A Guide to Birding in Georgia

Bartow 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.


Bartow County
1) The Bartow County Loop                  
YR
GPS via Google Maps (Douthit Ferry Rd at Indian Mounds sod farm)
34.121232513, -84.8205509722
[DeLorme pg. 19, E-7,8]
Bar Chart powered by eBird
Please read about Birding Georgia's Sod Farms

      This itinerary can take as little as 1-2 hours or as long as four, depending on your schedule and the birds that are present - obviously you can customize it by cutting out certain sections or spending more time at others. A spotting scope is a must on this birding route; proceeding with only binoculars may result in frustration! It is infamous for migrating shorebirds, grassland migrants and breeding birds, and wintering waterfowl. Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper, Upland Sandpiper, American Golden-Plover, Stilt Sandpiper, Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, Bank Swallow, White-rumped Sandpiper, Short- and Long-billed Dowitcher, Dickcissel, Bobolink, Grasshopper Sparrow, Brewer's Blackbird, Black-necked Stilt, Wilson's and Red-necked Phalarope, Merlin, Bald Eagle, Horned Lark, Lapland Longspur, and Black Tern are all interesting species seen along the route in recent years. Most birding is done from roadsides; but even so, if you are cautious, polite, and wary of local traffic this rural route offers some of the state's best opportunities to study migrating shorebirds of various ages in various plumages: along with the possible aforementioned rarities, you may find numbers of Pectoral Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, plenty of "peeps" (Least, Semipalmated, and Western Sandpiper), and Semipalmated Plover.
        
      Begin at Exit 283 on I-75. Go west for 0.9 miles coming from points south, 0.7 miles from points north and turn left onto Old Alabama Rd (you'll first pass under the overpass of Hwy 41, and the first left after going under the overpass is Old Alabama Rd; a large brown sign for the Etowah Indian Mounds points to this road, and there is usually a "No Thru Trucks" sign on the street sign). In 1.0 miles, turn left at a light at a "T" intersection to continue west on Old Alabama Rd. After 3.1 miles, turn right at a light onto Douthit Ferry Rd. [DeLorme: p. 19, grid E-8,9] In 0.3 miles, just after crossing over a concrete bridge over the Etowah River, carefully park on the right in a gravel area (see GPS point above); keep back from the gate onto the sod area and do not block access to it, either. From just behind the gate, you can set up your scope and check the largest part of what is called the Legacy Sod Farm; this farm has not been as productive in recent years but should always be briefly checked, particularly after heavy rain when large pools of water form on the sod. You may encounter passerine migrants in the wooded edge on the Etowah River here - in spring and summer it is worth picking your way down to a view of the side of the bridge, where a colony of Cliff Swallows has built their "clay pot" nests for many years.
        
      Turn right out of the gravel area, and just 0.2 miles down the road, turn left and park in a large gravel parking area for a soccer park and walking trail. Horned Lark, Eastern Meadowlark, and American Pipit are often found in the surrounding cotton stubble or even out on the fields in colder months. You can walk the trail to the river to cover more scrubby riparian woods for passerines during migration if you like. During shorebird migration, you can get another angle on the sod farm from the paved trail, but don't go near the sod and it may be best not to cross this fast-moving road to try to scope from the opposite shoulder! Turn left out of the soccer fields, and in just 0.1 miles turn right onto Indian Mounds Rd. Scan the sod to your right out your window as you drive slowly, then on your left after you pass the maintenance buildings. You may stop very briefly on the shoulder in a gravel area on the right across from the maintenance building to scan the sod and a sometimes muddy, marshy area near the pivot of a watering boom if you notice that birds are present while cruising through.
        
      Do ALL birding along this road from inside or next to your car unless you decide to walk over there from the soccer fields – look for shorebirds like Pectoral Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, American Golden Plover, Pectoral Sandpiper, Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper, etc... but most will usually be Killdeer. Do not block traffic, slam on brakes, pull off on a blind curve or otherwise be a nuisance or danger to locals and yourself, no matter what bird you thought you caught a glimpse of! Be aware that the farm owners here have not been birder-friendly in the past, so be ready to leave if any farm vehicle approaches you. Do not even try to discuss the matter with farm employees, be polite if they engage you, even if rudely. At 0.8 miles from Douthit Ferry Rd, you'll arrive at the gate to the visitor's center of the Etowah Indian Mounds. Directly across from this interesting historic site is a low, marshy area which - if mowed and/or flooded by recent rains - can hold shorebirds, waterfowl, or even the odd wader; but again, it's kind of hard to safely scan the area unless the visitor's center parking lot is open and you can walk over for a quick scan from there.
        
