National Estuarine Research Reserve System
NERR
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.Red drum, Sciaenops occelatus, also known as spottail bass in South Carolina,utilize the estuary during the first four years of their lives where they feedprimarily on shrimp and crabs.
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.Striped bass, Morone saxatilis, are important recreational sportfishes. In most parts of their range, they travel from ocean waters or estuaries up rivers tospawn.
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.Mummichogs, Fundulus heteroclitus, are year-round residents of salt marshes andcan tolerate a wide range of temperatures and salinities. Two brightly coloredmales (top and bottom) are feat
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.A very dark color variation of the southern flounder, Paralicthys legostigma.Both sides of this fish are darkly pigmented. Only the head on the ventral side shows the traditional light col
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.Tidal flats in estuaries are important foraging areas for shorebirds, includingthese dowitchers which use their long bills to probe the mud for worms andother invertebrates.
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.Estuaries are important breeding and feeding areas for a variety of wading birds, including these great (yellow bills) and snowy egrets (black bills) onPumpkinseed Island in Winyah Bay.
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.These hungry great egret chicks await a meal of regurgitated fish from theirparents.
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.White ibis nest by the thousands on a tiny island in Winyah Bay. Their billsturn a beautiful bright red during the breeding season.
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North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.These dark-colored white ibis chicks will not get their adult plumage for twoyears. Their parents feed them crawfish from freshwater wetlands, whenavailable. As juveniles and adults, they
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.This osprey reigns over its nest in a dead cypress tree along the shores ofWinyah Bay, near Georgetown. Most osprey overwinter in tropical areasand return to temperate nesting locations in
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.The eastern brown pelican has made a remarkable comeback after facing nearextinction in the 60's due to the effects of pesticides. Still classified asthreatened in South Carolina, pelicans
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.Loggerhead sea turtles nest on South Carolina beaches from May to August. Adult and juvenile sea turtles can be observed in South Carolina estuariesduring most months of the year where the
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.The diamond-back terrapin is a year-round resident in estuaries and feeds onfiddler crabs and snails. This female terrapin is returning to the water aftersuccessfully nesting above the tid
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.Canebrake rattlesnakes, common in the coastal plain of South Carolina, areinfrequent visitors salt marsh edges.
North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.River otters can be seen frolicking in salt marsh creeks as well as thefreshwater rivers of South Carolina.
Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research ReserveLook close to see the spotted salamander - Ambystoma maculatum.
Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research ReserveEastern milksnake - Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum. This snake is aconstrictor and kills its prey by exerting sufficient pressure to stopits breathing.
Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research ReserveSpotted turtle - Clemmys guttata. According to some accounts this is thesmallest of turtles. It is found in brackish and freshwater. It has a lowtolerance for pollution and is thus an indicator s
Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research ReserveWhite-tailed deer - Odocoileus virginianus. This common deer has its highestpopulation density in Rhode Island on Prudence Island. The islandsupports a herd of approximately 300 individuals.
Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research ReserveWhite-footed mouse - Peromyscus leucopus. This mouse is a prey species of owls- especially screech owls and barred owls. Unfortunately, this small rhodent is also an important host in the life cyc
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