The Nature On Hilton Head South Carolina

There are not many places that can compete with the nature in Hilton Head, South Carolina. This is definitely a place for nature lovers. There is wildlife all around you on land and in the oceans. The coastal discovery museum is a good place if you are a nature lover. They offer programs such as nature walks, bird watching and kayaking. There are birds all over the Island, shore birds and inland birds. One of the most common birds that you will see on the beach is the gull. This type of bird is considered a scavenger. There are different types of gulls such as a laughing gull that sounds like a human laughing. Other common gulls are the herring gull and the ring billed gull. Herring gulls are larger and ring billed gulls are somewhat smaller. A gull like bird that dives for its food is called a tern. If you see thousands of birds floating together on the water. These birds are called scaups. They are a type of duck.

Birds that circle overhead at the beach are osprey. They are large in size and look something like an eagle. Hilton Head has many inland birds that are much like they are seen elsewhere. Some of these birds are the wren, cardinal, mocking bird, sparrow, woodpecker, chickadee, grackles, finches, hummingbirds, ducks, warblers, and the red tail hawk. Alligators live in many lagoons through out Hilton Head, South Carolina. They are cold blooded and rely on their environment to survive. In cooler weather they come out to lie on the banks in the sun to raise their body temperature. When it is warm they stay in the water to keep cool. In the winter alligators hide in mud dens, and are not seen very often during this time. Alligators can grow up to twelve feet in length. Alligators can be dangerous but are not normally aggressive toward people. Alligators prefer fresh water over salt water. So it is very unusual to see them at a beach.

There are common turtles that are seen sunning themselves on banks of the lagoon that are called diamondback terrapins. It is said that if you can count the rings on the diamonds on its shell you can tell its age. Another turtle is called the loggerhead. It is a sea turtle that can grow very large in size. It can grow up to four feet in length and can weigh up to four hundred pounds. These turtles are protected and are considered endangered species. They dig a hole in the sand and lay eggs at night. Then about two months later the eggs hatch and baby loggerhead turtles run into the ocean. Dolphins can be seen in the waters around Hilton Head. They can be seen from boats and also be seen from the beach. Dolphins are friendly to humans and sometimes come up to a boat. If you go kayaking you will be as close as you can get to see wildlife. Other boats that are good to see a dolphin are called zodiac boats. They hold several people and can go anywhere that will make your chances of seeing a dolphin even greater.