July 31, 2009 Week-end Edition

Week-end Weather: It is 81 degrees at 9:00 Friday morning. There is a fair chance that our week-end will be a bit soggy.  Drats! Highs Friday in the mid-eighties, lows in the upper seventies. There is a 50% chance of showers for both.  Saturday we can expect highs in the upper eighties, lows in the upper seventies, and a 50% chance of rain.  Last but not least, Sunday's high is supposed to be in the upper eighties.  Lows should be in the upper seventies, with a 50% chance of showers for both.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  Two baby loggerhead turtles, one ruby-throated hummingbird, one Black-crowned night heron, one American alligator, one male and one female white-tailed deer, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 30, 2009

Kiawah is mostly sunny this morning. We were on the receiving end of some hard rain late yesterday, and some folks found themselves with standing water in their yards. Luckily there is no rain around Charleston currently, let's hope it stays that way! 

Did you know? It is National Cheesecake Day!  Sounds like a good excuse to eat some dessert!

Weather: It is 78 degrees at 9:00 this morning. The humidity is already at 95% this morning - yikes! Highs in the mid-eighties, lows in the upper seventies. There is a 50% chance of showers for both.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  Two five-lined skinks, one ruby-throated hummingbird, one Black-crowned night heron, three American alligators, two male and one female white-tailed deer, several dozen brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 29, 2009

It is partly sunny on Kiawah this morning. It seems that the slight chance of rain all week this week has increased just a bit.  Rather than 20% most days, now we are up to 40%.  While the plants could certainly use a good rain, most of us hope it doesn't arrive, or does so during the nights. 

Astronomy 101: The Delta Aquarids meteor showers will strut their stuff again tonight. Slow, long paths of 15 to 25 meteors per hour should make them easy to spot. The best time to watch is to the south between 1:00 and 3:00 am. Find a place with a clear view of the sky and arrange for deck chairs or a blanket. Happy stargazing!

Turtle News: Roughly 500 people watched the sea turtle release Sunday afternoon at Beachwalker Park.  Please click here for photos of the event...  The Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol reports that as of this morning there are 122 nests on Kiawah's beach.  That isn't close to our normal numbers, but isn't really low either.

Weather: It is 82 degrees at 9:00 this morning. Be on the lookout for high humidity today due to a higher chance of showers. Highs today in the upper eighties, lows tonight in the mid-seventies. There is a 50% chance of rain for both.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  Two bluebirds, one five-lined skink, one ruby-throated hummingbird, one Black-crowned night heron, two American alligators, two male white-tailed deer, several dozen brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 28, 2009

Kiawah is sunny and already warm this morning. Stay cool out there!

Astronomy 101: The Delta Aquarids meteor showers will strut their stuff tonight and tomorrow night. Slow, long paths of 15 to 25 meteors per hour should make them easy to spot. The best time to watch is to the south between 1:00 and 3:00 am. Find a place with a clear view of the sky and arrange for deck chairs or a blanket. Happy stargazing!

Turtle News: Roughly 500 people watched the sea turtle release Sunday afternoon at Beachwalker Park.  Please click here for photos of the event...

Weather: It is 82 degrees at 9:00 this morning. There is still just a slight chance of rain today.  Highs in the upper eighties, lows in the mid-seventies. Both have a 20% chance of showers.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  One bluebird, three ruby-throated hummingbirds, two Black-crowned night herons, one five-lined skink, three American alligators, three female and one male white-tailed deer, several dozen brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 27, 2009

It is mostly overcast on Kiawah this morning, though the sun peeks through the clouds every now and then.

Turtle News: Roughly 500 people watched the sea turtle release yesterday afternoon at Beachwalker Park.  Check back later today for photos of the event...

Weather: It is 82 degrees at 9:00 this morning. We have a slight chance for today - for most of the week, in fact.  Today's high should be in the mid-eighties, lows tonight in the mid-seventies. There is a 40% chance of rain for both.

Week-end Kiawah Critter Count  Spotted at various times & places around Kiawah during the week-end: One loggerhead turtle, two Kemp's Ridley sea turtles, one wood stork, three bluebirds, one ruby-throated hummingbird, two Black-crowned night herons, three five-lined skinks, three American alligators, five female and three male white-tailed deer, several dozen brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 24, 2009 Week-end Edition

Kiawah is mostly sunny this morning, with a few scattered clouds floating in the sky. We are headed into the final week of July - can you believe it?  Soon the island will be empty of visitors, children will be going back to school, and it will be football season.  Where does summer go?

Bobcat Diane Beck says, "This bobcat was on our deck July 4th. I think he smelled the steak we had cooking on the grill? He has good taste!"

Week-end Weather: It is 82 degrees at 9:00 Friday morning. There is a slight chance of rain all week-end, but it is shaping up nicely!  Highs Friday in the upper eighties, lows in the mid-seventies.  Saturday should bring highs in the upper eighties and lows in the mid-seventies.  Look for highs in the upper eighties again on Sunday, with lows in the low seventies.  There is a 20% chance of showers all week-end long. 

