When you leave Saint Andrews turn right and watch for Macy Lane on your right, turn and park near the stop sign. The trail from here out to the South Beach – and the beach itself – is another of my personal favorite places to bird in the state. The combination of an often secluded walk through some of the most beautiful, unique habitat on the coast and the year-round possibility of encountering something out of the ordinary is just exhilarating. Since 2005, birds such as Greater Scaup, Black Scoter, Surf Scoter, Parasitic Jaeger, White-winged Dove, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Wilson’s Plover, Piping Plover, Marbled Godwit, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sedge Wren, Henslow’s Sparrow, Wilson’s Warbler, American Redstart, Magnolia Warbler, MacGillivray’s Warbler, well… you name it, it just might pop up on the trail, beach, or out on the water. This unique location requires the utmost respect and care from birdwatchers. Do not approach resting birds along the surf line too close, keep your distance and enjoy them with a scope. If you see an interesting bird flush deep into the scrub and dunes anywhere along the boardwalk on your way to the beach, pish all you want but do not leave the trail to pursue a bird under any circumstances. This habitat is highly sensitive and declining. -KB

Description: This birding site is located on the beach at the southern tip of Jekyll Island.

Types of Birds: Shorebirds, wading birds, waterfowl, gull-like birds

Best Birding Seasons: Shorebirds (all), wading birds (all), waterfowl (winter), gull-like birds (all)

Specialties: Black skimmer, American oystercatcher, marbled godwit, jaegers, south polar skua, northern gannet, piping plover, glaucous gull

Tips: Look for shorebirds around high tide from mid-summer through spring. Carefully examine gulls; rare gull species are sometimes found here. Don’t disturb resting birds, give them a wide berth. Look for scoters, loons, mergansers, buffleheads, and other waterfowl swimming offshore.

Fee: $5 per vehicle parking fee or $45 annual ParkPass.

Hours: Open 24 hours a day.

From the early Native Americans to guests from around the world, the story of our island has been captivating the imaginations of explorers for generations.

In 1733, General James Oglethorpe named Jekyll Island in honor of Sir Joseph Jekyll, his friend and financier from England. In the late 1800s, Jekyll Island became an exclusive hunting club for families with names like Rockefeller, Morgan, Vanderbilt, Pulitzer, and Baker. The once private retreat is now part of The Jekyll Island Club National Historic Landmark District, one of the largest preservation projects in the southeast.

In 1947, the Governor and the Georgia state legislature established Jekyll Island as a State Park. Today, the island is a special sanctuary for each of us – and the Jekyll Island Authority is proud to share our island’s history.