The Nickajack Naturalist

Watchable Wildlife Website

  For wildlife enthusiasts, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has a really neat website called Tennessee's Watchable Wildlife.  It contains a listing of numerous wildlife viewing locations in Tennessee, each with a site description, maps, directions to the location, wildlife to watch, links to relevant websites, and a Google map/satellite image.

  Locations in the local Southern Cumberlands area include: Walls of Jericho State Natural Area (SNA), Bear Hollow Mountain Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Prentice Cooper State Forest and WMA, South Cumberland State Park, Savage Gulf SNA, Soddy Mountain Hawk Watch Lookout, Grundy Forest, North Chickamauga Creek Gorge SNA, Natural Bridge SNA, Signal Point Park, Franklin State Forest, Tennessee River Gorge, Raccoon Mountain, Craven's House on Lookout Mountain, and Nickajack Lake.

  The website also includes quite a bit of information about Tennessee wildlife, a list of seasonal events, backyard wildlife information, TWRA publications in pdf format, a gallery of wildlife photos submitted by viewers, a critter of the month page, and a great links page.  

  Be sure to check it out at www.tnwatchablewildlife.org.

Wildlife and Recreation at Crow Creek

   Stevenson, Alabama, in Jackson County, is home to a fantastic location for canoeing, kayaking, birding, and nature photography.  Crow Creek is an embayment of Lake Guntersvile, consisting of large open areas of shallow water, islands, channels, and acres of lotus plants.  

 The Crow Creek Refuge, together with the Crow Creek Wildlife Management Area, covers over 5,400 acres and adjoins the Stevenson City Park.   

  The Stevenson City Park is a stop on the North Alabama Birding Trail and is an outstanding place for observing a variety of waterfowl, red-headed woodpeckers, osprey, and the occasional bald eagle, among others.  Paddling on Crow Creek, one will likely spot great blue herons, egrets, kingfishers, and green-backed herons, as well as turtles and muskrats.

 

   Earlier this year, ospreys nested on the railroad

bridge pictured, and on one of the ball field light poles in the city park.

  A short distance from the city park, Fort Harker, built by the Union Army in 1862, is clearly visible from the water.  It consists of 14 ft. high earthen walls and is 150 ft. on each side. The restored fort is managed as a park by the City of Stevenson.  

                                                                               

  Directions:   From U.S. Highway 72, exit onto AL Highway 117 (right if coming from toward Tennessee).  Follow 117 to the northwest for about 0.4 mi.  Turn left at the sign for the Stevenson City Park.  Once in the park, turn right to go to the boat ramp, or go straight to go to the park rest rooms, picnic area, playground, etc.

  To view a map of Crow Creek Refuge and WMA, as well as nearby Mud Creek and Raccoon Creek Wildlife Management Areas, click here.