Hilton Head Plantation

Overview

Area name

Area Location

North Island. The entrance is on Whooping Crane Drive, left off Hwy 278, 4 miles from the bridge.

Area Map

Access

Access is restricted to residents and their guests as this is a gated residential community.

Facilities

No Information Available.

Background

Areas of interest within this 4,000-acre neighborhood include:

Fort Mitchel – The remains of Fort Mitchel, built during the American Civil War overlook Skull Creek, a section of the US Intracoastal Waterway. The 2.5-acre site has a boardwalk and interpretive signs explaining the function of the fort’s moat, cannons, and fortifications.
Dolphin Head Recreation Area – This scenic area overlooks Port Royal Sound.
Cypress Conservancy – This 50-acre protected ecosystem has a boardwalk through large cypress trees, blooming water plants, marsh deer, and a great variety of birds. It is administered by the Property Owners Association and Hilton Head Land Trust.
Whooping Crane Pond Conservancy – This 127-acre area comprises open field and pine forest, a transitional zone of fetterbush, wax myrtle and red bay trees, and a tupelo (black gum) swamp. There are nature trails and a boardwalk. It is administered by the Property Owners Association and Hilton Head Land Trust.
Seabrook Farm – The farm includes grassy fields, an orchard, and the many plots cultivated by residents.

Key Birds

Resident

Pied-billed Grebe, Anhinga, Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night-heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, White Ibis, Barred Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, White-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Pine Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-throated Warbler.

Spring

Northern Parula, Great Crested Flycatcher, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Purple Martin, Tree Swallows. Migrating warblers include Hooded, Blue-winged, Black-throated Blue, and American Redstart.

Summer

Northern Parula, Great Crested Flycatcher.

Fall

Migrating warblers include Hooded, Blue-winged, Black-throated Blue, and American Redstarts.

Winter

Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Hermit Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Yellowthroat (more birds present in winter), White-throated Sparrow.