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  One ruby-throated hummingbird, two Black-crowned night herons, one five-lined skink, three American alligators, two female and three male white-tailed deer, several dozen brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 23, 2009

It is sunny on Kiawah this morning, and boy is it humid! Folks with air conditioners on have fogged windows! The weather channel says it will reach only the mid-eighties today, but it certainly feels like it is going to be a scorcher. Looks like everyone will be searching for ways to stay cool today. Perhaps a swimming pool is in your future?

Weather: It is 78 degrees at 9:00 this morning. Once again there is a slight chance of showers later this afternoon.  Highs in the mid-eighties, with a 20% chance of rain.  Lows tonight in the low seventies.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  One ruby-throated hummingbird, one Black-crowned night heron, two wee five-lined skinks, one American alligator, three female and one male white-tailed deer, several dozen brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 22, 2009

Kiawah is sunny and already warm this morning. We are in full "July mode" - hot and humid, with possible showers on the way. Most of Kiawah's critters find that staying out of the sun helps them keep cool, though the golden silk spiders don't seem to mind the heat!  They lie in wait in their webs, hoping for a stray bug or dragonfly to happen upon their web. 

Weather: It is 79 degrees at 9:00 this morning. We have just a slight chance of showers later today.  Highs in the mid-eighties, lows in the mid-seventies, both with a 20% chance of rain.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  One Black-crowned night heron, one five-lined skink, two American alligators, one raccoon, two female white-tailed deer, several dozen brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 21, 2009

It is sunny and warm on Kiawah this morning. Here we are at the start of another fabulous day in paradise! The temperature will be quite nice, especially for July, so it should be another wonderful day to enjoy all Kiawah has to offer!

Weather: It is 77 degrees at 9:00 this morning. Showers may creep in later this afternoon, but for now it is lovely and sunny on Kiawah.  Highs today in the mid-eighties with a 20% chance of rain. Lows tonight in the low  seventies.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  Two adult Black-crowned night herons, two green herons, two wee five-lined skinks, two American alligators, one raccoon, two female and one male white-tailed deer, roughly a dozen brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 20, 2009

Kiawah is overcast this morning, and far cooler than recent mornings. After such a wonderful week-end, can we begrudge Mother Nature just a wee bit of clouds?   

Weather: It is 71 degrees at 9:00 this morning. It certainly looks like rain today. Highs in the mid-eighties, lows in the low  seventies, both with a 40% chance of showers.

Week-end Kiawah Critter Count  Spotted at various times & places around Kiawah during the week-end: Two adult and one juvenile Black-crowned night herons, nine writing spiders, several bottle-nosed dolphins, five green herons, two skimmers, four five-lined skinks, seven American alligators, one raccoon, six female and three male white-tailed deer, a few dozen brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 17, 2009 Week-end Edition

It is sunny on Kiawah this morning. We are headed into what should be a terrific week-end!  Lots of sunshine (well, we hope so anyway) and plenty of time to go outside and play!   

Turtle News: As of this morning there are 105 nests on Kiawah's beach. Jane Pannone & Gregg Bragg located the very first hatch of the season Thursday morning!  At long last, Nest #1 has hatched!

KICA Wildflower Plantings Bob Struble says "KICA wildflower plantings are islands of color scattered upon the verdant backdrop which is Kiawah. Every golf course has a rough and it isn’t called “rough” for nothing. I found this wildflower planting, perhaps meant to soften said rough, at Cougar Point golf course. However, my ball, presumably hidden in that kaleidoscope of color, was not found."

Week-end Weather: It is 81 degrees at 9:00 Friday morning. Looks like rain is headed our way today.  Highs Friday in the upper eighties, lows in the upper seventies, both with a 60% chance of showers. Saturday should bring a high in the upper eighties, with a low near seventy.  There is a 40% chance of rain all day Saturday.  Sunday's high should be in the upper eighties, the low near seventy, and there is a 20% chance of rain that day.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  One Black-crowned night heron, two five-lined skinks, two American alligators, one raccoon, four female and one male white-tailed deer, a few dozen brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 16, 2009

Kiawah is mostly sunny this morning, but there are clouds throughout much of the sky. 

Did you know that manatees have been spotted off our coast?  The South Carolina Dept. of Natural Resources says that they have been receiving reports of them for nearly two months now.  All you boaters out there, please be on the lookout for manatees!  

Turtle News: Jane Pannone & Gregg Bragg located the very first hatch of the season this morning!  At long last, Nest #1 has hatched!

Weather: It is 81 degrees at 9:00 this morning. It will be fairly warm today, so start thinking now of ways to stay cool! Highs in the upper eighties, lows in the upper seventies, both with a 40% chance of rain.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count One Black-crowned night heron, one five-lined skink, two American alligators, one toad, one raccoon, two female and one male white-tailed deer, a few dozen brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 15, 2009

It is sunny and beautiful on Kiawah this morning, with a bit less humidity than recent days.  And have you noticed the crepe myrtle trees? They are doing their best to decorate the island with their stunning blossoms - red, white, purple, and pink, they provide splashes of color as you make your way around the island. 

