Lake Conestee was established in the early 1800s through damming of the Reedy River. It is now approximately 90% silted in. The Conestee Nature Preserve, managed by the Conestee Foundation, is a 406-acre property comprised of the former lakebed, wetlands, sloughs, bottomland forest, and 1.5 miles of the Reedy River, providing a natural wonderland of wildlife habitat. The preserve contains approximately 12 miles of well-marked trails and boardwalks through varied habitat. The Greenville County Bird Club conducts an ongoing bird survey of the preserve to help establish a reliable checklist of species which have been reported within its boundaries. In September 2009, Conestee Nature Preserve was designated an "Important Bird Area" by the South Carolina Audubon Society - in large part because of the significant overwintering population of Rusty Blackbirds. Then, in November 2010 it was declared a globally important bird area by the Audubon Society. Click here for the IBA report.
The Greenville County Bird Club conducts outings to Conestee on the 3rd Saturday of every month. See the Outings page for details. Individual members who bird at the preserve on their own are encouraged to submit information to eBird for the species list.
Click here for the eBird hotspot page for Conestee Nature Preserve, where an up-to-date species list, records of recent visits, bar charts, etc. can be found.
For more information about Conestee, visit the preserve website. Among available resources are a PDF copy of their trail map and an interactive trail map.