Field Trips for 2022!
Who wants to get out and see the natural areas in and around Augusta? Here are a variety of opportunities for the first part of 2022. Most of these are free, though a few have a minimal fee to cover access or transportation. Come out and join the local Audubon chapter to look for birds, and other fauna and flora. All levels of experience are welcome. See below for lcoations and other information.
Jan 8 – Brickponds 8am
Meet at Popeye’s at Walton Way and Gordon Highway to carpool. There is a $4 charge to enter the Brickponds. We will drive the Haul Rd looking for waterfowl.
Jan 15 – Lover’s Lane 8am
Meet at Popeye’s at Walton Way and Gordon Highway to carpool. We will be looking for winter residents such as Hermit Thrush and sparrows.
Jan 22 – Phinizy Waterfowl Drive 9am
Meet at the Phinizy parking lot at 9am to carpool around the property looking for waterfowl. This is a Phinizy Center trip and there is a cost of $5.
Jan 29 – Brickponds 8am
Meet at Popeye’s at Walton Way and Gordon Highway to carpool. There is a $4 charge to enter the Brickponds. We will drive the Haul Rd looking for waterfowl.
Feb 12 – Below Dam (Clark’s Hill) 9am
Meet at the SC Visitor Center lower parking lot (at the dam) which overlooks the lake. We will spend several hours walking the paths, sidewalks and road at Below Dam Park looking for winter residents, Bald Eagles and Gulls. We will then carpool to the small pollinator garden area to look for sparrows and other birds of brushy fields. If there is time and people are willing we may drive around to Parksville Park to look for waterfowl.
Feb 19 – Silver Bluff Quail Trail 8am
Meet at the visitor center to walk the 3 mile Quail Trail looking for wintering birds, especially sparrows. Consider this our sparrow workshop for the year.
Mar 5 – Lover’s Lane 8am
Meet at Popeye’s at Walton Way and Gordon Highway to carpool. This is the start of the spring transition and you never know what might show up.
Mar 12 – Crackerneck 8am
Crackerneck WMA is located on the edge of the Savannah River Site in Jackson and is acres and acres of woods, ponds and Three Runs Creek. We will drive around looking for wintering woodland birds and if we are very lucky we might kick up a Woodcock.
Mar 19 – Silver Bluff Quail Trail 8am
Meet at the visitor center to walk the 3 mile Quail Trail looking for wintering birds and possibly spring arrivals.
April 2 – Phinizy 8am
Meet in the parking lot. We will walk the 2.5 mile loop looking to see what we can find. There may be early migrants starting to arrive.
April 16 – Jackson Landing 8am
Meet at the Kathwood Ponds at Silver Bluff. We will drive Jackson Landing Road looking for spring migrants. This can be an awesome place for migration and it should be in full swing by this time.
May 7, 2022 – Migration Count
We will have teams and/or individuals counting all of the birds they find in Aiken County. Contact Paul Koehler to participate.
May 14 – Phinizy 8am
Meet in the parking lot at the park and we will walk the 2.5 mile loop looking for whatever we can find, possibly even Bobolinks.
May 21 – Crackerneck 8am
Crackerneck WMA is located on the edge of the Savannah River Site in Jackson and is acres and acres of woods, ponds and Three Runs Creek. We will drive around various places looking for birds and bugs primarily. This may end up being an all day thing so bring snacks and lunch just in case. If we get back to Three Runs Creek (very likely) it can take 30 minutes to drive back to the exit.
June 4 – Francis Marion Butterflies
I will be in the Francis Marion National Forest in McClellenville, SC on this day. Anyone interested may join me, you will need to either drive down (3 hours) that morning or you can stay overnight on your own (Georgetown is not far or camping is available at Buck Hall Recreation Area). We will drive forest service roads looking for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and rattlesnakes but primarily for butterflies. Georgia Satyr, Little Metalmark and Reversed Roadside-skippers will be our primary targets but this is a butterfly rich area and there are lots of species to see.
June 11 – Phinizy 8am
This is our last field trip before the summer heat. We will meet in the parking lot at the park and walk around looking for summer nesting birds. We may end up walking the 2.5 mile loop but we’ll see what is in the park and go accordingly.
