WHO WE ARE

Waccamaw Audubon Society (WAS) is the local chapter of the National Audubon Society serving northeastern South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina. With over four hundred members, WAS has programs and field trips (the public is invited).

Waccamaw Audubon is especially proud of its recognition by the National Audubon Society, which awarded WAS one of the first-ever Rachel Carson Awards for its work in helping establish the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge.​

---

2020/2021 Officers and directors

President -- Diane DuLoft
Vice President -- Dale Scholfield
Treasurer -- Richard Moore
Secretary -- Karen Moore
Director -- Reggie Daves
Director -- Gail Kemm
Director -- Nancy Kenny
Director -- Mike Walker
Director -- Bill Lanham

IMPORTANT NOTICE!!
OUR MEETINGS WILL BEGIN AT 6:30 WITH THE PROGRAM COMMENCING AT 7:00 PM.

Seeking additional Assistance

We have a need for additional Directors and other volunteers to complete our leadership roles.  If you are or know someone who may be interested in wildlife conservation and activism, please contact us at [email protected] for more information.

We are pleased to announce that Clayton Beasley, a former Board member and  student at Coastal Carolina University completed his  Master of Arts as of May 2025 and has moved on to begin work on a PhD at Duke University. Clayton also served as President of the Coastal Birding Club and Vice President of Tri Beta National Biological Honor Society and was active in the Coastal Zoo and Aquaria Club.

Support Our Chapter: just click on the DONATE button below or point your smart phone at the QR code to be directed to Zeffy.
We accept one-time and recuring gifts, credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and bank transfers — and keep every dollar you donate. You will receive an automatic tax-compliant receipt for your donation.
Zeffy is the only 100% free fundraising platform built for nonprofits. No platform fees. No transaction fees. No credit card fees, ever! Fees are covered by grants, but they do appreciate the extra contribution only if you feel generous.

Donate with Zeffy

Note that your online transactions are protected. Zeffy's payment processing is managed by Stripe. Stripe is PCI Service Provider Level 1 certified which is the most stringent level of certification available in the payments industry. Zeffy itself does not store or process any credit card information

Donate with Zeffy

Waccamaw
Audubon society

Waccamaw Audubon is a chapter of the National Audubon Society, serving  Myrtle Beach, Georgetown and surrounding areas in northeastern South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina. Our members live in  Conway, Georgetown, Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Murrells Inlet, and surrounding rural areas in South Carolina as well as Calabash and Carolina Shores in North Carolina. Waccamaw Audubon strives to protect birds, wildlife, and their local habitats through conservation, education, advocacy, and outdoor enjoyment. 



Free weekly Bird Walks Continue.

FREE Guided Bird Walk every Wednesday (year-round) at Huntington Beach State Park. Meet in the Causeway Parking Lot at 10:00 am. Bring Binoculars, Bug Spray and Water.

upcoming
events & bird walks

Its Summer time again and our iconic Painted Buntings are back at Huntington Beach State Park and many local backyards and birding sites.

You can enjoy watching Huntington Beach State Park’s bird feeding station and salt marsh in real time just clink on the Painted bunting above or go to  https://southcarolinaparks.com/webcams/huntington-beach. 

---

announcements

This Month's Photo is by local  photographer Tanya Ackerman. You can see more of Tanya's work at her Chasing the Light website: https://www.tanyaackerman.com or on her Facebook page.

2026 Big Sit®!

Its almost time for our annual Big Sit® - an opportunity to help Waccamaw Audubon count birds, raise funds and maybe even win valuable prizes if we are lucky enough to see "the Golden Bird" (which is only announced after the count is over). This year's Big Sit® will be held Saturday October 10, 2026 from sunrise til sunset (7:00 AM til 7:30 PM)  Anyone staying in the Park can do some "owling" or late Chuckwills widowing too.

The date again corresponds to World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD). The Big Sit® is strategically timed to enjoy the fall migration. As we gather with friends to enjoy this birding event, we are also witnessing one of the greatest phenomena in nature. Many of the birds we see are on their way to or have arrived on their winter grounds. These migrants are crossing oceans and continents and connect us to our hemispheres and to each other. It is not enough to enjoy the birds; we must also do our best to conserve them.

