I like this lake but haven't birded it much lately.  I was blessed to discover many rare birds when I did get a chance to make it down.  Some of my fun favorites were:

 

Great Cormorant (a favorite of mine since it continues to bring joy to so many birders each year since I discovered it in Nov 2008)

 

Western Grebe (also enjoyed by many)

 

Magnificent Frigatebirds (finding multiple birds was just plain fun)

 

A few other highlights:

 

Red-necked Grebe, Red-throated Loon (many), Pacific Loon, Ross's Goose, Barnacle Goose, Long-tailed Jaeger (Michael), Brown and White Pelicans, as well as many others make it even sweeter.

 

I have found gulls to be difficult to observe up close though.

 

Below is one of the last reports I had from the lake:

 

 

11/11/2010

 

I had a day off Thursday, so I did something I hadn't done in a long time...actually go birding.  So for old time's sake, Michael Beohm and I headed to Lake Walter F. George.  We didn't think we'd see much though because there was no change in weather and the area head already been covered by birders recently....so we joked about not even needing a camera.  It turned out to be worth the long drive.

 

Highlights:

 

Great Cormorant  (1 adult, below dam:  swam, flew, and rested.  It's the same place I discovered one two years ago.)

 

Red-throated Loon (1 floating out on lake)

 

Black Scoter  (5 flying around lake at one point)

 

Surf Scoter  (2 at rest out on lake)

 

Redhead (8)

 

Red-breasted Merganser (7)

 

Wood Stork (2 beside the lake at Bagby State Park)

 

Black-n-white Warbler (1)

 

Other birds of note:  Horned Grebe (90+), Common Loon (30+), Forster's Tern (6)

 

Also, cooperative Red Fox and Dainty Sulphur.

 

I doubt I will go back there or even go birding again anytime soon, but it was fun to revisit the old stomping ground on such a beautiful day. 

 

Good Birding!

 

Eric Beohm

Atlanta, GA