Although Hilton Head Island has wonderful wildlife photo ops, my favorite venue is Pinckney Island, the main part of the Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge (PINWR).* I visited the island twice during this trip. I like to arrive at sunrise when the island opens to get golden hour shots. This first visit had good points and bad. The day was overcast, so I did not get any direct early sun shots lighting the area or birds. However, the overcast allowed me to capture the bright mating colors.

These posts show the many different species on the island. I will post action sequences and BIFs later.

My favorite shooting spot is Ibis Pond, a rookery about .7 of a mile in. No vehicles are allowed, so my gear and I can make it to Ibis Pond, but you will have to rely on younger shooters for scenes of the many other ponds on the island.

Comments and suggestions are welcomed.

* Pinckney Island has a history as a plantation, Civil War Union troop camp and shooting preserve. In 1975 the islands in the present refuge were donated to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for use as a preserve.