Many of The Big Sit® circles are located on Refuges and Sanctuaries and are raising important funds for conservation.  In addition, by making our Big Sit® a WMBD event WAS will underscore the connection to the birds and the planet as well as inspire others to take steps for bird conservation. 

This year's Big Sit® will again be centered at the handicap-accessible platform overlooking Mullet Pond at Huntington Beach State Park. Thats the one nearest the parking area where the "causeway road" meets the main road going between the main beach and the education center.  There's better access for birders, and better chances of observing woodland birds at nearby feeders on the walk in, or marsh birds on the north side of the causeway. We are hoping the Park can help by providing a shaded cover so we can keep out of the sun, or rain, during our hours there.

---

Keep on the lookout for future updates and remember this is a fund event as well as a fun one.

Threatened least terns expand colony at state park

Donations to Waccamaw Audubon play a role in protecting the shorebird nesting area at Huntington Beach State Park. The least tern colony there grew from 30 nests to 137 in a single year, surpassing Litchfield Beach as the second-largest colony in South Carolina.   
Mike Walker, interpretive ranger at the park as WAS Board member  says this is the the largest colony he has seen at the park.

In past years nestings have averaged about 70 nests. One of the earliest Mike could recall was in 1989, the summer before Hurricane Hugo.

In addition the colony on the southern tip of Litchfield Beach has 105 nests this year, down from last year’s total of 113.


A reminder too that bird lovers can get a live look at Huntington Beach State Park, which boasts nearly 360 unique species of birds, anywhere they have internet with a newly launched webcam. “That’s one of our biggest claims to fame for Huntington Beach State Park, that more species of birds have been seen here in this park than anywhere else in the Carolinas,” said ranger Mike Walker. Although nine other South Carolina state parks have live feeds, the Huntington Beach feeding station and salt marsh camera is the first in the Grand Strand. The project is a collaboration with Wild Birds Unlimited, which sponsors the camera, and the Waccamaw Audubon Society, which buys the bird feed. 

You can enjoy watching Huntington Beach State Park’s bird feeding station and salt marsh in real time at  https://southcarolinaparks.com/webcams/huntington-beach 

---

Recent and upcoming EVENTS

Green Drinks for September 23, 2006
at the Quad, 1067 Petigru Dr. Pawleys Island.  Hosted by the North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Migratory Bird Day is Oct 10th

World Migratory Bird Day is officially celebrated o  the second Saturday in October (October 10th in 2026) as they return to wintering areas. Because birds do not all migrate at the same time and to provide the opportunity to observe birds on stopover sites as they journey, however, we encourage you to celebrate when the timing is best at your location. WMBD programs and events are hosted nearly every month of the year.

Every day is Bird Day!

What's Happening at Lewis Ocean Bay?

1. Some updates.  We  continue to be involved with Carolina Wetlands in a quarterly monitoring  effort. If you would like to help, let me (Jim Luken) know at  [email protected] . 

2. The drought this year is still having big effects.  Most if not all of the Venus flytraps have gone dormant. But don't worry. They will emerge from dormancy once we get some significant rain.

3. Yes. We are thinking about Flytrap Festival 2027. If you want to be involved in that, respond to this email. 

4. Deer hunting season at LOBHP begins Sept 15 and continues to Jan. 1. If you haven't purchased some hunter blaze orange clothing, now would be a good time. Wear it while in LOBHP during deer season. 

5. If you have any suggestions or questions respond to this email.  And, make sure to check out our Facebook group: Friends of Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve

Donate with Zeffy

OUR MISSION:

To educate, and to protect birds and wildlife as well as the air, land and water that life depends on.  We strive to share information that will broaden the perspective of others to the beauty, wonder and variety of nature.
​

ABOUT US

Waccamaw Audubon Society (WAS) is the local chapter of the National Audubon Society serving northeastern South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina.

JOIN OUR FLOCK

Become a member and attend monthly meetings, birding field trips and special events.  With over 400 members, WAS has a wide variety of activities to offer new members.

JOIN TODAY!

BIRDING

Ever thought about birding or bird watching?  Meet our favorite species and learn where and when to see them along the North and South Carolina coast.