Reminder: Today at 4:00 p.m. at the Sandcastle, KPOG sponsors a session about the options for 526. Please click here for more information.  

Weather: It is 78 degrees at 9:00 this morning. Despite all the clouds hanging around yesterday, we never received any rain. Highs today in the mid-eighties, lows in the mid-seventies.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  One Black-crowned night heron, one toad, one red-tailed hawk, two bottle-nosed dolphins, one raccoon, two female white-tailed deer, a few dozen brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 14, 2009

Kiawah is overcast this morning, and the humidity is 100%. Ick. We have rain clouds hovering in the sky, just waiting to dump more precipitation on us.  Will we catch a break today, or will get rained on again?  Stay tuned...

Weather: It is 76 degrees at 9:00 this morning. We received a fair amount of rain last night, and it looks like we will get more today. Highs in the upper eighties, lows in the mid-seventies.  There is a 30% chance of showers during both.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  One Black-crowned night heron, one writing spider, one ladderbacked woodpecker, one raccoon, two female and one male white-tailed deer, three black vultures, a dozen or so dragonflies, several brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 13, 2009

It is mostly sunny on Kiawah this morning, and not too humid just yet. It looks like it will be another lovely summer day here on the island! The sky is a wonderful azure blue with fluffy white clouds drifting lazily past. The oleanders are nearly spent, having just a few straggler blooms remaining. The crepe myrtles are in full flower though, and bushels of white, purple, and pink blossoms festoon the island. Do you have a favorite summer flower? 

Kiawah Reads 2009 Author Event: "Trouble the Water" by Nicole Seitz will be featured at 2 p.m. at the Sandcastle.  Please click here for more information. 

Weather: It is 81 degrees at 9:00 this morning. After a gloriously sunny week-end, a chance of rain creeps back in today. Highs in the mid-eighties, lows in the mid-seventies. There is a 50% chance of rain for both. 

Week-end Kiawah Critter Count  Spotted at various times & places around Kiawah during the week-end: Two raccoons, three female and four male white-tailed deer, five black vultures, dozens of dragonflies, a few dozen brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 10, 2009 Week-end Edition

What is that we see outside our windows this morning?  Could it be?  Would it be?  YES IT IS!  Sunshine has returned to Kiawah this morning - FINALLY!  It is nice and cool and SUNNY. 

Just for fun... Hummingbirds, which John J. Audubon called "glittering fragments of the rainbow," are again darting around flowers and feeders in South Carolina. Laurel Barnhill, wildlife biologist and bird conservation coordinator with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources encourages South Carolina residents to landscape with flowers, hang out a feeder and invite hummingbirds to lunch: "In return, they'll entertain you with their antics and add a little color to your life." For more information on ruby-throated hummingbirds, write Hummingbirds, DNR Wildlife Section, PO Box 167, Columbia, SC 29202-0167 or call (803) 734-3886.

Painted Bunting Diane Beck has quite a few stories about the critters who frequent her deck and yard!  This little fellow stopped by to say hello and perched on the deck railing for a bit. 

Week-end Weather: It is 75 degrees at 9:00 Friday morning. Our week-end is shaping up to be quite lovely, with nary a rain cloud in sight.  Friday's high should be in the low eighties with a 20% chance of showers.  Lows in the low seventies. The high Saturday is supposed to be in the upper eighties, with lows in the low seventies.  Sunday brings highs in the upper eighties and lows in the mid-seventies.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  One raccoon, two female and one male white-tailed deer, one black vulture, two dragonflies, several brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 9, 2009

It is overcast on Kiawah this morning, and quite cool outside.  What a change!  Last night's thunderstorms brought in a blast of cooler air, so this morning is a welcome respite from our normal summer temperatures.  Do you have a good book handy for any rain delays?

Weather: It is 71 degrees at 9:00 this morning. Looks like Mother Nature is sending more showers our way... Highs in the low eighties, lows in the low seventies. There is an 80% chance of showers for both.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  One five-lined skink, one soaking wet raccoon, one female and one male white-tailed deer, several brown pelicans, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 8, 2009

Kiawah is mostly cloudy this morning, though the sun does manage to poke through every once in a while. It appears that more showers are on the way, so perhaps finding your umbrella is in order!

Weather: It is 76 degrees at 8:45 this morning. There is a flash flood warning in effect through this evening.  Highs today in the low eighties, lows in the low seventies. There is a 90% chance of rain for both.

Today's Kiawah Critter Count  Three green herons, one five-lined skink, two red-winged blackbirds, two raccoons, two female and one male white-tailed deer, and dozens of snowy egrets on Sea Marsh Drive.

July 7, 2009

It is partly cloudy and partly sunny on Kiawah this morning.  We had a whopper of a thundershower yesterday afternoon, and it looks like more is in store for us today too.  So what will you do today to stay out of the rain?

Did you know? Tonight is the Full Buck Moon. The moon is so named because July is the month when the new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, because thunderstorms are most frequent during this time.

Weather: It is 77 degrees at 9:00 this morning. We have a 50-50 chance of rain today. Highs in the upper eighties, lows in the low seventies. There is a 50% chance of showers that lasts through tonight.