Walker 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.
Walker County
1) Chickamauga National Battlefield Park (Walker and Catoosa Counties) [Dec 2008]
PM, Su for breeding birds
[DeLorme: p. 12, grid B-4]
Chickamauga National Battlefield Park can be very good for woodland migrants including warblers, vireos, tanagers, thrushes, and orioles. It is a massive property, but see tips below for focusing your birding efforts. In July-August 2004 a rare Bewick's Wren was reported, but was not seen by all searchers. The Snodgrass Hill area of the park has been particularly productive. From I-75 (north of Atlanta) get off at Exit 350 (Hwy 2) and head west; there is signage on the interstate for the park. When you come into the town of Fort Oglethorpe, you will come to a major intersection with US Hwy 27, turn left to head south. This will go straight into the park, and the Visitor's Center will be on the right soon after you enter. See exhibits on this bloody Civil War battle and get maps here. A historic tour is available. Snodgrass Hill is in the NW part of the park. There are miles of driving and hiking trails throughout the park to choose from, most of which are paved and some of which allow biking as well. One strategy for birding the park is to focus on creek crossing and/or trails that follow creeks (there is a nice meadow behind the visitor's center with a creek running through it with some remnant riparian habitat, which enters a woods with a nice scrubby understory where a casual walk all along the edge may produce good migrants and/or breeding birds. You may also find success and more birds by working similar wooded edges of the large open battlefield areas, again focusing on those with a nearby water source and thick understory. Birding deep in the woods may not be as productive, and views of birds are much more difficult than working the edges. View a PARK MAP.
2) Queen City Lake (a.k.a. Lake Howard) [N/A]
W for waterfowl
[DeLorme: p. 12, grid E-4]
Located north of the town of Fayetteville on US 27. Use your DeLorme to help guide you to the lake, and once in the area you will want to explore smaller roads to gain views of the lake and bird the immediate area for non-waterfowl species like sparrows or blackbirds. Be respectful of any private property in the area, and be careful on road shoulders while scoping the lake. Species seen since 2001 include Snow Goose, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, Gadwall, Fox Sparrow, Brewer's Blackbird, Osprey, Bonaparte's Gull, Ring-billed Gull.
3) Edwards Sod Farm [Dec 2006]
SBM
[DeLorme pg. 12, grid E-5 and pg. 13, grid E-6 (On the seam of the atlas, at a community labeled "Villanow")]
Read about Birding Georgia's Sod Farms
Located at 11825 hwy 136 Lafayette, Georgia 30728. From the town of LaFayette, head east on GA Hwy 136 until you reach a T-intersection with Hwy 151; turn left to continue following Hwy 136. In 1-2 miles, watch carefully for Hwy 136 signs, and turn right to stay on it. In 4-5 miles, you'll see the sod farm open up on the left (north) side of the road. This is in the vicinity of mile marker 29. Just after crossing over a small creek, look on the left (north) side of the road for a dirt road/pull-out accessing part of the farm. You can park here, but make sure you are not blocking the farm access road. Scope the east sod field from this vantage point. You can then walk the shoulder of the road (be very careful here!) to get another vantage point on the west fields. The creek crossing has lots of cover and trees, so listen and look for passerines here as well while you walk over the bridge to scope the farm. The only good observation points for this sod farm are from the shoulder of Hwy 136, which has fast-moving traffic, so be alert, stay well off the road and use good judgement.
