![View of Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia [1]](https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/81/View_of_Bond_Swamp_National_Wildlife_Refuge%2C_Georgia.jpg/960px-View_of_Bond_Swamp_National_Wildlife_Refuge%2C_Georgia.jpg)
Located in Twiggs County, Georgia, Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 12.4 km (7.7 mi) SSE of Macon.
Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, located 6 miles (10 kilometers) south of Macon, Georgia, United States, was established in 1989 to protect, maintain and enhance the forested wetland ecosystem of the Ocmulgee River floodplain. It opened to the public in 2000 and consists of 8,600 acres (3,500 hectares) situated along the fall line separating the Piedmont and Coastal Plains. The acquisition boundary established in 1999 includes around 17,000 acres, though the Fish and Wildlife service has been unable to acquire much private land. The refuge has a diversity of vegetation communities, including mixed hardwood-pine, bottomland hardwoods, tupelo gum swamp forests, creeks, tributaries, beaver swamps and oxbow lakes. The refuge is rich in wildlife diversity including white-tailed deer, wood ducks, black bears, alligators, wild turkey, a nesting pair of bald eagles and excellent...From the Wikipedia article “Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:39 AM | 90° E | 7:46 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:28 AM | 61° ENE | 8:46 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:23 AM | 89° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:33 AM | 118° ESE | 5:33 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 9h 59m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:11 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 14m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 7:21 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:18 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:07 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:30 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 50m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 18m |
| July | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 06m |
| August | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:47 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:51 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:07 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:14 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 29m |
| December | 7:03 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 01m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 5:03 AM – 5:53 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:14 AM – 6:14 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:10 AM – 5:30 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 12:11 AM – 4:51 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:26 PM – 4:36 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:22 PM – 3:12 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:50 PM – 1:10 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 11:15 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:24 PM – 9:14 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.49 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (56%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 79 | 80 | 84 | 92 | 101 | 110 | 104 | 108 | 103 | 103 | 87 | 80 |
| Low °F | 15 | 20 | 23 | 31 | 43 | 55 | 62 | 59 | 46 | 31 | 20 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.6 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 4.9 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this national wildlife refuge
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge from Macon?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.