Pritchards Island
Amazing Uninhabited Island
Pritchards Island is just southwest of Fripp and is only accessible by boat. This uninhabited island is owned by the University of South Carolina which conducts research on the island and welcomes daily visitors who enjoy strolling along the beaches and enjoying the barrier island's wildlife and tranquility.
Atlanta businessman Philip Rhodes donated the 1,600 acre island to the University of South Carolina in 1983 with the condition it not be developed commercially but rather used for coastal research. Students would stay in the "old stilt house", the Rhodes Research Center, while studying the ecosystems on the island and managing the preservation of the loggerhead sea turtles that nest on the island. The island is still managed by USCB and is used for education, conservation and research purposes by the University, other state institutions, and the general public.
In October of 2022, the abandoned research lab was removed, section by section, and hauled off on a barge.
For several years, the Beaufort County Arts Council collaborated with USCB to hold an annual artist retreat on Pritchards. Each artist was required to provide a piece of art that became the Pritchards Island Collection.
That collection now hangs in the library at the Hilton Head Gateway campus. (Source: Island Packet 2015)
If you're looking for an adventure, visit Pritchards by kayak or canoe. The Fripp Island Resort offers guided canoe trips that launch off the beach behind the Cabana Club. It's a great way to safely navigate the swift current that runs through Skull Inlet and learn more about the barrier islands. Contact the Activity Center for more information and reservations.
If you're ready to head out on your own, you can check tides and head over in your kayak or canoe. Single and tandem kayaks are also available to rent at Island Excursions. Once you get to Pritchards, you'll enjoy the peace and quiet of the island while strolling, shelling and exploring.
One of Beaufort County's most nested beaches, Pritchards Island is host to Loggerhead Sea Turtles between May and October. A group of dedicated volunteers patrol the island during nesting season to protect, mark and even relocate nests when necessary. Learn more about loggerheads - they're truly amazing!
Pritchards Island is host to both shorebirds and seabirds throughout most of the year - in the summer for nesting, and as a rest and refuel layover during their epic spring and fall migrations.
Nests are laid in shallow scrapes in the sand that blend in very well to their surroundings. While raising their young in the summer, it is imperative that adult birds keep eggs and chicks shaded to prevent predation and overheating in the summer sun, like the Least Tern is doing in this photo.
With North American shorebird and seabird populations in steep decline from habitat loss, predation and human disturbance, every piece of natural habitat remaining is critical for their survival. Help us protect these birds while enjoying the beach by keeping these actions in mind:
- Walk around flocks of birds, not through them, so they can rest and feed
- Respect signage on the beach indicating where birds are nesting and/or resting
- Leash your dog near birds, because even friendly dogs look like predators to them
There's lots to learn about birds in the Lowcountry - there are hundreds of different species to be found. Thank you for helping to protect our local wildlife!
Birdtober day 11
Prompt: Spots and speckles from kaylafiskbirds + bird with a snack from thebirdherder
I thought a Sanderling was perfect for this prompt. I based this illustration off a Sanderling I met while birding In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. We had the beach to ourselves, and they weren’t at all bothered by me as I laid in the sand and watched them find bugs in the sand 😍
Today I started with some sketches of their foraging poses (I’ll post that in my stories) then made this illustration with a whole lot of mixed media including an ink brush pen, watercolor, gouache, neocolors, and colored pencils.
#sanderling #shorebirds #sharetheshore #birdtoberclub2023 #snacktober
These white fronted plovers do not have it easy. When they aren`t contending with us and our dogs, gulls and crows they have the wild seas that wash up the dunes and destroy their nests. Against all odds these little ones keep trying.
#smallisbeautiful #sharetheshore #whitefrontedplover #shorebirds #clayjourney #drawingonclay #illustratedplate #inspiredbynature #slowdesign #southafricanart #ceramicdesign #contemporaryceramics #handbuiltceramics #birds #slipware
It`s #worldshorebirdsday, I took this photo the other day to show a #sharetheshore situation. This group of Sandpipers rests on the beach,while busy beachgoers hustle and bustle in the background. In a lot of locations there is a struggle to provide shorebirds with enough space on beaches for people and birds. The thing is with a little self awareness of your surroundings you can share the shore with them equally, they need all the help they can get. Shorebirds are facing shrinking habitats, pollution, and the effects of climate changes on a daily basis. audubonsociety
Dawn Patrol with this sweetheart 💕
#pectoralsandpiper #sandpiper #sharetheshore #lakemichigan
#isawabird #nikonusa #ilovebirds #birder #birdstellus #nikonnofilter #birdphotographer #audubonsociety #audubon #nikon #birding #bird #women_wildlife_photography #birdphoto #birdsofinstagram #birdphotography
Greetings fellow nature lovers! This is Rajan Desai (rajan.desai.photos) - wildlife and nature photographer from Massachusetts, USA and a top 31 winner in the NANPA 2025 showcase competition. Wildlife, especially birds, fascinate me. I completed Mass Audubon’s “Birder’s Certificate Program” to learn about birds, their habitat, migration patterns and more. When I am out in the wild with my camera, I like to slow down, #connectwithnature, and capture candid moments the nature presents to me. I am honored to have my work recognized at prestigious competitions like Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Bird Photographer Of The Year, Nature In Focus, NANPA, Audubon and more. See more of my work rajandesaiphotography.com
I’m excited to take over the NANPA account this week and share some of my favorite photos with you.
