Brooks County
Birding Locations |
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Legend
Su = summer
F = fall
W = winter
Sp = spring
YR = year-round
[July 2005] = Most recently checked by KB
[N/A] = Not yet checked by KB
 = 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 a quick birding fix. This is also helpful for birders planning a "Big Day," where staying close to a major interstate corridor is essential for covering the greatest diversity of habitats in 24 hours.
 = 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 incredible, productive birding virtually year-round (Jekyll Island), while the best birding of the year may be more seasonal at others (Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park).
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. Fall migration is more spread out; fall wood warblers can be notoriously difficult to identify (or even 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.
Brooks County
1) Lakes SW of Quitman [N/A]
W for waterfowl, late Sp-Su for breeding birds[DeLorme pg. 66, D-5]
There are a few ponds within 2-3 miles of the Florida state line, all located on Hwy 221/76. Though the area makes a nice route for birding, in fall 2007 just about all the ponds had dried up and/or were full of lily pads due to drought. In August 2006 photos were taken of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks with ducklings in tow. This constitutes the first breeding record of this species in Georgia; a resident population is also established at Altamaha WMA in McIntosh County. All the ponds are good for waders and winter waterfowl; Wood Stork, Purple Gallinule, Least Bittern are possible in summer. Traveling south on Hwy 221 from Quitman, turn right onto Ramsey Road (about 1 mi. north of the Florida state line). Travel about 1/4 mile down Ramsey and look for views of the pond on your right through a canopy of live oaks. A scope is recommended. The birds/pond may also be viewable from Hwy 221. Along this same stretch of of Hwy 221, there may be other ponds to scope as well. Be very careful pulling onto the shoulder to scope; be wary of fast-moving traffic.
2) Clyattville / Nankin Rd [N/A]
PM, May-June for breeding birds
[DeLorme pg. 67, D-7, D-8] Text by Dot Freeman
Good birding can be had along Clyattville/Nankin Rd, and also ajoining public dirt roads, Rocky Ford Rd and Garret Rd. An immense private plantation, River Bend, straddles these roads. River Bend Plantation is clearly posted, but the roads mentioned in this description are public. River Bend Platation appears to be managed for hunting, most probably for Northern Bobwhite quail. The entire area is a mature long-leaf pine forest. It is beautiful. Birds seen in late September 2007 included Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Yellow-throated and Pine Warblers, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Northern Flicker, Pileated, Red-headed and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Summer Tanager, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren,Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Blue Jays, Red-shouldered Hawk, Gray Catbird, Eastern Towhee, Eastern Phoebe, and Northern Mockingbird. This type of habitat, which has been in decline for many years, is the preferred habitat of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and Bachman's Sparrows; though they have not yet been detected they may be present as well. This site is less than 20 minutes from Exit 5 of I-75 in Lowndes Co. Drive west on Clyattville Rd (County Rd 376) to its intersection with County Rd 31 in Clyattville. Turn left here to head south, then turn right on Main St, which becomes Clyattville/Nankin Rd. Continue on Clyattville/Nankin Rd to the Withlacoochee River which is the Brooks Co line. A brief stake-out at the bridge may produce fly-overs of Mississippi or (more rarely) Swallow-tailed Kites. Rocky Ford Rd is 0.1 mile past the bridge on the left. It runs about a mile within the forest before it reaches a group of private residences. Garret Rd is off Clyattville/Nankin Road and on the right, 1.7 miles west of Rocky Ford Rd. Both Rocky Ford and Garret are well-graded dirt roads. Birds can be easily observed from the roadways. The forest is private property so remain on the road or the shoulder. River Bend Plantation extends to Nankin at the GA Hwy 333 intersection. |
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Copyright 2008 Ken Blankenship. All rights reserved.
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