Aerial photo from an online advertisement (property was apparently for sale on 12/15/06)
4) Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA Area [Dec 2008] 
IBA, PM, W for raptors
[DeLorme pg. 12, E 2-3, F 2-3]
DNR Line Map
DNR Topo Map
DNR Infrared Map
This is a very interesting area in the extreme NW corner of Georgia, where the Cumberland Plateau just enters the state. It features long, elevated parallel ridges divided by flat, open valleys. The geology is also very unique, with sandstone and limestone sculpted by erosion over the eons to produce interesting features such as dramatic cliffs or "brows," rock towers, monoliths, and caves. The area is great for birding and for butterfly and dragonfly enthusiasts as well. Wide open valley ranches provide extensive pastures and grasslands for open habitat birds, while scrubby meadows, several ponds, and upland woods round out a very diverse area of habitat in a unique area of the state. A good point of reference is the small town of LaFayette, with gas stations, fast food, and other provisions. From the town, find W Main St / GA Hwy 193 and head west approx. 2.8 miles and look closely for Chamberlain Rd on your left (a small gas station is on the right here). Before heading up onto the mountain, a very nice area for passerine birding during migration is Blue Hole, which is further west on Hwy 193. Exactly 0.8 miles past Chamberlain Rd, turn left at a sign onto Blue Hole Rd (gravel). Make an immediate left to follow the road onto public property, where you will find some maintenance buildings in a nice mixture of open grasslands, large mature trees, and scrubby thickets along the road. This area may produce Prairie Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Parula, White-eyed Vireo, Magnolia Warbler, American Redstart, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Yellow-breasted Chat, and much more, along with scads of butterflies in spring and summer. Bird your way through this area, stopping to walk the road wherever you find flocks and at a productive creek crossing a little less than a mile down the road. The road will eventually enter the woods at the eastern edge of Pigeon Mountain and dead-end at Blue Hole Spring, a very pretty area with a unique spring that lives up to its name and some unique plant communities as well. After enjoying the spring and any woodland birds in the area (such as thrushes, vireos, and tanagers), return to Hwy 193, head back to Chamberlain Rd and turn right. In exactly 3.4 miles, turn right at a small brown WMA sign onto Rocky Lane. In just 0.3 miles you will find a game check station, where you may be able to pick up maps if they are available. You'll pass through a public campground, and then you'll begin making your way up the steep side of the plateau via a series of tight, steep switch-backs. This road was once inaccessible to passenger vehicles but in fairly recent years they have paved it which is a huge advantage and provides access to the top for everyone. You cannot stop along the switchbacks for any reason, as visibility is low; proceed with caution and you'll be fine. At the very top (3.5 miles from Chamberlain Rd), the road will revert to gravel and you'll notice a road fork off the left; you can head over here for an amazing view over a dramatic cliff and/or to work the edges of a meadow for migrants. Back at the fork, continue to follow the main road and notice at 1.2 miles from the fork you'll see a road on your left which should be signed as Rocktown Rd. At the end is a parking area and a 2 mile round-trip trail to an amazing area of rock formations known as "Rocktown" which is very popular with climbers and cavers; it is not to be missed and you may find some good birds along the way. Back at the main road, turn left and in about a quarter mile you'll see McCutchens Spring Rd on your right, turn here. You will want to park about 0.25 miles down this road when you see a small pond on your right. Working the scrubby habitat around the edges of this pond (where there is also an open meadow and another camping area) can be productive. Turn around and head back to the main road and turn right to continue transecting the property; you are now heading SW. The birding will be pretty much the same through this area, so there is no need to stop at any particular spots - just listen for flocks or just pass on through. The road is rough in places so be careful. There is one unique area at exactly 2.9 miles from McCutchens Spring Rd, where the road jogs to the right and you can park on the left in front of a gate that enters private property (do not go in!). However, directly across the street is a high berm and if you climb up the side, you'll see that there is a small lilly-pad choked pond with some snags and scrubby habitat. Look and listen for Eastern Wood-Pewee, Red-headed Woodpecker, Common Yellowthroat, Indigo Bunting, Yellow-breasted Chat, Scarlet Tanager, Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireos, and lots of other species during migration. The pond itself is great for dragonflies. Continuing on Rocky Lane, you will eventually leave the WMA and enter private property and a huge cattle grazing pasture will open up on your left. Keep your windows down and eyes open in this area for grassland species such as Eastern Meadowlark, Eastern Kingbird, along with sparrows including Grasshopper Sparrow in spring and summer and in winter Savannah Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, and more. In colder months you may also find waterfowl on several cattle watering ponds in the area. Also in winter, be vigilant in this area as you may spot a very rare raptor such as Rough-legged Hawk or Golden Eagle out in the pastures or soaring overhead. More common raptor species found in winter may