Fall migration brings birdwatchers to Daniel Island

It’s fall in the Northern Hemisphere and one of nature’s greatest spectacles is unfolding: the migration of billions of birds to their wintering grounds. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They’ve spent the summer getting fat on insects, seeds, and fruit, and now they’re winging their way south to find shelter during the colder months. 

 

This is a special time of year for birding – the act of bird-watching – and locals Mitchell Schlimer and Jeff House wouldn’t miss it for the world. For them, bird-watching is more than just a hobby – it’s a connection to nature that only some are lucky enough to catch if they know where to look.

 

For both Schlimer and House, bird-watching wasn’t an immediate calling but rather something that grew naturally alongside their professional photography careers. Schlimer, who started as a sports photographer, credits his biology background and love of science as the gateway into the world of bird-watching.

 

“Being a biology minor in college, I always loved science and nature,” Schlimer said. “When I began going out with my camera into nature, I got hooked on birding.”

 

Schlimer has been bird-watching around Charleston, particularly on Daniel Island, for the past five years. His transition from sports to wildlife photography felt seamless. 

 

“I used to capture wide receivers with the ball on their fingertips or batters with the baseball coming off the bat,” he said. “It was so natural for me to shoot birds in flight that I dedicated myself to learning their behavior, calls, and migration patterns.” 

 

Golden hour – it’s a brief moment that occurs only twice a day, during sunrise and sunset, but it’s the best time to catch birds at their most active state. Birding requires a lot of patience and dedication, Schlimer emphasized, saying, “You wait and wait. And just when you think you can’t wait anymore, you wait a little longer for that ‘one in a million moment’ – that’s what it’s all about.”

 

Swapping between his binoculars and Sony A-1 camera, Schlimer hears the birds before he sees them. To get the best view, he stations himself by a rookery hidden on Island Park Drive, where he spots everything from blue herons, snowy egrets, black-crowned night herons, and even the occasional anhinga during migration season. 

 

“You get to see these birds building nests, mating, and raising their young,” he noted. “You only get a few months to capture all this until they all eventually leave for the season.”

 

Schlimer has seen it all, also spotting bald eagles, ospreys, hawks, and an assortment of warblers on Daniel Island. His favorite birding experiences include snowy egrets fighting over territory, hearing the bald eagles “talk,” and watching the great egrets show off their unique feathers during breeding season.

 

Despite the amount of time and patience it takes to get the perfect shot, Schlimer said birding is all about being able to witness and share proof of Mother Nature.

 

“I come back for many reasons, not only to see and capture Mother Nature through my unique perspective but most importantly to share it with as many people as possible,” he said, noting that he shares his birding experiences on the Daniel Island Wildlife Facebook group, which Schlimer also co-founded. 

 

Jeff House, a professional photographer since 2012, frequently shares his bird findings on Schlimer’s Wildlife Facebook page, sharing his passion for the island’s majestic bird species. He started birding five years ago when he began photographing wildlife, but his fascination grew when he noticed the intelligence of birds, something often overlooked. 

 

“I’ve always been intrigued by birds,” House said. “For a long time, people have used the expression ‘bird brain’ to suggest birds aren’t smart, but research has proven birds are incredibly intelligent and capable of intellectual behaviors.”

 

House, who moved from Saratoga Springs, New York, to Daniel Island earlier this year, was quickly captivated by the wildlife. He spends his time exploring the island’s parks and trails, always on the lookout for the best birding spots. 

 

“It’s easy to take birds for granted because they are around us all the time, but when you photograph them, you see them from a whole new perspective. You get a more intimate view of their lives and behaviors, including their interactions within their own groups, other species, and their feeding habits. My favorite to spot are the various heron species present on Daniel Island.”

 

Agreeing with Schlimer, House said sunrise and sunset are the best times to spot birds at their most active hour. As the fall season settles in, this is House’s favorite time of year to go birding. 

 

“The cooler weather is a great time to photograph wildlife because they tend to be more active throughout the day without the need to shelter themselves from the midday heat,” he said.

 

House’s perfect birding scenario? Watching them at sunrise during feeding hour. “Seeing them inside their world makes me feel more connected to them and learning their behavior is beneficial for understanding when moments worth photographing are going to happen. I find the birds often provide funny moments as they go about their day without ever being aware of their humor.”

 

While both Schlimer and House are accomplished wildlife photographers, bird-watching isn’t just about snapping photos – it’s about waiting, listening, and connecting with the natural world. 

 

To view their eye for the island’s birds, visit Mitchell Schlimer’s website at mitchschlimerartography.com and Jeff House’s photography at magnoliaphotographysc.com.