Caw Caw Nature Center
The
Charleston low country has so many wonderful places to visit, it can be easy to
overlook the local parks. Caw Caw
Nature Center is located along Highway 17 in Ravenel, SC, and it was created on
top of several old rice plantations.
Last year my daughter and I enjoyed a guided bird walk at Caw Caw, and
still today the experience is one of our favorite memories.
Laura
and I arrived a few minutes after the walk had started. We paid our fee in the main
office. The ranger told us, “You
can’t go on a bird walk without binoculars,” and he opened a drawer and handed
one to each of us. We joined the
group nearby gathered on the trail.
The guide was a young man, but except for my daughter and I, all the
participants were of retirement age.
A few had bird books, mostly downloaded on tablets and phones. Everyone wore binoculars, carried water
bottles and bug spray. One older
man joined us on a Segway. The
trails were wide and even, and he had no problems.
We saw ospreys, herons, ibis, and
many red winged blackbirds, but the greatest excitement came from seeing the
momma gator and her babies. On the
entire walk I think we counted 9 gators, mostly young. It was amazing how we could be standing
beside a marshy canal, relaxed and listening to birdsong, and the guide would
point and say, “Gator number 5.”
We had to learn how to see them, then suddenly gators were everywhere.
I
loved the beauty of the park, the excitement of the alligators, and the help in
identifying birds, but I struggled with being in a group and moving so
slowly. I grew impatient every
time we heard a new song or rustle of leaves. Each birdwatcher whipped out his or her phone, pulled up the
bird books and began discussing coloration of the crest, size of the beak, and
style of the song. I wanted
to say, “the bird is beautiful whether identified, placed on a life list,
quantified, or not. Just enjoy!” And really, we did enjoy. My family has been back many times to
walk, in various seasons. And now,
I can point out the alligators.
Caw
Caw is open Wednesday through Sunday 9-5.
Admission is $1 per person, and if you want to attend the bird walks on
Saturday or Wednesday starting at 8:30 the cost is $5. Caw Caw is a beautiful and historical
place, and worth taking the time to visit.
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