      When done, return to Douthit Ferry Rd; you'll notice that it is from this point forward that the "loop" begins, as you will end here later. In late fall and winter, turn right onto Douthit Ferry Rd and just 0.2 miles turn left and park at Sam Smith Park and Senior Aquatic Center. In the surrounding fields, which are rutted and planted with winter wheat in early winter, you should find more Horned Larks and American Pipits; however, a large flock of Lapland Longspurs showed up in December 2009 so be vigilant! Park on the gravel road beyond the aquatic center, and bird the weedy hedgerows for sparrows as well - most will be Savannah and Song, but you never know what may pop up (like a Nelson's Sparrow in winter 2011!). Now head back west to Old Alabama Rd the way you came (using Douthit Ferry Rd) and turn right to continue west for 1.8 miles, where it dead-ends into GA Hwy 61 just after you pass the end of a local airport's runway on your right. Turn right onto Hwy 61, continue 1.1 miles, and turn left at a light onto GA Hwy 113.
        
      In 1.6 miles, make a note of Lucas Rd on your left in an area of open fields; if you want to do an "extended version" of this itinerary you may wish to slowly tour a loop through open habitat by using this road, and turning right when it hits Kincannon Rd, which will eventually bring you back to GA Hwy 113 - this tends to be more interesting in winter when you may come across American Kestrel and various flocks of sparrows including Chipping, Savannah, Field, Song, and Vesper.
        
      Back on Hwy 113, at 3.2 miles from your turn off Hwy 61, turn left onto Brandon Farm Rd [DeLorme: p. 19, grid E-8]. Drive slowly (but politely, don't get in the way) with windows down, listening and looking on wires and hedgerows for Eastern Kingbird, Blue Grosbeak, Field Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark, etc. At 0.5 miles from Hwy 113, carefully pull off and park near the base of a huge set of powerline towers on the right. In this area in migration, nice flocks of Bobolinks can be found out in the fields behind the fence, Orchard Orioles may be heard or spotted, and special breeding birds best found in May and June include Blue Grosbeak, Red-winged Blackbird, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Dickcissel. Just down the road, you will come to a cattle watering hole on the left and a sometimes wet (sometimes just muddy) area on the right. Park very carefully and safely on the shoulder here, and scan the muddy edges of the mud hole on your left for shorebirds - do this from your car using binoculars at first in case they are close to the road and/or spooky. Then, get out and walk around a little, scoping any shorebirds carefully while also listening and looking for Dickcissel, Blue Grosbeak, Eastern Meadowlark, Grasshopper Sparrow, Eastern Kingbird, American Kestrel, swallows, and other open habitat birds. In all seasons you will likely encounter large flocks of Rock Pigeon, European Starling, Brown-headed Cowbird, and a few Eurasian Collared-Doves.
        
      After sorting through the shorebirds here, continue up the hill until the road dead-ends into Taff Rd (1.1 miles from Hwy 113) and turn right, pass the Gaines Cattle buildings on your left, and soon you'll park on the right shoulder when you see a small cattle watering pond on that side of the road. The cattle owners have been very birder friendly, and I always wave and smile and they seem fine with birders being present. Scope the edges of this muddy pond thoroughly for shorebirds like Pectoral Sandpiper, "peeps," Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Yellowlegs, etc. in spring and especially in fall; waterfowl may be present in colder months. Rarities encountered here and on Brandon Farm Rd in recent years include American Golden Plover, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, both Red-necked Phalarope (accidental) and Wilson's Phalarope (mid-late April is best), inland Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, American Avocet, and Sanderling, and even a Black-necked Stilt made an appearance - so these two cattle watering holes are always worth checking in just about any season! In winter, take your time to scan the stubbly ground directly across Taff Rd from the pond and in the pastures around the smaller pond on Brandon Farm Rd; flocks of Horned Larks and American Pipits congregate here, and (rarely) Lapland Longspurs may mix in. Loggerhead Shrikes have been seen in this area in the past, but the species is no longer reliable and should be reported if found.

         Continue down Taff Rd, and carefully stop again well off the shoulder next to a large pond. In cold months this pond often hosts a variety of waterfowl like Gadwall, Green or Blue-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy Duck, and both Snow Geese and Greater White-fronted Geese have been found here as well. Waders should be present as well, and if the water is down you may find a more shorebirds on the edges. Various swallows congregate all along Taff Rd during migration: most will be Cliff Swallows, Barn Swallows, or Northern Rough-winged Swallows, Purple Martins and Tree Swallows may join in, and Bank Swallow is somewhat reliable in early fall (late July-early Sept) so sift through them carefully. In winter, along with waterfowl the whole area can be good for Brewer's Blackbirds, mixed in with massive flocks of cowbirds, starlings, Common Grackles, and Red-winged Blackbirds; there are plenty of Savannah Sparrows as well.

