|
Return to map
Old Hickory Dam - Hiking Trail, Snow Bunting PeninsulaBirding Seasons:Spring A Summer B- Fall A+ Winter A
Site Description and Habitats There are patches of hardwood forest of oak, hickory, and maple, and riparian forest of Black Willow and sycamore along the shoreline of parts of the lake. Most of the habitat surrounding the lake is urban/suburban development including several recreation areas (noted above) with beaches, trails, picnic and camping facilities, including the nature trail at the dam. Public floodplain land has been allowed to be manicured and incorporated into yards by adjoining landowners over much of the area thus reducing wildlife habitat.
The gravel peninsula that is also a boat ramp, called Snow Bunting Peninsula by the birding community, is a great place to scan the lake, nearly year round. Lots of rare birds have been found on Snow Bunting Peninsula.
Bird species of interest: Spring and Fall Migration: Western Willets are annual, a large variety of warblers, vireos and thrushes can occur in the woodlands, Common and Forster’s Terns. Caspian Terns are regular. Shorebirds, gulls, terns, and other real rare birds are found mostly during and after storms. Summer: Pine Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Eastern Kingbird, Osprey, and Warbling Vireo. In late summer, Black Terns can be found out on the lake. Winter: Common Loon, Ring-billed, Bonaparte’s and Herring Gull, Red-breasted Nuthatch often occurs in winter in the pines. Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Waterfowl including Lesser Scaup, Redhead, Horned Grebe, Ruddy Ducks, among others may occur. Year-Round: Pied-billed Grebe, Bald Eagle, and Great Blue Heron. Rarities Seen at this Site: Parasitic Jaeger, Magnificent Frigatebird, Piping Plover, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Laughing Gull occurs every 1-2 years, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Red Knot, White-rumped Sandpipers, Marbled Godwit. Snow Bunting was found here TWICE, hence the name. Species list via eBird Hotspot Explorer - Old Hickory Dam area Submit your data to eBird here.
Old Hickory Lake lies north of Nashville on the Cumberland River. Birding is best in the fall, winter, and spring. There are many access points, but most birding is done on the south side near the dam and along Drakes Creek on the north side. The Old Hickory Dam area can be reached by taking the Old Hickory Blvd exit from I-65 north of the city. (Rt. 45). Head south on Rt. 45 across Gallatin Road and continue across the Cumberland River. Take the second left after crossing the bridge. This is Bridgeway Ave. Turn left onto Ensley Ave and continue across train tracks to a stop sign and make a left onto Swinging Bridge Road. Then take the first right (Burnett Road). Follow this road down to a gravel area which juts out into the lake. This is "Snow Bunting" Peninsula. There is a public swimming beach in the area as well, which is open in summer. The peninsula is known to birders as "Snow Bunting" Peninsula due to the presence of 2 Snow Buntings during the winter of 1969-70. Strangely enough, 30 years later, a Snow Bunting was present for a few days on this same peninsula, thus reinforcing the site's name. Old Hickory Lake Park and Snow Bunting Peninsula- A large part of the lake can be scanned from Snow Bunting Peninsula, frequently yielding cormorants, grebes, ducks, herons and gulls. Recent rare and uncommon birds found on or seen from Snow Bunting Peninsula include "Western" Willets, Marbled Godwit, American Avocet, Buff-breasted Sandpiper (rare spring record for TN), Piping Plover (rare spring record for TN and there were 2 birds, one was banded 10 years earlier in Saskatchewan), Laughing Gull, Parasitic Jaeger, Magnificant Frigatebird, Red Knot, Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpiper, Peregrine Falcon, among other shorebirds, gulls, terns, and ducks. Caspian, Common, Forster's, and Black Terns were photographed together in 2011. To get to the dam from the Peninsula, go back to Swinging Bridge Road, turn right and go to the next street on the right (Cinder Road). Follow this back to the water. A large parking area next to the beach provides another access point for scanning the lake. The road to the left leads to the dam. Bear left and continue down to the river below the dam. Black-crowned Night Heron are frequently seen along the bank and in the trees on either side of the river. Gulls are generally present near the spillway. The Nature Trail is also located here. The nature trail at the dam provides a nice mix of forest birds and is one of the few places in middle Tennessee to find Pine Warblers. Barred Owls are common in the forest along the dam trail. In winter, Red-breasted Nuthatches may be present. Lesser Black-backed Gull has been found at the dam in recent years.
Fees and Hours Facilities
Contact Info for other sites
|