Second photo, titled “Ballet at Dawn: A Plover’s Bath in the First Light” was one of the Top 250 photos in Birds category this year.
Piping plovers are small, charming shorebirds with unique markings and behaviors. This photo captures a beautiful moment as a plover enjoys a morning bath on a quiet beach. The soft golden light of sunrise reflects on the water and wet sand, creating a striking silhouette of the bird.
When plovers bathe, they use shallow tidal pools, splashing and flicking their wings to clean their feathers. Afterward, they often hop or take a little jump to shake off the water, which helps their feathers dry. This plover had just finished its bath and jumped as expected. Understanding this behavior gave me the chance to capture this graceful pose against the glowing sunrise.
This picture is a glimpse into the peaceful, everyday life of a piping plover and a reminder of how important undisturbed beaches are for these delicate birds to thrive.
#pipingplovers #sharetheshore #connectwithnature #nanpapix #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #artofnature #earthpix #birdphotography #birdfreaks #birds_private #natureisbeautiful #nuts_about_birds #kings_birds #eye_spy_birds #your_best_birds #birds_private #bb_of_ig #birds_illife #elite_raptors #earthcapture #planetbirds #nature_worldwide_birds #best_birds_of_ig
NYC beaches open tomorrow! This will be a welcome relief, but please remember to keep clear of young shorebirds and off-limits nesting areas. (Yes, we`re glaring at your unleashed dog.) Our nesting shorebirds are already so vulnerable, especially the endangered piping plover, seen here in Breezy Point, and American oystercatchers. There’s plenty of room for everyone. #sharetheshore
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📷: chrisallieri
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#pipingplover #plover #oystercatcher #shorebirds
“My job... is just beach.” - Westken snowy plover
Western snowy plovers are all about beach! Until September, these small, sparrow-sized shorebirds are hard at work incubating eggs and caring for their chicks. You can safely share the shore with these threatened birds by:
- Give wildlife space: do not approach or chase these birds.
- Respect all posted signs and roped-off areas for the protection of wildlife.
- Avoid prolonged picnicking or sunbathing in plover nesting habitat (dry sand areas above the wrack line).
- Walk on the wet hard-packed sand below the wrack line to avoid nesting habitat.
- Camp or build fires only in designated areas.
- If you’re on a beach that allows vehicles, drive ‘low and slow’, staying on the hard-packed sand below the high tide line where plovers forage.
- Avoid driving over old vehicle or foot tracks as plovers like to rest or “loaf” in these and are extremely hard to see.
- Avoid flying kites or other hovering objects near plover nesting habitat.
- Please dispose of all trash properly and do not inadvertently or intentionally feed wildlife.
- Know beach-specific dog rules before you go. If dogs are permitted, please follow the leash rules.
Thank you in advance!
🎨 by Rebecca Fabbri/USFWS
The piping plovers have returned to Maine! Don`t forget to keep pets off the beach and share the shore! 💙🌊
This is May`s patreon sticker! You have a few days left to join to get this little friend
#plover #sharetheshore
Where do weanlings (elephant seal pups who are no longer nursing) go on their first trip at sea?
Without any teaching, or any help from their fellow weanlings, these brave young voyagers venture to sea and learn how to navigate the North Pacific and find food. How do they find their way? Do the males and females instinctively follow the same routes as the adults?
Researchers at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo are trying to answer these questions. Among the 15 weanlings tracked over the past 2 years, scientists have found a lot of individual variation. Many weanlings headed northward along the coast or just off the continental shelf near the Pacific northwest. But one weanling stayed near the Channel Islands off southern California, and another spent most of her time off the coast of Alaska!
We are just beginning to understand where the weanlings go. Join us in April to start #WatchingThoseWeanlings and follow this year’s 10 intrepid explorers on their journeys: https://www.calpoly-viplab.com/satellite-tags
That’s a wrap for #WinterWildlifeWonders! Thank you for following along these past 8 weeks as we shared fun facts about elephant seals and ways to be a steward in their protection.
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📷: Kathleen Curtis
Image Description: A close-up shot of a group of weanlings with silver fur laying next to one another.
#AñoNuevoStatePark #WinterWildlifeWonders #ElephantSeal #WatchingThoseWeanlings #HelpMeStayWild #RespectWildlife #ShareTheShore #StewardshipSunday #CAStateParks
Both American Oystercatcher parents feed their young for at least two months after they hatch—though the young sometimes get ahead of themselves as they try to find food on their own, well before their parents stop feeding them. 🐥
As these young oystercatchers make their way in the world, remember to #ShareTheShore every time you`re at the beach to protect them.
An American Oystercatcher and its chick on the beach. 📷: Michael Cassella (jerseymike)/Audubon Photography Awards
