Area pond habitat restored annually for wood storks

The Silver Bluff Audubon Center & Sanctuary cares as much about the endangered wood stork now as it did 25 years ago, when the first effort was made to attract the species to the center's ponds.

In 1986, the Department of Energy began turning dry lake beds into a series of ponds at the site in Jackson to make the environment attractive to the wood storks as the birds lost a foraging habitat with the development of the Savannah River Site.

Now, every summer, the Audubon Center purposefully stocks the ponds with bluegill fish and lowers the water level to draw in the storks.

They do come.

The wood storks, the largest wading bird in North America, migrate north from Florida beginning in March and tend to nest in large colonies in surrounding areas.

It is estimated there are only about 7,000 breeding pairs of wood storks in the Southeast, and their low numbers can be contributed to loss of habitat "as people develop land and drain the wetlands for their own use," said Paul Koehler, director of the Silver Bluff Audubon Center & Sanctuary.

The Audubon Center encourages the conservation of the species by holding its annual Storks & Corks event - this year on Saturday, Aug. 7.

People are invited to the sanctuary to enjoy a viewing of the large bird and to mingle as they sample wines and heavy hors d'oeuvres. The ponds are open to the public only on special occasions, and spectators are welcome to bring their cameras and binoculars.

"There will also be some great egrets, some great and little blue herons and we might even see an eagle fly over. A pair of bald eagles nest here," Koehler said.

Reservations are required to attend. Ticket are limited to the first 100 reservations.

"It has been a real success. Hopefully the project we have here has helped with (the conservation of the species)," Koehler said.

Storks & Corks will be from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Silver Bluff Audubon Center & Sanctuary, 4542 Silver Bluff Road in Jackson. Reservations are $35 a person. Proceeds will benefit Audubon South Carolina.

To make reservations or for more information, call (843) 462-2150.