include American Kestrel, Northern Harrier, Turkey and Black Vultures, or Red-tailed Hawk. Merlin is rare but possible. A program to re-introduce Golden Eagles in a nearby area in Tennessee 10-20 years ago led to some breeding success and birds are found here from time to time. You will finally deadend into Dougherty Gap Rd. During migration, turn left and carefully park on the shoulder to look for interesting migrants working a line of large deciduous trees which have been planted on both sides of the road. Not far down the road you will dead-end into GA Hwy 157 where there is a small pond and wetlands worth checking for swallows (or for ducks in winter). In winter, turn right when you deadend into Dougherty Gap Rd, and you will descend into a long, narrow valley known as McLemore Cove via another set of tight switch-backs; be careful. You may not want to bother with birding the top of the mountain in winter and simply access this valley from the north end (see mileage later). Dougherty Gap Rd will pass through more unique, beautiful higher-elevation cattle ranches (see Photos below). Now is the time to cross your fingers during winter months and look very carefully for rare raptors. More common species such as Red-tailed Hawk or Red-shouldered Hawk (year-round) or Broad-winged Hawk (spring-summer) will be found while Northern Harrier (uncommon) and American Kestrel should be present as well (winter). Merlin is rare but possible in winter and migration. But the crown jewel would be to spot a Rough-legged Hawk or Golden Eagle in this area; keep an eye on the birding ListServs of northerly states to see if an irruption ("invasion") of this hawk is occuring that year, when chances are higher of finding one - they have been located here in the past. At 3.4 miles from Rocky Lane, note Hogjowl Rd forking off to the right. This road can be followed along the west side of the mountain through a few more pastures for winter raptors and during migration to reach a very beautiful and uniqe area called "The Pocket Trail" on your right - look carefully for Pocket Rd approx. 7.4 miles from the fork. After passing through some open meadows, the road will turn to gravel and end at the trailhead parking area. You can follow this semi-strenuous trail as long as you like and return the way you came or do a 9-mile loop for a real workout. It climbs to the ridge for great views, and meanders through an area of waterfalls (wet seasons) and very unique plant communities in this NW-facing cove eroded out of the side of the mountain. Some of the plants and small vertebrates found here are found almost nowhere else in the state! Back at the fork with Hogjowl Rd in winter, stay left where the road will change to names to Cove Rd, and you will come into more extensive grassland habitat - keep looking out for those raptors! The same grasslands host good numbers of Grasshopper Sparrows along with other breeding birds like Eastern Kingbird and Blue Grosbeak in spring-summer. Areas of corn stubble in colder months may host American Pipit, Horned Lark, or (speculatively and very rarely) longspurs. At 9.7 miles from the fork, you will reach GA Hwy 193. By turning right, you will complete a large loop by reaching Chamberlain Rd in 6.9 miles. Obviously, to focus on the winter raptor search you may wish to skip the mountain entirely and head straight to Cove Rd, Dougherty Gap Rd, and Hogjowl Rd pasture areas from LaFayette. Or, in primetime spring migration you might want to take a shorter route to head straight to to "The Pocket Trail." Coming west on GA Hwy 193 from Chamberlain Rd, Hogjowl Rd will be approx. 4.5 miles on your left, and Pocket Rd will appear on your left in approx. 2.7 miles. A good map of the area can be viewed HERE. In addition to those already mentioned, species seen across the area during migration include Ovenbird, Kentucky Warbler, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Black-throated Green Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Swainson's Thrush, Wood Thrush; Bobolink, Orchard Oriole, and Blue Grosbeak (open areas); Cedar Waxwing, Summer Tanager, Great-crested Flycatcher, Red-winged Blackbird, Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Acadian Flycatcher and Louisiana Waterthrush (creeks), Whip-poor-will and Chuck-will's-Widow (at night, migration), and much, much more!
 
View from Cove Rd View from Dougherty Gap Rd
Text and photos by KB.
5) Crawfish Springs Pond [Dec 2008]
W for waterfowl
[DeLorme pg. 12, C-4]
This is a quick stop at a small pond just outside the historic downtown area of the town of Chickamauga. It is worth a quick stop in winter to check for ducks and geese; a group of six rare Cackling Geese spent some time here among 100s of Canada Geese in December 2008. Between the public library and police station which you will find on your left heading SW from the historic town center on GA Hwy 341 (McLemore Cove Rd), turn left to head east on Lee-Clarkston Rd. The pond, behind a chain-link fence, will appear on your left in only 0.25 miles; park at the second gravel area on your left at a gate in the fence and scope through the fence - be careful with local traffic! Along with 100s of Canada Geese (and possibly the similar but rare and tiny Cackling Goose), you may find Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, Pied-billed Grebe, Hooded Merganser, Wilson's Snipe, and more. At 0.4 miles from GA Hwy 341, turn left onto Krystal Dr where you should be able to scope a private pond on your left in about 0.3 miles; do all birding here from the road shoulder, try to stay briefly, and watch out for traffic!
Text and photo by KB.
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Copyright 2010 Ken Blankenship. All rights reserved.
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