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.

Gilmer County

1) Harold Hefner River Park                       [May 2008]
PM, May-June for breeding birds
[DeLorme pg. 14, E-2; lower left corner]
This is a multi-use public park that sprawls along a full mile of the Coosawattee River just south of Ellijay, Georgia. Along with some interesting breeding birds, the corridor of huge tulip poplars and other trees along the riverbank may host an array of migrants in spring and fall. Granted, because there are baseball, soccer, and football fields along with tennis courts and children's play areas, there can be lots of people here depending on the time of day you go. However, since the most productive birding is to be had in the earliest hours of the day anyway, you may avoid most of the commotion by planning your visit at that time. Head north on Hwy 515 / 5 into the town of East Ellijay, where you'll pass through a light with a Burger King on your right and a BP and McDonald's uphill to your left. (I-575 coming north from the suburbs of Atlanta will change names to become this highway when it is no longer access controlled) At the next light, turn left and then take another immediate left to follow US Hwy 76 West. At 1.1 miles from this turn, you will cross the bridge over the Coosawattee River. Immediately after the bridge you need to be in the left of two left-hand turn lanes to turn left to head south on Old Hwy 5. Then, take an immediate (0.1 mile) left into the first entrance to the park on your left and park near the tennis courts; this is the north end of the park - if you miss the turn, don't worry because there are several entrances to the park on your left. You can bird as much or as little as you like along the river, a round-trip walk all the way down to the Old Hwy 5 bridge and back is about two miles. If you have limited time, it may be better to drive all the way down to the southern-most entrance and start your birding there as this area is often the most productive. During migration, listen for foraging flocks in the large deciduous trees along the river, which may contain Yellow-rumped Warbler, American Redstart, Magnolia Warbler, Palm Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Canada Warbler, Red-eyed or Blue-headed Vireos, Scarlet Tanagers, Cedar Waxwing (also seen occasionally in summer), various thrushes, and (rarely) Wilson's Warbler. Check the river for Canada Goose or Wood Duck, and in migration you may even find the odd shorebird along flat muddy areas such as Spotted or Solitary Sandpiper. On the other side of the river the vegetation is much thicker since it is not landscaped like the park. Where you can get an open view across the river, be sure to scan the brush and trees for migrants along with interesting breeding birds including Yellow Warbler (nesting not confirmed), Gray Catbird, Eastern Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Orchard Oriole, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, and others. Three swallow species nest and forage along the river in the area, including Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, and Cliff Swallow (latter species uncommon; nests alongside Barn Swallows under the Old Hwy 5 bridge at the southern end of the park). European Starling and Eurasian Collared Dove are two imported species present year-round in the park, while native breeding birds include Eastern Bluebird, American Goldfinch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Chipping Sparrow, House Wren, American Robin, and Blue Jay. Gilmer County Parks and Recreation owns another large piece of property on the other (east) side of the river near the southern end of the park, and it will soon be joined by a footbridge. In the meantime, as of May 2008 the former soccer fields on the other side are closed to the public and have been allowed to grow wild, including thick weedy edges along the river and along the fences at the vehicle entrance which is on the east side of the river. On 5/18/08, two Willow Flycatchers were found relating to this large area - one was seen across the river from the park, while the other was found at the vehicle entrance on the east side in the tangled hedges on the fences. Be aware that a) you cannot go into this area, as indicated by a sign and a gate, and b) once they complete the bridge it is very likely that they will do some major "renovations" which unfortunately will probably include clearing out the brushy areas and will certainly include mowing down the fields. Until this time, you can access the gate to view this area (which the swallows also use for foraging) by returning to US Hwy 76 and turning right (east), cross over the river, and take an immediate right at the next light onto Maddox Rd. In only 0.3 miles, turn right at a stop sign onto Progress Rd and travel 0.8 miles, and finally turn right onto Soccerfield Rd. In less than a quarter mile, just after a RR crossing, you'll reach the gate where you can park and hope to find a Willow Flycatcher or other birds mentioned earlier, but you cannot go in no matter what birds you see. Do NOT play any audio in this area; if you find an Empidonax flycatcher here, be patient and hope that it vocalizes as they have in the past. If Willow Flycatchers actually attempt to nest in the area it would cause them great agitation if they hear another "bird" on their territory.
Text by KB; Max Medley contributed to this report

2) Carter's Lake and Re-regulation Lake (also Murray County)            [Nov 2007]               
IBA, late Sp-late F, W for waterfowl
See Murray County