Carolina Butterfly Society, Midlands
Chapter
Schedule
for 2008
From Marty Kastner:
Tommie Moody and I have worked together on this schedule and we think we have
an exciting lineup for 2008. We
hope you can save many of these dates on your calendars. We will send you specific directions and reminder emails
closer to each date. Please read
these reminders carefully since dates and times could change.
February
9, 2:00-4:30 Program and Meeting: at
the Agricultural Conference Center in Columbia (Bluff Rd. beside the Farmer’s
Market). Dennis Burnette (CBS founder) from Greensboro, N.C., will be
our speaker. He will discuss the
Basics of Butterflying and Butterfly Identification using slides or photographs
on CD. We will have an open
discussion on butterfly gardening and a chance to share information on host and
nectar plants in your garden and good sources for purchasing them. Refreshments will be served.
March
To be announced.
April 6, 10:00 Field Trip: Audubon’s
Wannamaker Nature Preserve near St. Matthew’s in Calhoun County.
Though we will look for all butterflies, the targeted species will be the
Harvester. Robin Carter will be our
trip leader. Bring water, a field
guide, binoculars, your camera and lunch if you choose to stay for the
afternoon.
May 10, 10:00 Field Trip: Doug DeNeved has agreed to lead a trip for us on May 10. We will go to Lee
State Park not far from Bishopville. We will meet at the visitor's center at 10:00. To get there, take I 20 to exit 123. Turn left off the ramp and go
about 1 mile to the entrance on the left. Follow the entrance road to the visitor's center. Please bring your binoculars, camera, field guide, water and
lunch if you wish to picnic with us and go out again in the afternoon.
As always, please let Marty know at kastners@aol.com
if you can come.
May 17, 10:00 Field Trip:
This
Trip has been cancelled
We have received a special offer to see the property of William Fick,
northeast of Eastover, SC, just east of Fort Jackson and a few miles east of US
601. The property borders the
Wateree River Swamp. It includes
lots of woods with sedges and cane habitat.
Mr. Fick also has access to timber company lands along the river that are
leased by a local hunt club. We
will also visit some dry longleaf habitat.
This area is all drivable so there is not much walking; however, we will
need to carpool, using 4WD vehicles. If
you can come and have a 4WD vehicle, please let Marty know at kastners@aol.com.
As an extra bonus, we will visit a Chimney Swift roosting tower.
This trip will be lead either by William Fick or his nephew, Nate Dias. Our rain date will be Sunday, May 18. Please bring water, lunch, a field guide, binoculars and your
camera, along with footwear appropriate for wet areas.
June 1, Field Trip:Cleveland
Swamp. The trip will be led by Sudie Daves, a Midlands Chapter member and a Wildlife Biologist with the Natural
Resources Conservation Service. The
Cleveland Swamp Wetland Reserve Program site is located along the Wateree River.
It is 1500 acres of floodplain swamp bordering a steep slope and Sandhills
uplands. The floodplain swamp is a mosaic of mature hardwood forest along
with some early successional shrubby wetlands.
There are areas with native cane and sedges to explore. The
longleaf forest is regenerating in the uplands and the landowners plan to
enhance this through thinning and burning. Sand myrtle grows along the
road and may be blooming at this time. The trip will entail driving with
many stops and short walks. One 4W drive truck will be available (folks
can ride in the bed). If you can come and bring another, let Marty know at
kastners@aol.com. Take
Screaming Eagle Road to the east off of Hwy. 601, follow the dirt road and take
the 1st left, then a quick right in front of the church. Continue down to
a cabin and sheds. (A map will be attached with the reminder closer to the
date of this trip.) We will meet
there at 10 am. Bring lunch and water and we can eat down by the river.
June 21,
3:00 Field Trip: lead by Diane Curlee on her property, 115 Danet Rd.,
Neeses, SC 29107 in Orangeburg County. Diane
has some open fields, woodlands, woodland borders and a pond.
Please bring water, a field guide, binoculars and a camera.
June 28, North American
Butterfly Association Butterfly Count at Congaree National Park (Info later)
August
CBS Symposium in NC (Info later)
September 27, 11:00 Field Trip:
Congaree National Park. The
walk will be led by Christina Hulslander, Park Ranger.
We will help count fall butterfly species at the park.
October 18, 10:00: Field Trip: directed
by Evelyn Dabbs on her property, 480
Wenee Woods Ave., Maysville, SC 29104. This
is in Sumter County, 14 miles east of Sumter on HWY 378.
The property is on the wooded bluff of the Black River Swamp.
It includes 374 acres and has been placed in easement with the Congaree
Land Trust. There are walking
paths, a butterfly garden, and a deck for relaxing and watching butterflies,
birds, dragonflies and anoles. We
will begin in the morning, break for lunch and those who wish may continue in
the afternoon. Evelyn has offered
to open her home and bathroom to us. If
you wish, you may visit two other protected areas, the Lynchburg Savanna
Heritage Preserve and the Long Leaf Heritage Preserve, both in Lee County, but
near Evelyn’s property. Please
bring water, lunch, field guides, binoculars and your camera.
Note: We may plan additional trips throughout this period without much prior notice, as individual members offer to lead a trip and we can arrange it. Feel free to offer your suggestions, PLEASE.
Contact Marty Kastner at KASTNERS@aol.com for more information.