Northern Flicker | Image via The Macaulay Library
SC is home to hundreds of
year-round +
migrating bird species, each with their own characteristics, habits, and songs. You’ve likely
seen more of them lately at your feeders, on your fence posts, or swooping overhead. In South Carolina, we get to celebrate the arrival of winter finches like the
American Goldfinch
Since so many birds are active right now, you may be wondering what they all are and you don’t need a lot of expensive gear to figure it out. The most important things are your own two eyes…
and a little curiosity. If one of your new year’s resolutions was to
The Roger Tory Peterson Institute has hired George Harper as its new director of development and communications.
“I’m honored to join the staff at RTPI,” George shared. “Roger Tory Peterson was a rock star. He inspired millions of nature lovers all over the world. My goal is to inspire people to support RTPI in advancing Roger’s legacy at the intersection of art and nature.”
Harper holds an associate’s degree in business, a bachelor’s degree in biology from the State University at Fredonia and a PhD in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Over the course of a 14-year teaching career at Hendrix College, he held several appointments, including the N&C Wood Odyssey Associate Professor of Biology and Chair of the Department of Biology and Health Sciences.
Bruce Eddie Boardman
Bruce Eddie Boardman, 91 of Jamestown, went home to be with the Lord on Jan. 30, 2021, while a resident at Lutheran Social Services, the result of a fall at home.
Born in Jamestown, he and his family resided in Busti for many years. He graduated from Jamestown High School in 1948 and won a scholarship to the Cleveland School of Art. He enlisted in the Navy and served from 1950 – 1954, aboard a heavy cruiser, the USS Macon. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Electrician First Class. While docked in New York City, he arranged a date with his future wife of 66 years, a nurse named, Ruth Elain VanHorn.
Get Growing with Mickey Rathbun: Bluebirds and beavers
Eastern Bluebird. FOR THE GAZETTE/CHUCK STERN
The Eastern bluebird population has increased significantly in recent decades. FOR THE GAZETTE/CHUCK STERN
Beaver lodges in the marsh off the rail trail in Amherst by Station Rd. STAFF PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS
Beaver lodges in the marsh off the rail trail in Amherst by Station Road. STAFF PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS
Beaver lodges in the marsh off the rail trail in Amherst by Station Rd. STAFF PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS
Bluebirds at Mikey Ratherbun s home in Amherst. STAFF PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS
Eastern bluebirds at Mickey Rathbun’s home in Amherst. The birds can also be found nesting in holes in fence posts and dead trees. STAFF PHOTO/CAROL LOLLIS
How to Attract and Identify Purple Finches
Steve and Dave Maslowski
Attracting a purple finch is easy with the right food, but identifying them can be tricky! Here s the best way to draw these colorful birds into your yard.
Purple finches are an absolute backyard treat but, despite their vivid-sounding name, their subdued pattern can make them difficult to spot. Roger Tory Peterson, the ornithologist and editor of the Peterson Field Guide series, once described these birds as a “sparrow dipped in raspberry juice.”
What Do Purple Finches Look Like?
They’re often confused with the house finch however, purples are slightly heavier birds with shorter tails and longer wingtips. Male purple finches have an almost completely red face and neck with pinkish red also covering most of the body. Purple finches and house finches don’t flock together, but they might both show up at your feeder at the same time. Here’s how to tell the difference between these finches.