Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve
Robin Carter
Directions
From Aiken, drive south on US 78 for 12 miles to Windsor. Watch for the Aiken State Park sign on the right. Approximately 0.5 miles after the park sign turn left on Spring Branch Road (near the "Lil Country Store"). Drive about 5 miles to the intersection with Oak Ridge Club Road. (The paved Spring Branch Road will become dirt Windsor Road before the crossroad. Oak Ridge Club Road is also a dirt road.) Turn right and drive approximately 1 mile to the preserve, which is on both sides of the road.
Birds to look for
Northern Bobwhite, Yellow-billed Cuckoo (s), Common Nighthawk (s), Chuck-will's-widow (s), Whip-poor-will (s), Great Crested Flycatcher (s), Eastern Kingbird (s), Brown-headed Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebird, Prairie Warbler (s), Ovenbird (s), Yellow-breasted Chat (s), Summer Tanager (s), Eastern Towhee, Bachman's Warbler (s), Chipping Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak (s), Indigo Bunting (s), Orchard Oriole (s)
Description
This large preserve protects the habitat of some of the northern-most Florida Gopher Tortoises. The most interesting part of the preserve is the extensive longleaf pine - turkey oak savanna. Large numbers of Bachman's Sparrows nest here and are easily observed from early April through early July. Another interesting common nester on the savanna is the Common Nighthawk. Gopher tortoises are present, but hard to find.
During the August to January deer hunting season it is best to avoid this site or visit only on a Sunday.
Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve with its pinewoods and savanna is a good companion site to nearby Aiken State Natural Area, with its floodplain forests.