In New England, the males leave just around Labor Day, with the females and juveniles maybe trailing a couple of weeks after that. My males have been gone for almost two weeks now, but I had one female check me out on Friday. I wouldn’t be surprised if South Carolina is on a slightly later schedule, given the climate and the (relative) proximity to the Gulf.
Sounds about right. Latitude should have a lot to do with it as day length is the primary trigger. From what I read yesterday at least. Apparently it’s programmed into the birds and they should use approximately the same arrival and departure dates every year. I’m going to mark a calendar next year when I first start hearing males, and then when I see a bird at the feeder. Supposedly, this year’s birds will remember where the feeder is next year. We’ll see.