Saluda Shoals Park
Robin Carter
Directions
From Exit 104 of I-26 go southwest on Piney Grove Road for 1.5 miles. Here turn right (west) onto St. Andrews Road and go 0.3 miles, where you turn left onto Bush River Road. The park entrance is about 1.5 miles farther, on your left.
Birds to look for
Mississippi Kite (s), Broad-winged Hawk (s), Spotted Sandpiper (spring, fall), Belted Kingfisher, Olive-sided Flycatcher (spring, fall), Eastern Phoebe, White-eyed Vireo (s), Yellow-throated Vireo (s), Blue-headed Vireo (spring, fall), Philadelphia Vireo (fall), Eastern Bluebird, Veery (spring, fall), Gray-cheeked Thrush (spring, fall), Swainson's Thrush (spring, fall), Wood Thrush (s), Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwing (w), Blue-winged Warbler (spring, fall), Golden-winged Warbler (spring, fall), Tennessee Warbler (fall), Orange-crowned Warbler (w), Nashville Warbler (fall), Northern Parula (s), Yellow Warbler (spring, fall), Chestnut-sided Warbler (spring, fall), Magnolia Warbler (spring, fall), Cape May Warbler (spring), Black-throated Blue Warbler (spring, fall), Yellow-rumped Warbler (w), Black-throated Green Warbler (spring, fall), Blackburnian Warbler (spring, fall), Yellow-throated Warbler (s), Pine Warbler, Prairie Warbler (s), Palm Warbler (w), Bay-breasted Warbler (fall), Blackpoll Warbler (spring), Cerulean Warbler (spring, fall), Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart (spring, fall), Prothonotary Warbler (spring, fall), Worm-eating Warbler (spring, fall), Swainson's Warbler (spring), Ovenbird (spring, fall), Northern Waterthrush (spring, fall), Louisiana Waterthrush (s), Kentucky Warbler (s), Common Yellowthroat (s), Hooded Warbler (s), Canada Warbler (spring, fall), Yellow-breasted Chat (s), Summer Tanager (s), Scarlet Tanager (spring, fall), Swamp Sparrow (w), Rose-breasted Grosbeak (spring, fall), Blue Grosbeak (s), Indigo Bunting (s), Painted Bunting (s)
Description
Saluda Shoals Park is about the best place for passerine migrants in the Columbia area and is well worth the admission fee in April, May, September, and October. There is an extensive trail network along the river and also along powerline rights-of-way. Usually there are not a lot of waterbirds along the river, but anything is possible. Saluda Shoals is only a few miles from the Lake Murray dam, where you can look for waterbirds.