Naturally Kiawah Magazine Volume 35 | Page 30

Michael Gamble, a Charleston native and graduate of the College of Charleston, plans to help with marsh sparrow banding during the winter. He loved being able to live on Kiawah during the fall migration season and to capture a Chuck-will’s-widow and an Eastern screech-owl. Casey Weissburg joined the team from Walnut Creek, California, after graduating from the University of California, Davis. She loved the fact that each sunrise on Kiawah brought something new. She saw a number of species for the first time and was particularly happy that her “office” was outdoors. 28 Bill Blizard with his wife Marilyn spent 20 years directing the construction and placement of countless bluebird boxes throughout Kiawah Island. The boxes are sturdy, attractive and perfectly proportioned to attract bluebirds. The success of this project can be seen in the countless bluebirds that sprinkle the Island with beautiful color. Photo by Jay Smith Ryan Donnelly is a native of Horseheads, New York, and a graduate of Gettysburg College who has spent summers on Kiawah since he was two. He had always loved the Island but during the banding season came to respect the importance of the ecological research conducted here and the role the banding stations plays in understanding migratory birds. Naturally Kiawah