Birding for Beginners - Bird Walks
Sponsored by WBU. Space is limited. You must register in advance at the store. $5 fee, with participants receiving a $5 coupon.
Wild Birds Unlimited of Hilton Head Island sponsors bird walks at local parks and other birding hot spots, led by expert birders Bob Speare, Carlos Chacon, and Aaron Palmieri. Walks are two hours in length, with participants meeting at our Wild Birds Unlimited store at Festival Centre (45 Pembroke Dr., Suite 130) between 8:30 and 8:45 a.m. the morning of the walk, then traveling in groups to the chosen location.
These walks, designed especially for new birders, will introduce participants to some of the wonderful bird species found here on Hilton Head Island. Walks will discuss all aspects of birding including which field guides and birding apps to use, the best birding binoculars, and a variety of identification techniques that will help you identify birds on your own. Don’t miss these great opportunities to learn more about our fantastic local birds!
A $5 registration fee in advance is required to reserve your space. All participants will receive a $5 coupon to use in the store.
2025 Schedule
Jarvis Creek Park – Start Time 8:30am
January
14th– Guide: Carlos Chacon
16th – Guide: Lynn Hodgson
March
6th – Guide: Lynn Hodgson
15th – Guide: Aaron Palmieri
20th – Guide: Lynn Hodgson
27th – Guide: Carlos Chacon
Pinckney Island NWP – Start Time 8:30am
April
3rd – Guide: Carlos Chacon
5th– Guide: Aaron Palmieri
24th – Guide: Lynn Hodgson
Fish Haul Beach – Start Time Tide Dependent
January
25th – Guide: Aaron Palmieri – Start Time 8:30am
April
10th – Guide: Lynn Hodgson – Start Time 9:30am
Shelter Cove – Start Time – 8:30am
February
6th – Guide: Carlos Chacon
15th – Guide: Carlos Chacon
18th – Guide: Carlos Chacon
20th – Guide: Lynn Hodgson
Mid-Island Tract
May
8th – Guide: Carlos Chacon
17th – Guide: Aaron Palmieri
(Signup is require for the mindful bird walk)
Walks begin at 8:30 AM, except in November when start time may change due to tides. All walks are small groups with no more than 15 people. Binoculars and good walking shoes are recommended. Birding etiquette is followed. A reminder and informational email will be sent before each walk. For more information, Call the WBU HH store at 843-802-2010.
About our Bird Walk Leaders:
Aaron Palmieri, degreed in Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences from Oregon State University, is a Master Naturalist and the current Educator for the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy in Bluffton. At Palmetto Bluff, Aaron creates and leads educational hikes and lectures for residents, the public, and schools. His passion lies in ornithology and he leads all bird-related events through the Conservancy.
Carlos Chacon
Kathy Byrd is a Master Birder, schooled/instructed in Mindful Birding by Holly Merker (author of Ornitherapy) and is an employee of Wild Birds Unlimited in Hilton Head Island.
Lynn Hodgson has been a member of National and various local Audubon chapters since at least 1980. She moved to Hilton Head in 2017, and immediately became active in our local chapter, Hilton Head Audubon Society. She say "I've always been an outdoorsperson and a naturalist, and birding is an outgrowth of that. Birding also gives me an "excuse" to get outside and to explore new places." Lynn has a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, with a specialization in seaweed ecology. Except for a few years in Florida and South Dakota, most of her professional career was as a Professor of Natural Sciences in Hawaii. She is both a Georgia and a South Carolina Master Naturalist. Currently she is Vice President of HHIAS, leads the Tuesday morning Bird Walks at Audubon Newhall Preserve, and captains Port Royal Plantation's participation in the Christmas Bird Count. Fun Facts: Lynn recently bought a small cabin in Maine, where she spends the summer months, whenever she is not adventure canoeing. Her favorite birds are pied-billed grebes and ruby-crowned kinglets!