Farmland Birding

      Townville, SC 29689, USA

      VB
      Ventures Birding Tours
      • Email address verified
      85 reviews
      May 11, 2022
      Group size: 3 - 10
      Farmland Birding
      Townville, SC 29689, USA

      Ventures Birding Tours
      • Email address verified
      85 reviews

      May 11, 2022
      Group size: 3 - 10

      About this trip

      Easy walking through fields and along roadsides looking for a selection of open country species. Sun protection is highly recommended, as well as good walking footwear!


      Located in Anderson County, in the northwestern South Carolina Piedmont, Townville and its surrounding countryside chocked full of farmland provides excellent opportunities for finding an array of typical open country birds. While the area is known primarily as a winter birding hotspot, a spring visit can be every bit as enticing with Eastern Meadowlark, Blue Grosbeak, Grasshopper Sparrow, Eastern Kingbird, and Bobolink all  being part of the regular cast of characters. Of particular interest are the numerous Dickcissels that have nested here over the years, and we’ll pay special attention to getting good looks and photographs of them. We will scan barbed-wire fences for Loggerhead Shrike, the ‘Butcher Bird,’ and we should find Horned Lark as well singing from the open fields. To add to the excitement, the area has also hosted small numbers of Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, a rare but fairly regular nester in the agricultural areas of the Carolina Piedmont in recent years. We will follow up on any recent reports and will do our best to find them!


      While most of our tour will be spent birding the farmland, we will certainly have time to explore some other habitats in the area as well. The wetlands and woodland of Beaverdam Creek WMA are great for everything from Summer Tanager & Yellow-billed Cuckoo to Brown-headed Nuthatch, Wood Duck, and Red-headed Woodpecker. The ponds in the area are excellent throughout the month of May for finding any number of migratory shorebirds, with everything from White-rumped Sandpiper to Red-necked Phalarope having shown up previously. Lake Hartwell is always worth a stop and could have nesting Bald Eagles, Osprey, gulls and terns, or perhaps even a late duck or loon.


      Join Aaron for a pleasant spring day of birding in the farm country of the South Carolina Piedmont.

      What’s included

      • 1 birding guide

      What’s not included

      • lunch
      • transportation

      Available Packages

      Trip Price
      $60

      Your Organizer


      VB
      Ventures Birding Tours
      85 reviews
      Small travel company based in Asheville, NC, specializing in birding & nature tours both locally & worldwide.

      Reviews

      MC
      Great trip. Vicky knows her ducks and other waterbirds and where to find them. We look forward to more trips with her as a guide
      By Mike C for Duck Day in Asheville on Feb 13, 2024
      The trip was very enjoyable, in spite of the cold weather. Michael Werndley is a great guide and fun to be with. The main attraction was the chance to see up to ten species of owls, many of which can often be seen after migrating down from more northern areas in Canada. The group saw a Snowy Owl, Hawk Owl, Barred Owl, and (the major attraction) two impressive Great Gray Owls! Other local species included Snow Buntings, Common and Hoary Redpolls, a Northern Shrike, Canada Jay, Pine Grosbeaks, Golden Eye, numerous Bald Eagles, and a Merlin (sitting atop our hotel in Minneapolis). In addition, the group saw many winter species common to our own area. An unexpected treat was the sight of three wolves totting along the frozen harbor shoreline in Duluth! A great time was had by all!
      By Peter H for Northern Minnesota 2024 - Owls & Winter Finches on Feb 05, 2024
      Weather was a lot better than I anticipated, but even if it had been exceptionally cold, this trip is definitely worth it. To see the snow-covered landscape scenes, the beauty of the Black Spruce trees, all the native habitat for the Great Gray Owl, was an exciting and enjoyable experience. The food choices were fantastic as were the views of Lake Superior. Dress warmly and go for it!
      By Shirley A for Northern Minnesota 2024 - Owls & Winter Finches on Feb 04, 2024
      This was our second trip with Keith Watson and it was very special - he is wonderful to bird with, and to just be with. Our group was small and it made the trip that much more meaningful. We saw beautiful places, beautiful birds, and had lots of good food and good company. We had difficult weather at times and Keith was able to keep our spirits up and make it feel adventurous rather than adverse. Very grateful.
      By RHONDA B for Cranes Galore at Hiwassee on Feb 03, 2024
      This was a uniquely wonderful birding trip. Great group and great birding, with fantastic local guide, Sean, and always wonderful, Simon Thompson. We had our own chefs, one of whom traveled with us, with wonderful food and some Suriname local food. The Surinamese people were warm and welcoming. Fantastic trip!1
      By Toni M for Suriname 2023 on Dec 15, 2023
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