The last week - March 25 - 31, 2024

Wow!!  Where has the time gone.  This was our last full week here at Myrtle Beach.  It's been a fun 3 months.  It was a much cooler winter but we kept ourselves busy and have really been enjoying ourselves.  We're all booked again for next year and hoping it might be a little warmer.  

We started our week with 3 rounds of golf.  We played Wachesaw East, Lion's Paw and Leopards Chase.  All three games were fun and challenging. Since two of these courses are in North Myrtle Beach we were able to go check out the Eagles before our round and we were also able to go to Murrells Inlet and Huntington beach before golfing at Wachesaw. It's nice to see the eaglets are getting more comfortable in their environment. Huntington is starting to get more birds as well which is great to see. John and Grace told us about a rookery forming along the straight road (alligator alley) so we went to check that out as well.

Here are some photos from our first visit to Huntington prior to golfing at Wachesaw.

  

Here are some photos from our time observing the Eagles and also while on the golf course at Lions Paw.. The Westeria is really beautiful now and in full bloom.

We had a nice dinner with Ed, Janice, Kelli, Justine, Lawrence and Teresa. We enjoyed Mexican food at Habernaro in Murrells Inlet and the food was really good. I'd most certainly go back there again.  It was so nice to be able to spend some time with Ed and Janice and the girls.  They have certainly been blessed with nice weather while they are here.

A few photos from our last trip to Huntington.  So nice to see the Rookery and also watching the Anhinga and try-coloured Heron fishing.

The remainder of our time has been spent walking the beach, celebrating birthdays and packing. It has been a wonderful vacation.  Tomorrow we are heading to Williamston, North Carolina for a couple of days. We hope to explore the Alligator Wildlife Refuge while we are there. We have heard some really good things about it so we thought we would check it out.

We finished off this amazing week with two beautiful sunrises.  

It's a good time to leave as Myrtle Beach has gotten really busy with the Spring Break visitors.  The beaches are packed with sun seekers and the roads are really busy.  I prefer it better during the early time of the winter.  It has become very similar to Wasaga beach. 

The gnats are back - March 18 - 24

The gnats and sand fleas are back and biting like crazy. I am not normally bothered by them but this year has been really bad. All three of us girls seem to be getting bitten the most although Ralph got a really nasty bite on the side of his nose. Where our bites are itchy, his is really sore.  We're not sure if it might have been a spider bite. Any time we are near small ponds and lakes it is guaranteed that we will come back with numerous bites.  Boy are they ever itchy.

We celebrated Teresa and Grace's birthdays on the golf course at Aberdeen.  It was a beautiful day and the round was fun.

We finally got some sea shells washed up on shore.  It's been a very different winter here where you can go for many days without seeing any shells on the beach and then all of a sudden the wind will change direction and all sorts wash up on shore.  The next day after high tide they will be all gone again. March has been particularly quiet with respect to shell hunting.  I think January was the best as that was when we were able to find sand dollars and whelks. 

We have had some amazing sunrises this year and its always amazing to see how beautiful the sky is looking over the ocean.

This week we golfed at 3 courses, Aberdeen, Myrtle Beach South and Founders club.  You can really tell that the weather is getting warmer as we are seeing many more gators on the courses sunning themselves.  The courses are much busier as well.  We are told that March and April is the busiest time of year for golfing here.  They usually start groups on both hole 1 and hole 10 in the morning and afternoons. You have to be patient as sometimes the rounds can be pretty slow.

We've tried to get out to see the Eagles as often as we can hoping to see them fledge.  This week we think we have seen both of the eaglets flying around. It is so amazing to watch. The parents are nearby keeping a close eye on them. There are so many osprey around that there are territorial fights between the Osprey and Eagles.  It's a sight to see.

Witnessing what seems like one of the first flights.  See the legs hanging down.  Soon the Eaglet knew how to tuck them under for a smoother flight.

Back at the nest - all is quiet here.

Follow me.

Osprey upsetting the Eagle

Size doesn't matter

We have also spent time at Huntington Beach park.  It's nice to see that the birds are coming back.  The breeding eyes are so beautiful.  I love the greens that you see on the Anhinga's and Egrets.

On Saturday Ralph and I went back to see if we could spot the babies.  All seemed quiet until we saw this one fly into the tree's behind us.  What a blessing to see up close.   After taking a few pictures we walked back to the lake where the nest is and got to see it fly back to the nest as well.  How awesome was that!!

When the Eagles are not around, we will drive to another area nearby where there are many Osprey nests.  It's always fun to  watch them bringing fish back to the nest while the mate is sitting on eggs.  Osprey are very vocal and you can always hear them calling.

The Osprey nests are usually along a water source and this area is right beside a golf course as well.  Not only do you get to enjoy the Osprey but if you watch carefully you will see other birds fly by as well.  

Little Blue Heron

For a couple of hours watched many groups of Brown Pelicans fly by and we wondered if they were migrating.  It was non stop and quite beautiful to watch as they hovered right on top of the waves.  Sometimes when they flapped their wings it would lightly graze the water.