Birdwatchers will flock to Georgetown County this month for the 2nd annual Hammock Coast Birding Festival, taking place Feb. 9-11. On the lineup of events is a showing of “Purple Haze: A Conservation Film,” at the Waccamaw Library on Feb. 9 at 12:30 p.m.
This stunning documentary focuses on the plight of purple martins in South Carolina. After millions of years of evolution, treacherous migrations, and forming a unique relationship with humans, North America’s largest swallow species, the purple martin, has managed to become almost completely dependent on man-made nesting structures to nest and rear their young. Captain Zach Steinhauser has taken it upon himself, after spending years guiding folks to North America’s largest Purple Martin roost, to chase these birds across their range to understand exactly how this species put themselves in this position and discover a lost culture of bird-loving enthusiasts across the Purple Martin’s range.
After the screening, Steinhauser will be available for a Q&A session with the audience. The screening is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Waccamaw Library and is free and open to the public. The Library is located at 41 St. Paul Place, Pawleys Island.
Georgetown County is home to more than 300 species of birds and has been named by Southern Living as one of the best birding sites on the East Coast. This year’s Birding Festival will feature a keynote speech by Patrick McMillan, celebrated naturalist and author. Full more about the Hammock Coast Birding Festival, which will feature an array of exciting programs, visit https://hammockcoastsc.com/birding-festival-schedule-of-events/.