BakerCoBirdingSites

A Guide to Birding in Georgia

Baker County
Birding Locations

Legend
Su = summer
F = fall
W = winter
Sp = spring
YR = year-round

= Location is within +/- 10 miles of the indicated interstate highway. This is especially helpful for out-of-town birders who may be passing through Georgia while travelling and would like to get out in the field.

  = Location is a "Georgia Birding Hotspot." Though this designation is subjective, it generally means that the area should be given high priority when planning a birding trip to a region. Some Hotspots offer productive birding virtually year-round (Jekyll Island, Phinizy Swamp Nature Park), while the best birding of the year may be seasonal at others (Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park).

= Habitat and/or access at location is subject to change according to mixed land use or changes in ownership, such as cattle operations, agricultural fields, pine plantations (logging), and so on. Always adhere to good birding ethics concerning private property, and if the habitat at a location has experienced major changes or is no longer accessible, please email the webmaster.

SBM = Shorebird Migration; this very generally refers to mid-March thru May in spring and mid-July thru mid-October in fall. Fall is the prime shorebird season. Baird's and Buff-breasted Sandpipers likely only in fall. Peak passage of specific species is quite variable.

PM = Passerine Migration; this very generally refers to April and May in spring and August thru mid-October in fall. This includes all songbirds - wood warblers, vireos, tanagers, thrushes, flycatchers, etc. Peak passage of specific species is quite variable. Spring migration is much more concentrated and birds are often in colorful breeding plumage and singing. Fall migration is more spread out; fall wood warblers can be notoriously difficult to identify (or impossible to determine sex), with numerous juveniles which do not exhibit the same obvious field marks as adults.

IBA = Important Bird Area; the aim of the IBA Program is to identify and conserve key breeding and feeding sites for birds. An Important Bird Area is a place that provides essential habitat for one or more species of bird, whether in breeding season, winter, or during migration. These sites are considered to be exceptionally important for bird conservation; see Georgia's IBA Webpage.

Baker County
1) Elmodel WMA
PM, W for sparrows
GPS via Google Maps
31.3539602901, -84.4899092783
[DeLorme: p. 57, grid C-7]
This extreme SW Georgia site is a great spot for tromping around for sparrows in winter. You will find plenty of Savannah, Song, White-crowned, Field, and Chipping Sparrows, usually a few Vesper and Song Sparrows, and rare Clay-colored and LeConte's Sparrows have been found as well. You should also find House and Sedge Wrens and Palm Warblers in colder months (the "yellow" form of Palm Warbler generally outnumbers duller "western" birds). Plenty of raptors patrol the skies, including many Black and Turkey Vultures, Red-tailed Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, and American Kestrels; Northern Harriers often course low over the fields, and in late fall or winter Short-eared Owl is possible at dusk. Northern Bobwhite are sometimes heard as well. From the town of Camilla, take Hwy 37 NW to the town of Elmodel, the WMA is on the left side (south) of the road. NOTE: As of 2009, rows of what appear to be young long-leaf pines are slowly but surely maturing in many of the weedy fields, and it can be expected that these areas will change in habitat composition accordingly. Also, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has done some native grass plantings on the property; do not tread in these areas.

2) Open Field
PM, W for sparrows, late Sp-Su for breeding birds
GPS via Google Maps
31.204926242, -84.5174661504
[DeLorme pg. 57, E-6]
The edges of this field are often productive for winter sparrows, including White-crowned and Vesper, Clay-colored possible but rare; also a winter Dickcissel record. The field is located about a quarter of a mile north of where GA 253 dead ends into GA Hwy 91. From this intersection go north on an unnamed paved road to the first field on the right.

3) Fish Ponds

SBM
GPS via Google Maps
31.3351412453, -84.3198331265
[DeLorme pg. 57, C-8, 9]
This sprawling fish farm is located directly on the west side of GA Hwy 91, approximately 2.7 miles north of the hamlet of Newton. This location has produced some impressive numbers and a good variety of shorebirds and waders; its close proximity to the Gulf Coast may be one reason why many rare inland species have shown up, particularly in late summer and fall, and following inclement weather. Notable observations since 2008 include Wood Stork, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Least Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Black-necked Stilt, Dunlin, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Wilson's Phalarope, Stilt Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, and Black Tern. Interestingly, Bachman's Sparrows nest in the pinewoods across the highway from the ponds and may be heard singing, particularly in early spring. NOTE: This site can be difficult to bird because you must do all birding from your car on the shoulder of the road (be careful!). It may be possible to ask permission at the office to bird from the dikes that divide up the many, many ponds... but in fall when the shorebirding is best, the vegetation can block your view. Some birders have resorted to using their vehicles on the shoulder of GA Hwy 91 as "observation towers" via a sunroof or other creative means.

4) Clear Lake Rd
SBM, late Su for waders
GPS via Google Maps
31.3539510129, -84.3625727021
[DeLorme pg. 57, C-8]
Along this road, for approximately the first 4 miles heading west from its intersection with GA Hwy 91 just north of the hamlet of Newton, are open agricultural fields and pastures, and several cattle watering ponds. Passerine birding may be interesting during migration (and two very rare Vermilion Flycatchers were found in winter 2004), but the main attractions here are shorebirds during migration, waders during post-breeding dispersal, and Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks were documented nesting on one of the ponds in 2009. Other recent observations of note include Tricolored Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Black Tern, Wood Stork, White Ibis, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Pied-billed Grebe, Solitary Sandpiper, Common Moorhen, and Blue-winged Teal.