted to share this neat photo of a male Northern cardinal feeding his young.

Cardinals are non-migratory birds that can easily be seen in backyards and urban settings and will eat from a feeder. Both males and females sing; males are especially territorial and use their song to demarcate their territory. While females tend to build the nest, both females and males take an active role in feeding their brood. It is estimated that after hatching, their chicks need to eat about eight times an hour. The male will also feed the female when courting them and again when the female is incubating and can't forage for herself!

Bidding begins on Friday, July 19th, for our Wild Summer Nights Online Auction, but did you know that you can register now to preview items? Check out our fabulous selection of outdoor gear, wildlife art, handmade items, and vacation packages. We are adding new items daily! All auction proceeds support SCWF’s mission to conserve and restore wildlife and their habitat through education and advocacy.

Registration is free! Use the link below to register today.

https://www.scwf.org/events/2024-wildsummerauction

Check out this neat story about a rare Kemp's ridley sea turtle that was rehabilitated by the South Carolina Aquarium and tagged and released with the help of SCDNR in 2017. It has recently been located nesting on the beach in Mexico!

https://eedition2.thestate.com/popovers/dynamic_article_popover.aspx?artguid=e72043df-fb48-4f59-b22e-bf41561af678&appcode=CSTATE&eguid=5cd4572d-ec5f-4d00-b1f3-29697b285d1e&pnum=1 #?deviceId=e4620e9459e50472&tempKey=value

Save-the-date! On Wednesday, June 19, from 2:00 – 4:00 pm, Savannah Jordan, SCWF’s Habitat Education Manager, will be teaching a class about native pollinators at the Richland County Ballentine Library. This program is free and open to the public! Learn more here:

https://www.richlandlibrary.com/event/2024-06-19/native-pollinators

Image Credits: Common Eastern Bumblebee and Richland Library Ballentine by Melissa Spreene.

This week is Wild Turtle Week! The U.S. is a global hotspot for turtle biodiversity, home to more than 60 known turtle species. What is your favorite turtle species?

Image credits: Spotted turtle by Zach Steinhauser, Loggerhead sea turtles by Eric Hunter, River cooters by Kay Fox, Common snapping turtle by Caroline Stroud, Diamondback terrapin by Parker Gibbons, Eastern box turtle by Savannah Jordan

Happy Monday! Here is a beautiful photo from our photo contest to help you get your week started off right.

Image Credit: "The Perfect Sunrise" by Daniel Villanueva.

Jay Keck, SCWF’s Industry Habitat Manager, gave a snake talk yesterday at the Chapin Branch Library! He talked about the snakes that we have right here in South Carolina and encouraged folks to build habitat for snakes, birds, and insects. He brought a Florida kingsnake, a Western hognose, and a corn snake, for the kids and their parents to see up close!

Happy Nature Fact Thursday! This fantastic photo of an Atlantic Ghost Crab is from our 2023 photo contest. These nocturnal crabs are both predators and scavengers, feeding at night on clams, mole crabs, insects, and eggs and hatchlings of loggerhead turtles. They dig burrows as deep as four feet, and their prominent eyes can rotate 360 degrees to help them look for predators. They are highly adaptive - they breathe oxygen and only have to wet their gills occasionally! The presence of the Atlantic Ghost Crab is considered an indicator of a healthy beach environment by scientists.

SCWF is excited to have a table at the Lowcountry Land Trust's Pollinator Palooza in Charleston on June 21st! Registration is free for this family-friendly event; check out the link below to register.

https://give.lowcountrylandtrust.org/event/2024-pollinator-palooza/e588927

We can't wait to see you tomorrow at our new office location for our Open House! Come hang out with the SCWF staff, enjoy light hors d’oeuvres, and check out our new native plant pollinator garden, which will become a Certified Wildlife Habitat.

We’ve received a new shipment of our Birds & Beans coffee and have restocked our selection of SCWF hats. With Father’s Day right around the corner, this is a perfect time to shop! Our office has a parking lot behind our building as well as street parking. We hope to see you soon!

Are you ready to join the SCWF Plishing Challenge tomorrow? The third annual Plishing Challenge begins on June 1, and registration is FREE for the first 200 participants thanks to Palmetto State Armory!

This statewide conservation initiative is designed to keep the public engaged with fishing and to help keep our waterways clean by using best fishing practices, picking up litter, and, of course, catching fish! Learn more about Plishing here:

https://www.scwf.org/plishing

It’s almost time!!!!!!!!

Be one of the first 200 and you can register for FREE thanks to ! Catch fish, pick up litter, and win prizes! Three $500 grand prize gift cards to PSA to be awarded at the end of the challenge!

Thank you for following along with us during Garden for Wildlife™ Month. We hope you have been inspired to turn your yard, garden, or outdoor space into a Certified Wildlife Habitat to restore vital space for wildlife and for you to enjoy nature. When wildlife flourishes, we all flourish! Please consider certifying your yard and join the other 12,000 certified habitats in South Carolina.

https://www.scwf.org/habitats

Image Captions: All photos are from SCWF’s Executive Director Sara Green’s certified wildlife habitat.

Happy Nature Fact Thursday! Did you already know these facts about the majestic great blue heron? Learn more about this species using the link below!

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/great-blue-heron

Tickets are now open for the Columbia Forks, Knives, & Spoonbills Conservation dinner at The Hollow Restaurant! We are thrilled to partner this the new forest-to-table restaurant in the Vista for our five-course, wine-paired dinner featuring dishes inspired by imperiled bird species created by Executive Chef Danté Serra. As each course is served, SCWF Industry Habitat Manager Jay Keck will share information about each species and the conservation efforts needed to help them thrive.

