Lynchburg Savanna Heritage Preserve

Our June trip will take us to Lynchburg Savanna Heritage Preserve/Wildlife
Management Area in Lee County. After a hot June day of exploration in this longleaf
pine savanna, we’ll have dinner in the air-conditioned Watford’s Bar-B-Que Restaurant
in Bishopville.

The area has old logging roads and some trails. Expect wet conditions typical of a pine
savanna. It should be possible to stay on dry trails. But, if you want to fully explore the
area, be prepared to get your feet wet.

Meet at 10:30 at the gravel parking area at the entrance. It should hold most if not all of
our cars. [The rest can park along the road if needed.] Be prepared for lunch on the trail;
there are no convenient picnic areas. There are no restrooms.

If you decide to leave early, Bishopville has both the South Carolina Cotton Museum
[admission] and Pearl Fryar’s Topiary Garden.

Directions to Lynchburg Savanna Heritage Preserve [387 C C Rd, Lynchburg, SC 29080]:

From Exit 120 of I-20 near Bishopville, go south on SC 341. In 2.9 miles bear right on
SC 527 for 7.7 miles. Here turn left (east) onto Road 327, CC Road, for about 3 miles to
the preserve entrance on the left (north). The intersection of SC 527 and Road 327 is 3
miles north of US 76.

From Exit 132 of I-95, go north on SC 527 for 14 miles. Then turn right (east) onto Road
327 and follow the directions above.

Directions to Watford’s Bar-B-Que Restaurant [341 S Main St, Bishopville, SC 29010]:
Turn right (west) on Road 327 and return to SC 527. Drive 7.5 miles north to Wisacky
and continue straight on what is now SC 341 for an additional 6 miles. Turn left on US
15/501 in Bishopville. The restaurant will be on the left in a few blocks. Phone number:
(803) 484-6223

Site Description from the SC DNR Website:
Latitude: 34.0433 Longitude: 80.1383
Acreage: 291 County: Lee Game Zone: 4
Property Type: Heritage Preserve / WMA Specific

Few people get to see such an excellent example of a wet longleaf pine savanna listed
by botanists and ecologists as one of the most biologically diverse and imperiled
ecosystems in North America. The SC Department of Natural Resources’ Lynchburg
Savanna Heritage Preserve in Lee County is a haven for unusual and rare plants. In the
spring, the mating calls of tiny frogs can be almost deafening.

Along the old logging road that loops across the property, look for insectivorous plants
such as the yellow pitcher-plant, hooded pitcher-plant and sundew. A rich array of
wildflowers, some common and some quite rare, provides color from spring to fall.
Lynchburg Savanna Heritage Preserve has been described as a “hot spot” for a group
of sparrow species rarely seen in one place: Bachman’s, song, Lincoln’s and field
sparrows. Cricket frogs are one of the few frog species active during the day. Although
you can’t help hearing them, you will rarely see them as they move near the water’s
edge. In drier areas, look for wild turkeys, bobwhite quail and woodcock.

The preserve is open from dawn to dusk, seven days a week. Winter is the best time to
observe all four sparrow species, while wildflowers will bloom at various times in all
seasons but winter. If you’re interested in amphibians, visit during late winter or in the
spring.

Site Description from the Carolina Bird Club website by Robin Carter:
Lynchburg Savanna Heritage Preserve is a medium-sized preserve that protects a
remnant of the longleaf pine-toothache grass savanna habitat that was fairly common in
the South Carolina Coastal Plain before European settlement. The preserve is most
important for its plant life. Longleaf pine savannas are some of the most diverse
ecosystems in North America.

The savanna in the preserve is not pristine. Most notably the old-growth longleaf pines
that once were the crowning jewels of this area were logged before the property
became a Heritage Preserve. For the birder this means that Lynchburg Savanna is no
longer a good place to find Red-cockaded Woodpecker. (A few Red-cockaded
Woodpeckers persist in the vicinity, notably at Longleaf Pine Heritage Preserve. This
species has been observed at Lynchburg Savanna in the past, but finding one today
would be very unusual.)

Even without the Red-cockaded Woodpeckers Lynchburg Savanna is a popular
destination for birders for one main reason—it has sparrows. There are lots of sparrows
present at all seasons. Field Sparrows and Chipping Sparrows are common permanent
residents, easily found at all seasons. Bachman’s Sparrows are present year-round as
well but are usually located only when they are singing (roughly March through August).
From April through June the ethereal song of the Bachman’s Sparrow is one of the most
common natural sounds at Lynchburg Savanna. With a bit of patience, a birder can
locate a singing Bachman’s Sparrow, usually perched atop a low shrub or perhaps in a
pine tree.

Other birds present are typical of the pinewoods and early successional habitats of
central South Carolina. Rarities found nearby (although not yet on the heritage preserve
property) include Common Ground-Dove, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, and Western
Kingbird. The preserve is open during daylight hours only, but if you are in the
neighborhood at night you might well hear a Great Horned Owl. During spring and
summer Whip-poor-wills are abundant and Chuck-will’s-widows are fairly common.