         Continue down Taff Rd, and at approximately 0.9 miles from your turn off Brandon Farm Rd (before you reach Hwy 113), turn left at an unmarked black asphalt drive up a slope, and you'll find yourself at a historic marker and a preserved old white schoolhouse. Park around back under a large oak, and you'll notice an outbuilding with a tiny pond behind it. The owner is friendly and may come out to greet you - a large flock of Eurasian Collared-Doves and House Sparrows is resident, and are joined in winter by White-crowned Sparrows in the brush along the turn-off and behind the first homes you passed on your left. But the real attraction to making this quick stop is beyond the close pond in the distance - far down in the fields you can scope another cattle watering hole which has hosted lots of interesting waterfowl in winter over the years (though quite far away!)... the list includes Northern Pintail, Greater White-fronted Goose, Ross's Goose, Snow Goose, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, American Wigeon, and sometimes Sandhill Cranes congregate here in numbers as they are moving through or perhaps decide to spend the winter.

         Turn left back onto Taff Rd and almost immediately you'll reach Hwy 113 and take a left to continue west. At 0.6 miles down the road you'll reach a traffic light with a BP gas station with a convenience store (and sporadically-open deli) that makes a nice mid-way stop for restrooms and snacks. From this intersection, you may wish to visit a nice wetlands and open fields outside the town of Euharlee, but you may skip this if you are just in "shorebird mode." To reach it, head north from the light on Covered Bridge Rd, which will take a sharp left curve as Plant Bowen comes into view, you will follow this loop around around the power plant property and end up in the hamlet of Euharlee. At the one stop sign in the town, take a left onto Euharlee-Five Forks Rd (just past the small Euharlee General Store). Go through one stop sign, and in 1.0 mile at a second stop sign, turn left onto Hardin Bridge Rd. In 1.0 mile from this turn you will see a pretty wetlands open up on the right. You can park here carefully on the shoulder and look for waders and waterfowl (Wood Duck and Least Bittern breed here), and the surrounding riparian scrub and woods may hold good passerines in migration. Continue past the wetlands when you are done, until you come into extensive weedy fields on the left side of the road with a view of the power plant beyond. Here Eastern Kingbirds, Grasshopper Sparrows, and Orchard Orioles nest; Northern Bobwhites call fairly reliably in spring and summer; and groups of migrant swallows should always be checked carefully for something interesting.

      When done, retrace your route all the way back to the BP, turn right to go west on Hwy 113 and go 2.1 miles to a sign reading "S.R. 113 Conn North" and turn right onto this road, which is actually the Old Hwy 113 roadbed. At 1.2 miles from this turn, turn right onto Main St at a small Pure gas station. Go around a sharp left curve, and at the next stop sign (0.6 miles from your last turn) in the center of the small town of Taylorsville, turn right, and you'll cross over RR tracks. You will then go through another stop sign after only 0.2 miles, taking a slight right and putting you onto Euharlee St. You will see a sod farm open up on the right at 0.2 miles. Turn right at a small circular sign reading "Sod Atlanta" onto a gravel sod farm access road. Park off on the left side of the gravel road only about 20 yards farther, and you will scope the farm from here, which is conveniently the highest vantage point in the area. This is private property, and the farm owners have not approached birders as long as they stay up on this knoll just inside the farm; do not walk down the hill towards (or past!) an obvious stop sign and a gate. This farm has been good for "grass-pipers" in recent years including Buff-breasted Sandpiper, American Golden-Plover, Upland Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, even more diversity when there is standing water, and lots of swallows are known to frequent this spot as well from spring through fall.

