Little St. Simons Island-Wildlife Haven
Secluded Island is Bird and Wildlife Watchers' Paradise
Jun 5, 2009
If visitors can't ride on a bench in the back of a pickup truck for a naturalist-conducted tour down rough dirt roads, then the island of Little St. Simons isn't for them. Expect solitude and serenity in this private enclave, part of the Golden Isles off the coast of Brunswick.
Only 30 people are allowed to visit the island at a given time. Trekkers can even rent the entire island for family getaways, weddings or adventure excursions with friends. A ferry from St. Simons Island goes over twice a day by reservation only. Although day trips are available, try to stay overnight or even a few days at the lodge to get a total experience.
Little St. Simons' History
Philip Berolzheimer of New York's Eagle Pencil Company purchased the island in 1908. Little St. Simons remains in the family, continuing to follow Berolzheimer's philosophy of preservation. Built in 1917, the original lodge is a wooden structure with a tin roof where guests gather for socializing and meals.
The area harkens back to days gone by. Few things have changed in 100 years, except some human creature comforts have been added, including electricity, air conditioning, bathrooms and a spring-fed pool. Some of the cottages were built in the 1920s and 1930s, and one was completed in the 1980s. But all are rustic and fit in well with the natural surroundings of the saltwater marshland.
It's an ideal place to hike, bike, fish, canoe, kayak, horseback ride and view extraordinary wildlife. Each day's activites are posted on a blackboard, and islanders can participate in all or none.
Newcomers should take advantage of the tours conducted in history, geography and wildlife. Most last at least two-and-a-half hours. Visitors often see deer and dozens of vivid butterflies, and perhaps an American alligator or two. Two or three evenings a week, night tours are offered such as the owl prowl.
Along the shore, watch for the massive horseshoe crab, the tiny fiddler crab and a plethora of marine invertebrates that provide the diet for the loggerhead turtiles. These immense sea turtles nest in the area during the warmth of summertime. Naturalists take guests on quiet turtle watches so as not to disturb the fragile nests of eggs.
For those into sea shelling, take note of the whelk, conch, cockleshells, and hundreds of sea urchins and sand dollars. Be sure not to take any shells if there's a live critter still attached.
Bird Watching on Little St. SimonsBinoculars are provided for bird watchers. Sightings include belted kingfisher, red-tail hawk, green-backed heron, tri-colored heron, anhinga, red-winged blackbird, white ibis, carolina wren, eurasian-collared dove, barn swallow, eastern kingbird, prothonotary warbler, boat-tailed grackle, pileated woodpecker, black-and-white warbler, chimney swift hummingbird, great blue heron, roseate spoonbill, black-necked stilt, ruby-throated hummingbird, brown-headed nuthatch and seaside sparrow.
The island's graceful wood stork and colorful painted bunting are among those on the endangered list. A number of birds stay around the island year-round, while others choose summer or wintertime. Some sojourn on the island during their migatory routes.
Although any time of year is a good time to visit Little St. Simons, summer months can be quite hot and bring pesky mosquitoes. The island is like a giant summer camp; only it's open year-round. Children under eight are not encouraged to visit between October and April, but from May through September, children's programs abound. So does the wildlife.
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