On our last day in Hilton Head, we walked out to the beach to watch the sunrise, as we did every morning. On our way back, I spotted a bird photographer (recognizable by their big, expensive lenses) taking photos in the coastal grasses. We chit chatted for a while about the various species we had seen, and he casually mentioned the Audubon Preserve, which I had not heard of. I promptly pulled it up on my ‘adventure map’ and dropped a pin, delighted to find that it was nearby.
The Preserve consists of about 50 acres, with small trails loops that add up to about a mile; but despite its small size, it hosts an impressive amount of flora and fauna – over 150 bird species have been spotted in the preserve. There are also lots of native plants, lending to lots of native pollinators, and we spent at least two hours walking around the Preserve and photographing the different inhabitants.
I particularly enjoyed an area that has been planted with native flowers, which bustled with activities from bumble bees. I spent a really long time studying each of them with my macro lens – I am so fascinated by bees!
We did not spot the local gator, though there were plenty of signs indicating his presence around the small lake. We did see this red eared slider near the shore.
This preserve is a wonderful way spend some time amongst nature without having to leave the island, and would be perfect to burn off some calories after a big lunch, or entertain the kids between events. It’s small enough to be manageable, but still offers plenty to see and do when the weather is nice.
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