Hickory Top WMA Clean-up 6-May-2026

           I set out with the goal of removing two bags of trash from Hickory Top with the starting point being the boat launch parking area. Traveling down the access road I spotted something that didn't belong on the left side of the road. 

      It ended up being a garbage bag and it had something in it. I unenthusiastically stopped and got out to check what it was. People can dump or loose anything and I was really hoping it wasn't a dead animal or multiple dead fish. To my surprise it was trash and not just any trash, but stuff I recognized passing at this spot before. Someone else had started their own clean-up. Why did they just leave it in the road? Why were there a bunch of new beer cans off to the side right at this spot? I am always baffled by the things people do. I picked up the bag and put it in the car. I just tied it and threw it out as it was and did not include the contents in my trash totals as it was someone else's work. Thank you to whoever picked that bit up, but if you read this, please don't leave bags of trash on an access road. More likely than not someone will hit it before it is picked up. I left everything else that was off the roadside as I wanted to get to my goal for the day. I don't tend to do many roadside clean-ups. Everyone sees the roadsides, so my hope is others get annoyed enough to clean up those areas. I like to focus on the areas that are trashed that no one sees. Often these areas are the most neglected, but once cleaned up, stay that way for a much longer time as the accumulations I am picking up took decades to get there. If you do decide to do your own clean ups, it is best to contact whatever agency that has a connection to the public land involved, DNR, SCDOT, etc. before you start.

       I started my clean-up on this old roadway that extends into the swamp. It had sporadic trash, yet wasn't that bad. I wonder about this roadway. When was it built, why was it built, did it predate the dam, was it an old ferry crossing point for the river? Out doing these clean-ups you end up thinking a lot about things and the past.

Old oil container removed.

      After walking out and back the old road it was back to the lakeshore. There was trash, but throught the whole time everything was spread out. Many times, even with the first clean-ups I did at Hickory Top, you can find a high water line and just follow it. Here though it was all just spread out. 

         When I am doing the clean-ups my focus is mainly on finding trash, but I do keep an eye out for birds. This Acadian Flycatcher came in to see what I was doing. A neotropical migrant that nests here and overwinters in the lower portion of Central America and northern South America. They will be relatively common throughout the summer.

       Prothonotary Warblers nest in cavities they find along the Tupelo/Cypress edges of the lake in this area. A very inquisitive bird they will often come in for a closer look if you pass through their territory.

 The second ball found on this clean-up. 

       We have multiple species of large moths in our area. This is what their chrysalis looks like. From the top photo, the opening tells me that the caterpillar inside made it through its metamorphosis and emerged as an adult. Some could likely tell you the species from the size and appearance of the chrysalis, that is beyond my knowledge base.   

First bag filled and ready to be packed into the car.

       In the next area I started walking for the second bag, the trash was more spread out. This spot was relatively flat and I think it only floods in extreme events. I think this is why there is no real trash line that you see in other areas. 

It was a slow go, but there was still trash.

Some places did have more than others. 

I was removing glass on this trip. Bottles like this really add to the weight of what I have to carry out.

Bag filling up.

      This left me with questions. Did a hunter just drop their waders and the tree fell on them? Did the hunter for some reason try climbing a tree in waders, it snapped and fell on him and they somehow got out? I guess we will just never know. 

        These definitely have been there for awhile. They had started to photodegrade, which weakened them enough I was able to rip them at the crotch like Hulk Hogan would rip a shirt. Never saw him rip neoprene in half. That allowed me to pull the other leg through by the boot side.  

This topped off the bag.

       I was glad I wasn't too far from the parking lot. The glass and the waders really added to the weight. 

 

 In total two filled bags removed and the partial bag someone else picked up and left on the road.

The contents of bag #1.

The contents of bag #2.

        The photos below are from May 4th. I am including them because they are from Hickory Top, just not when I was doing a clean-up. I will try to add more wildlife to these clean-up posts, but I can't always do a clean-up and photograph wildlife at the same time. I tried in this post and it was a little too much gear to carry along with the trash. 

       A Mississippi Kite perches on top of a dead tree as it eats an insect it just prior snatched in flight. These long distant migrants spend their winters in the lower central portion of South America, coming back towards the end of spring to nest in our area. They are insectivores that hunt in flight, often eating the insects as they fly. This one could be tired from its recent long distance flight and decided to perch to enjoy its snack. 

       This Northern Waterthrush was just passing through on its migration. Another neotropical migrant, this species winters from Florida through the Caribbean to Central and South America. They nest from Virginia to upper portions of Canada and only make brief refueling stops in Clarendon County. They prefer wetland habitats where they forage for insects, so our swampy areas can be great places to find them during migration. 

       A juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron sits looking for food as a Great Egret passes by in the background.

       A Southern Long-nosed Armadillo crosses the access road. In recent years this species has expanded its range and is a relatively new addition to South Carolina. The exact reasons for the sudden expansion of the Armadillos range isn't really know, but is likely a combination of factors. Warmer climate, man-made bridges and the lack of large predators are all things that can be considered for the Armadillo establishing here and moving on further north. The State considers these an invasive species. Personally I view wildlife that expands its range on its own to be native.