Harris Neck

April 25, 2009
Harris Neck, GA

I had to take Tessa to the birds of Harris Neck NWR. Of course, not to hunt, just to see, as they are protected. Harris Neck has an interesting history. Settled in 1750 and once a lucrative farming area especially known for prime quality Sea Island Cotton, Harris Neck became a predominantly African-American community when the Civil War brought an end to the plantation culture of the South. At the beginning of WWII however, the U.S. government gave this land to the U.S. Army for use as an Army airfield, displacing its residents. In 1962, the area was designated a 3,000-acre refuge for migratory birds. Herons, egrets, osprey - they're here in abundance, and other wildlife thrives as well.

The old landing strips of the Army airfield are still visible, and here is Tessa sitting on one.