Madison 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.
Madison County
1) Resident Ross' Goose [Jan 2006] 
YR
[DeLorme pg. 22, D-3]
Apparently this farm pond and pasture is just what a Ross' Goose always wanted. The bird has been living there in the company of a group of domestic Graylag Geese for several years. From I-85 NE of Atlanta, get off at Exit 149 and head south through Commerce, until you see GA Hwy 98 on your left – turn left and head east. Continue 5.7 miles and pass Jot-Em-Down road on your left, and in about 0.25 miles you’ll see a pond on the left side of the road and a prominent house with white columns behind it. You can park in a small pullout on that side of the road (north side) to view the pond and pasture where the bird hangs out with the domestic geese. Be extremely careful with traffic on Hwy 98, which can be fast with large trucks.
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Copyright 2008 Ken Blankenship. All rights reserved.
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