         As you return to Old Hwy 113 the way you came, continue straight at the sharp curve instead of following it to the Pure gas station, which is Bartow St and will take you 0.8 miles through some open cattle grazing fields which may have Blue Grosbeak, Grasshopper Sparrow, or other open habitat birds in spring and summer. When you deadend into Old Hwy 113, turn left. When you hit the new Hwy 113, turn left to head back east and backtrack all the way back, passing the BP light at Covered Bridge Rd, passing Brandon Farm Rd, and coming to the light were you first turned from Hwy 61; reset your odometer at the light (past the light you'll be on Hwy 113/61 (combined). At 0.7 miles past the light, turn left onto Riverside Dr; you will no doubt have noticed that you passed a sod farm just off the highway on the left before this turn [DeLorme: p. 19, grid E-8]. Carefully pull off on the left shoulder on Riverside Dr in a dirt area, and you can scope a lot of sod from the shoulder of this industrial area road; do not walk past a line of landscaping trees along the perimeter of the farm. This farm has hosted numbers of Buff-breasted Sandpipers and other good stuff like American Golden-Plover, Baird's Sandpiper, and Upland Sandpiper along with common birds already mentioned including Horned Lark and other shorebirds. It may be possible to get better views by birding from the actual shoulder of GA Hwy 113/61, but this is not advised as it is a very busy, fast-moving road with large trucks. When finished, turn left back onto Hwy113/61, and in 1.5 miles you will turn right at a McDonald's onto Douthit Ferry Rd. This is the same Douthit Ferry Rd mentioned earlier, and in 2.4 miles you'll rejoin Old Alabama Rd, completing your tour of the Bartow County Loop; turning left will retrace your way back to I-75.


2) Pine Log WMA                          
PM, late Sp-Su for breeding birds
GPS via Google Maps (Stamp Creek Rd main entrance)
34.2538345439, -84.6886918402
[DeLorme: p. 19, grid C-10; Birding Georgia: p. 38]

      This is one of my personal favorites in early spring to early summer, for neotropical migrants, breeding birds, and nocturnal species like Whip-poor-will, Chuck-will's-widow, and owls. April and May are also awesome because it is the only time the access road gates are open to vehicles because of turkey hunts. Stamp Creek hosts breeding pairs of Louisiana Waterthrush, though they can be tricky to hear or see on every visit and should not be expected. In recent years a resident population of Red Crossbills was observed on a few occasions; despite many searches in various seasons they have not been seen since February 2004. They were seen off-and-on that year, and if you come here for a winter walk to check for them, you may also enjoy the treat of a large number of Fox Sparrows. In winter 2006-07 a group of up to 20 birds was reliably seen along the road within the first 200 yards of the gate at the parking lot near the bridge over Stamp Creek. Just east of this access point is another road into the property, near Stamp Creek Church; however, there is not as much room to park - only 2-3 vehicles, and make sure not to block the gate. A personal favorite spot both for birding and just beauty is a wildlife plot that is a couple miles down the road from the main parking lot. After passing a large planted wildlife field on the left that is immediately adjacent to the road, continue down over a creek (listen for Kentucky Warblers in this area) and head up the next hill until you see another large clearing on your left with a few large trees in it. Park here and bird the field thoroughly - Indigo Buntings, White-eyed Vireos, Prairie Warblers, and Yellow-breasted Chats are likely in spring-summer. Bluebirds often nest in a cavity in one of the trees in the middle of the field so keep your distance and look out for them. Directly across the field from the turn-in, there is a very rough but walkable "road" for tractors to access and mow a separate wildlife plot way up on the hill. As you walk up this road, you should hear Black-and-white Warblers, Prairie Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Field Sparrows singing. In areas of pine (there are plenty in here), you may also spot uncommon Pine Elfin butterflies along with good numbers of Sleepy Oranges, Red-banded Hairstreaks, and other butterflies. Finally, you will come into a gorgeous mountain-top wildlife clearing, with 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside (PHOTO 1). If you don't mind the hike in (gate closed), this also makes an awesome "hawk watch" vantage point in fall. Note that PHOTOS 2-5 were taken in winter so the views will be quite different in the prime spring season at this location.
       
   PHOTO 1        PHOTO 2       PHOTO 3      PHOTO 4         PHOTO 5


3) Stamp Creek & Lake Allatoona at GA Hwy 20           
PM
GPS via Google Maps
34.2160832099, -84.6837007414
[DeLorme pg. 19, grid D-10]
This is a small area that was once a boat launch on the Stamp Creek arm of Lake Allatoona. It is worth a stop during migration if you are passing through or birding other sites in the area such as Pine Log WMA. There is a large paved and gravel parking area on the south shoulder of GA Hwy 20; do not block the gate. Bird your way down the gated road, and turn left when you reach the bottom (more of a trail than a road, now that years of forest growth have filled in around it). Investigate flocks for interesting migrants, and also note that this trail is one of very few somewhat reliable spots where rare Golden-banded Skippers may be found in Georgia (July and August are best). Eventually you will come into a nice weedy open area on the creek channel where it meets the lake (PHOTO). There are alders and willows in this area, maybe a good place to try for Philadelphia Vireo in Bartow County on public land in fall (this land is part of the Allatoona WMA). You can bird around this upper end of the lake as long as you like and then return to your vehicle. Waterfowl and raptors are possible out on the lake and in the skies overhead.
Copyright 2012 Ken Blankenship. All rights reserved.