Wheeler NWR – Beaverdam Peninsula Tower
Site #24 Central Loop Description: A visit to the Beaverdam Peninsula Tower in the summer may make visitors wonder why the tower is even mentioned. This broad observation platform sits in wheat and corn fields dotted with a few Red-winged Blackbirds. While a visit in the summer might not impress, once fall is in the [...]
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Wheeler NWR – Arrowhead Landing
Site #23 Central Loop Description: Located just off I-565, this site provides access to another corner of the fertile Wheeler Reservoir and the Tennessee River. Watch the open water for rafts of Lesser Scaups, Red-breasted Mergansers, Green-winged Teals, Common Loons, and perhaps some surprises. At times of low water, check the mudflats for migrant shorebirds [...]
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Swan Creek Wildlife Management Area
Site #21 Central Loop Description: This state wildlife management area on the Tennessee River is managed for waterfowl and small game, although it supports many more species. Mudflats can be covered with shorebirds, serving as a key attraction to this area in the fall. Search among the typical Yellowlegs and Killdeer for unusual species such [...]
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Wheeler NWR – Beaverdam Swamp Boardwalk
Site #25 Central Loop Description: The Beaverdam Swamp Boardwalk leads the visitor into the heart of the largest Tupelo Swamp in Alabama. While exploring the boardwalk, watch the canopy for active flocks of Tufted Titmice, Red-eyed Vireos, and a variety of warblers. The swamp usually rings with the songs of frogs, insects, and numerous birds [...]
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Round Island Recreation Area
Site #22 Central Loop Description: The Round Island Recreation Area provides access to the north side of the Tennessee River and an excellent vantage point for viewing winter waterfowl as well as cormorants, loons, and grebes. The pine woodland that surrounds the camping area is scattered with songbirds such as Red-breasted Nuthatches and numerous kinglets [...]
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Decatur Hospitality Nature Park
Site #17 Central Loop Description: The Decatur Hospitality Nature Park, nearby US Highway 31 Causeway, and the Decatur Boat Harbor provide a great opportunity to scan the waters of the Tennessee River for winter waterfowl and shorebirds. This area is one of the first sites to develop mudflats in the fall as water levels begin [...]
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Wheeler NWR – White Springs Dike
Site #20 Central Loop Description: White Spring Dike on Wheeler NWR is one of the premier birding sites of the Tennessee River Valley in Alabama. The dike runs between a dewatering area on the north side and the Tennessee River on the south. Intrepid birders can walk for more than eight miles along the dike, getting [...]
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