The Nickajack Naturalist

Outdoor Clubs Abound in the Scenic City

By Sofia Bunger                                                                                at Nooga.com

  One of the best ways to enjoy life is to live it in the great outdoors. One way to make it even better is to include others who enjoy outdoor recreation as much as you do.

  Chattanooga is full of clubs and organizations for outdoor recreation and interests, whether it is climbing, biking, kayaking, or any other sport.    Read more.  

Take a Hike at Virgin Falls

                                                                                            from Get Out Chattanooga

 For the second month in a row, the Nickajack Naturalist has been featured in Get Out Chattanooga magazine. This time, writer Christopher Andrew Armstrong interviewed yours truly for a piece about hiking to Virgin Falls, near Sparta, TN.   Read the article here.  

P.S. If you read the article in the magazine rather than on the website, the waterfall photo shown is not of Virgin Falls. I guess it's a bit late to do anything about it now that the magazine has been published. 

Foster Falls: Sport Climber's Paradise

By Sofia Bunger                                                                                     at Nooga.com

One of the climbing crags at Foster Falls.                                    (Photo: Bob Butters)

 Foster Falls, in addition to offering hiking trails, swimming holes, and camping, has become one of the most popular sport climbing destinations in Southeast Tennessee.   Read more.

Birding with Bob - March 13, 2015

Ring-billed gulls blend in with the snow on the pier at Shellmound Recreation Area.  

Note: A revision of plans.  Regular readers are probably aware that Birding with Bob, covering my recent bird watching experiences, and Backyard Nature, highlighting developments in the natural community of my backyard, are two new monthly features I introduced for 2015. But it didn't take long for me to realize I had bitten off more that I could effectively chew, as overwhelmed as I am with things these days, and that I should have chosen one project for this year and another for next year. So, after much thought I've decided to merge the two features into the monthly Birding with Bob report. It will now cover my experiences watching and photographing birds and other wildlife, both at home and in the field.

After the big February snow, I was able to get rather close to these coots at Shellmound Recreation Area.

I think coots look like aquatic chickens. Learn more about coots here.

A squirrel hogging the bird feeder after the recent snow.

So the birds rummaged through what had fallen on the ground.  (All photos: Bob Butters)

Check back here again next month for another installment of Birding with Bob.

See February's posts, for Backyard Nature-here and for Birding with Bob-here.

 
 

Hike, Bike, and Run at Stringer's Ridge

 By Sofia Bunger                                                                                      at Nooga.com

View of downtown Chattanooga from Stringer's Ridge.                                   (Photo: Bob Butters)

  Stringer's Ridge, a 92 acre urban wilderness park, sits just off the North Shore and offers easy but great trails, including a gorgeous view of the city.    Read more.

New Rules Restrict Firewood Used in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Whitwell Company Provides Solution

  New rules governing firewood brought into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are now in effect. Under the new rules, only heat-treated firewood will be allowed as part of a plan to protect forests from non-native insects and pests. Traditional firewood can transport pests such as the Emerald Ash Borer to native trees.

 Local company, Prologue, received approval for its fire logs to be used in the park. These fire logs use no binders or chemicals and are made in Tennessee. Travelers to the region can follow the new guidelines by bringing compliant fire materials on their trip.   Read more.