Cottonwood Trail
Robin Carter
Directions
From Exit 21 of I-26 in Spartanburg, turn east onto US 29. Go for about 6 miles and turn right (south) onto Fernwood Drive. Go south on Fernwood Drive for about 0.5 miles and then either turn left onto Beechwood Drive to a parking area is on the right, or turn right onto Syndor Drive and park on the right just before the bridge, nest to some athletic fields.
Birds to look for
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (s), Barred Owl, Red-headed Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee (s), Acadian Flycatcher (s), Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested Flycatcher (s), Blue-headed Vireo (m), Veery (m), Gray-cheeked Thrush (m), Swainson's Thrush (m), Wood Thrush (s), Blue-winged Warbler (m), Tennessee Warbler (m), Northern Parula (s), Chestnut-sided Warbler (m), Magnolia Warbler (m), Cape May Warbler (m), Black-throated Blue Warbler (m), Yellow-rumped Warbler (w), Black-throated Green Warbler (m), Blackburnian Warbler (m), Yellow-throated Warbler (s), Pine Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler (m), Black-and-white Warbler (s), American Redstart (m), Worm-eating Warbler (s), Ovenbird (s), Louisiana Waterthrush (s), Kentucky Warbler (s), Common Yellowthroat (s), Hooded Warbler (s), Summer Tanager (s), Scarlet Tanager (m), Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow (w), Rose-breasted Grosbeak (m), American Goldfinch
Description
The Cottonwood Trail is an urban gem. It wanders along Lawson's Creek for a couple of miles. Habitats along the way include upland hardwoods, floodplain forest, a powerline right-of-way, and even a small marsh. Spartanburg birders have found that this area is great for spring and fall migrants.