Hart 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.
Hart County
1) Hartwell Lake, Dam & Deep-water areas [N/A]
W for waterfowl, gulls
See Beaton's Birding Georgia.
[Delorme pg. 23, A & B-8]
Some updates and additional driving details since 2005... has hosted rarities like Black-legged Kittiwake (Nov 2006), Pacific Loon (Feb 2005), Long-tailed Jaeger (Sept 2005). Go east out of the town of Hartwell on US 29 and look for the Elrod Ferry Receation Area (US Corps of Engineers). Go to the gate, turn left, find the picnic area, face the dam and begin scanning the water. You can also scan the area from Long Point Recreation Area... First, if you have a GA DeLorme, refer to page 23, grid A & B-8. The tip of LPRA is just above the "2156" in the top center of grid B-8 (the LPRA itself is in grid A-8). From the town of Hartwell, take US 29 north (actually you are heading east) to Old 29 (there is a BP station on the northeast corner of US 29 and Old 29). There is also a light at this intersection. Take a left onto Old 29 and head northeast until you enter the LPRA. The road will then turn south after you enter the park. At this point, you have a couple of options. Good views can be had from the side of road just after the last speed bump before you hit the end of the park (which ends in a loop). Park in the small parking area on the west side of the road, just north of the speed bump, and walked 10 - 20 yards south of the speed bump to an open area on the east side of the road, which allows a pretty good scanning point of the lake, especially towards the dam, easily visible in the distance. You can also drive to the end of the park and scan the lake towards the dam. View a very helpful map (including a graphic showing where the Pacific Loon was seen).
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Copyright 2010 Ken Blankenship. All rights reserved.
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