Magnolia Plantation & Gardens is happy to announce birding tours are back! Beginner and intermediate birders will see resident and migrating birds, including Anhinga, herons, ibis, ducks, hawks, owls and Wood Storks. Migrants like vireos, warblers, buntings and orioles occur and, of course, the Bald Eagle! Magnolia has one of the largest and most easily accessible heron rookeries in the state to observe bird behavior. Magnolia thrives on its natural history making it a perfect ‘hot spot’ for birding! The diverse habit within the garden includes swamps, ponds, a mixed pine and hardwood forest, plus the Ashley River. To date, eBird lists 268 birds that have been reported at Magnolia and the Audubon Swamp. Magnolia Plantation & Gardens has a strong birding history. John J. Audubon was here in the early 1800’s, doing drawings and collecting specimens. The Magnolia House features Audubon prints and paintings from local artists and has a separate gallery displaying birds of the Lowcountry.

About Robert

Robert Heise has been birding across North America for 40 years studying bird identification and migration. What started as a simple hobby became a lifelong passion creating over 500 checklists that includes 600+ bird species. He has gained certification from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and participated in county and state bird census’ and multiple Christmas Bird Counts. He has been a birding interpreter leading field trips and implementing educational workshops, including Enchanted Rock State Park in Texas. He currently lives in Summerville, SC, where he leads a local bird club.