MadisonCoBirdingSites

A Guide to Birding in Georgia

Madison 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.

Madison County

1) Broad River Natural Area
PM, May thru June for breeding birds
GPS via Google Maps
34.18673842436377, -83.14393848180771
[DeLorme pg. 22, D-5]
This 440-acre property is located along the Broad River, and features a mile of river frontage as well as several miles of trails for birding. See an article here and an area map. Travelling north from Danielsville on US Hwy 29, go 2 miles and turn right onto GA Hwy 281. In about 4 miles you will cross over the river, just 0.3 miles past the bridge (where Cliff Swallows breed), you will turn right into the area at a brown sign. It appears on maps that there are actually two entrances, another just up the road on 281, in order to fully explore the area. Birds found in migration include Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Palm Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Ovenbird, American Redstart, Hooded Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. A few local breeders include Summer Tanager, Pine Warbler, Northern Parula, Great Crested Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, and Acadian Flycatcher. The area is very rarely birded, so there are certainly many other migrants and breeding species to be found but data is scarce - please enter your observations in eBird.

2) Watson Mill Bridge State Park
PM, May thru June for breeding birds
GPS via Google Maps
34.03004255953751, -83.07285726070404
[DeLorme pg. 23, F-6]
Photos by Lois Stacey
With a centerpiece 229-foot covered bridge across the South Fork River (the longest in Georgia), this 1,118-acre state park has 7 miles of hiking trails, providing ample opportunity to bird bottomland habitat along the river as well as forested hills nearby. See the area map. Migrants observed here include Veery, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Scarlet Tanager (which may also breed), and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. A nice treat is a healthy population of Louisiana Waterthrushes and Kentucky Warblers which can be heard vigorously singing along the river and Beaver Creek. Other nesting species include Hooded Warbler, Pine Warbler, Summer Tanager, Acadian Flycatcher, and Northern Parula. The area is very rarely birded, so there are certainly many other migrants and breeding species to be found but data is scarce - please enter your observations in eBird.