Folly Beach Pier
Robin Carter
Directions
From US 17 west of the Ashley River in Charleston, or from the junction of SC 30 and SC 171, Folly Road, on James Island, go south on SC 171, Folly Road, until you reach Folly Beach. Once in Folly Beach go to the last cross street before the ocean. Here turn left (one way street) and enter the parking lot for the pier.
Birds to look for
Lesser Scaup (w), Surf Scoter (w), White-winged Scoter (w), Black Scoter (w), Bufflehead (w), Hooded Merganser (w), Red-breasted Merganser (w), Red-throated Loon (w), Common Loon (w), Horned Grebe (w), Northern Gannet (w), Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Black-bellied Plover, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, Sanderling, Laughing Gull, Bonaparte's Gull (w), Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull (w), Gull-billed Tern (s), Caspian Tern, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern (s), Common Tern (spring, fall), Forster's Tern, Least Tern (s), Black Skimmer, Eurasian Collared-Dove
Description
Folly Beach Pier provides a good platform from which to look for sea ducks, loons, grebes, gulls, and terns. This spot is best during the cooler months of the year, but is worth a quick stop anytime you are on Folly Island.