Winter shorebird survey

In an ongoing effort to monitor population trends, we (the state of Georgia) conduct an annual winter shorebird survey along the Georgia coast and the barrier islands. I was assigned the middle beach on Ossabaw Island. Thought some of you may enjoy the pics. All told, we noted 17 species (and several thousand birds) along the middle beach. Among them, the endangered piping plover and the long-billed curlew, which I had never seen before.

Ossabaw is Georgia's 3rd largest coastal barrier island. The entire 26,000 acre island is set aside as a nature preserve and is only accessible by boat. Only three people live on the northern end of the island, but it has been inhabited by humans for at least the last 4,000 years. It's really quite a treasure, I hope to spend as much time out there as I can.

This is the old colonial road that runs 6 miles along the length of the island. It was surveyed and laid out by General Oglethorpe (the founder of the colony of Georgia) in the early-mid 1700's and is supposedly the oldest road in continuous use in the U.S. The supply ships and trade vessels would anchor on the south end of the island and this road was used to transport goods and supplies between the settlement on the north end and the port on the south. In it's heyday, the island had three plantations which produced rice, indigo, and cotton.

Middle beach where we did our count....no tracks but ours.

The dunes on the west side of the beach.

Mark, my survey companero.


Our transport across the tidal creek to the beach.


One of the old houses on the north end, by where you dock the boat.


Some of the extensive maritime forest that covers the island.


Me and one monster live oak.




This is an old tabby building...the old choice for building material. made from oyster shells, etc. The remaining slave cabins on the island are made out of this. I have no idea what this building was.