Ticket sales close on July 3rd and seating is limited, so purchase your tickets and sponsorships early to ensure that you can join us for this convivial evening!

https://www.scwf.org/events/2024-forks-knives-and-spoonbills-columbia

Thank you to Columbia Water, our presenting sponsor, Republic National Distributing Company, our wine sponsor, and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, SCWF Friend sponsor.

Image Credit: "Feathered Flock" by Candace Thibeault.

You are invited to come see our new office location next Tuesday, June 4th, for our open house. We've also restocked our Birds & Beans coffee, so pick up a bag of your favorite blend!

Get beautiful native plant sets shipped to your door through the National Wildlife Federation's Garden for Wildlife, Inc. online native plant store! Every plant you purchase helps make an impact for our organization, our communities and our planet! Add one of the Garden for Wildlife™ native plant collections to your garden to help save birds, bees, butterflies, and more. Get chemical-free plants that bloom for three seasons and return every year. Collections are backed by science to help the highest number of declining wildlife species.

Shop native plants using the link below!

https://fundraising.gardenforwildlife.com/1i2qgt

[Image: Patio Party, a native plant collection that includes Blazing Star, Scarlet Sage, and Lyreleaf Sage]

As we near the end of Garden for Wildlife™ Month, SCWF’s very own Habitat Education Manager, Savannah Jordan shares her story about why she gardens for wildlife and offers inspiration from her own wildlife habitat at home.

https://www.scwf.org/blog/2024/5/24/a-garden-for-wildlife-month-story-savannah-jordan

Congratulations to our newest cohort of Midlands Master Naturalist graduates! We had a wonderful hike through Congaree National Park highlighted by viewing the oldest loblolly pine in our state followed by a graduation ceremony. Thank you to all of our instructors and to this year’s participants for their interest and commitment to learning about the natural history, wildlife, and habitats of the midlands.

You can learn more about SCWF's naturalist programs using the link below.

https://www.scwf.org/naturalist-academy

Peak spring bird migration is in full swing, and we can all do our part to help birds as they migrate at night. SCWF, SC DNR , and Audubon SC recently held a webinar on the dangers that birds face during migration, issues of light pollution for wildlife, and the steps we can all take to protect birds and wildlife!

Learn about how you can help birds during migration and check out the webinar here:
https://www.scwf.org/blog/2024/5/17/lights-out-for-migratory-birds

Nesting season is in full swing for prothonotary warblers and many other migratory birds. Take a look at the transition from eggs to adorable chicks in one of the nest boxes at Sun City, one of our Community Wildlife Habitats participating in Project Prothonotary.

We are glad that our garden signs are helping people learn about pollinators!

Today is World Turtle Day! Turtles are one of the most imperiled vertebrate groups in the world – they are in decline everywhere they live. In the U.S., turtle populations face growing threats from habitat loss, climate change, illegal collection, disease, and road mortality. Here are a few ways we can help them:

~Help a turtle cross the road – do not relocate them to another area
~Educate others about the importance of conserving wildlife habitat
~Create a natural habitat in your own yard
~Secure trash, reduce access to human (and pet!) foods, and keep your yard clean to deter turtle nest predators like foxes and raccoons

Learn more about how you can help turtles by visiting https://www.fws.gov/story/how-you-can-help-turtles

Image credit: Eastern box turtle by Savannah Jordan.

Happy Nature Fact Thursday! Did you know that mountain laurel, or kalmia latifolia, is actually found all over the state? This photo was taken at Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve in April. Fort Jackson in Columbia also has large areas of this beautiful native evergreen shrub. Mountain laurel prefers acidic soil and light shade. You are most likely to notice it when it is blooming in April and May. Please note that this beautiful shrub is toxic to humans and many animals.

Check out this link below to learn more about mountain laurel:

https://www.southcarolinapublicradio.org/show/making-it-grow/2024-05-02/kalmia-latifolia-also-known-as-mountain-laurel-is-now-in-bloom

For Garden for Wildlife Month, we are shining the spotlight on our Community Wildlife Habitat leaders who have made a huge impact in their communities by restoring vital wildlife habitat and educating their community members.

Peggy Lucas is the leader of the Harbor Island Community Wildlife Habitat on St. Helena Island, near Beaufort. Check out her story here:

https://www.scwf.org/blog/2024/5/20/a-garden-for-wildlife-month-story-community-habitat-leader-spotlight

We are excited to share that Scott Hicks and the WAIT team at Mark Anthony Brewing in Columbia has made property improvements to their land to help wildlife. Check out our blog post to see pictures of the nesting boxes for Eastern screech owls and Bluebirds that they have installed. Thank you, Mark Anthony Brewing for using your land to support South Carolina’s wildlife!

WAIT Partner Update: Mark Anthony Brewery — South Carolina Wildlife Federation Scott Hicks and the WAIT team from Mark Anthony Brewery have been busy this year assisting with nest box placement throughout the property, as well as providing input and direction for the pollinator garden that was installed by Heritage Landscape earlier this fall.

Happy Nature Fact Thursday! Did you know that the Wood duck is not the only cavity nesting duck we have in SC? The gorgeous Hooded merganser is also a cavity nesting bird that uses natural cavities created by either woodpeckers, or natural damage and disease. Though they historically have nested in natural cavities, both of these species will readily use man-made nest boxes too! Two additional cavity nesting ducks we could see in the winter are the beautiful Bufflehead and the Common Goldeneye, though both breed in Canada and even Alaska.

For a chance to see these beautiful birds, grab one of the last spots in our upcoming Palmetto Pro Birder at Phinizy Swamp on Thursday, December 14th! Use the link below to register.

https://www.scwf.org/events/palmettoprobirders-phinizy-2023