WOB - Burgers, Birds & Photography w/Kelley Luikey - 9/22/23 @ 4:30 p.m.

Kelley Luikey is a South Carolina based award winning photographer, who specializes in fine art bird images. My photos consistently rank in the Top 100 Images for national and international competitions such as the National Audubon Society, North American Nature Photographers Association and others. They have also appeared in numerous publications including the National Audubon Society magazine and the cover of Garden and Gun magazine.

While the majority of her time is spent photographing the local species of birds that I love, she does travel for my bird photography and enjoys the challenge and excitement of photographing birds in different locations. Kelley will also do individual instruction and mentorships for bird photographers who would like to learn to photograph birds with more intention and creativity.

Kelley shows her artistic birds at Pluff Mudd Art Gallery in Old Town Bluffton. For every sale I make, I donate 2% to Audubon South Carolina to aid in their mission to protect the resident and migratory birds here in our state. With her images, she hopes to inspire others to love and protect the beauty of the birds we have here in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and beyond.

The Port Royal Cypress Wetlands serves two purposes. It not only provides a valuable habitat for the birds and other wildlife in Old Village Port Royal, South Carolina, it also provides a place for stormwater runoff from the surrounding neighborhoods to collect and naturally remove pollutants before entering the local waterways. In an undeveloped landscape much of the rainfall is transferred back up into the atmosphere by the trees and other vegetation, but this doesn’t happen in a town or city where buildings and pavement replace the natural landscape. When functioning properly, the wetland helps manage local stormwater by holding water until it can either be reabsorbed into the ground or returned to the air through the uptake of water by the plants that live in and around the wetland. The Cypress Wetlands serves this purpose for this section of the Town of Port Royal and therefore is managed as part of the Town’s stormwater management plan. The Port Royal Cypress Wetlands is not only an ecological jewel located in the heart of Port Royal but an incredible place to begin or expand your knowledge about birding and wildlife. Not just for the local community but a “Must See” destination when visiting this part of the Lowcountry. The best part, it is free. All we ask is that you respect this place the wildlife call home. We hope you will consider becoming a Friend of the Wetlands with your tax-deductible donation so that we can continue our mission with the Town of Port Royal to maintain and preserve the Wonderment of the Wetlands.

Dinner and speaking engagement will be held at Fat Patties, 831 Parris Island Gateway, Beaufort, SC 29906 (located approximately 1.5 miles from Cypress Wetlands) transportation not included. Please arrive at 4:30 p.m. for dinner. Each guest will receive buffet style dinner consisting of a variety of burgers, appetizers, salads & a non-alcoholic beverage. Kelley will speak at 5:00 p.m. We will then drive to Cypress Wetlands for roosting & photography at sunset.