Kyker
Bottoms Refuge
Kyker Bottoms Refuge is a 350 acre area in southern
Blount County owned and managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources
Agency. It lies along Ninemile Creek a few miles west of Tellico Lake
and features fields, wetlands, and thickets managed primarily for
small game and waterfowl.
For the birdwatcher, Kyker is one of the best places
in east Tennessee and especially the greater Knoxville area from fall
through spring for a large variety of hawks, sparrows, and, depending
on water conditions, waterfowl and shorebirds.
Rare birds recorded at Kyker include Nelson's Sharp-tailed
Sparrow, LeConte's Sparrow, Brewer's Blackbird
 |
Late
fall view of Kyker Bottoms from the observation platform.
|
DIRECTIONS
From Knoxville or points west via I-40: Take I-140 south to US 129.
Then take US 129 south past the Knoxville Airport. A few miles past
the Knoxville Airport, US 129 merges with US 411. Continue south on
US 129/411 to a stop light where the highways split. Turn left, staying
on US 129 South for about 7.5 miles to the intersection with Garland
Road on the right (coordinates N 35.601671°
W -84.108857°.) Turn right (east) onto Garland Road. The refuge property
starts on the right in about 0.8 miles.
From the east on I-40, exit at US 129-Alcoa Highway
and stay on US 129 towards the Knoxville Airport. Follow directions
as above.
From the south on I-75: Take exit #60 (Madisonville,
TN 68). Go right at the end of the ramp, onto TN 68. Follow it to
US 411 and go north on US 411. After crossing over Tellico Lake (which
is worth a brief stop in winter for gulls and waterfowl) take a right
on TN 72. At the fork in the road, go right onto Kyker Road to check
the 2 gravel parking lots (described below) or go left onto Big Gully
Road and turn into the paved parking lot (described below) after 0.3
mile.
BIRDING KYKER BOTTOMS
Approximately 0.8 miles from US 129 you will pass the refuge boundary
and over a small creek. If you are up for a walk, turn into the well-concealed
gravel drive on the right immediately after crossing the creek. Be
very careful parking as it can be muddy. After parking, walk out onto
the levee. Taking a left at the first intersection on the levee leads
to the equipment shed area, and goes through the most productive wetland
area. This can be very buggy and very hot in summer. Alternatively,
from the gravel parking lot cross back over the creek and walk the
gated dirt road along the east side of the creek past overgrown fields
and eventually to a large marsh. Turkeys are often present along this
dirt road. This area is not open to the public in the winter when
most waterfowl are present.
At 1.0 miles from US 129, one of the refuge parking
areas is on the right near TWRA's equipment shed (coordinates N 35.600720°
W -84.114217°). Do not block the gate.
During the fall and winter, an American Kestral and
a Loggerhead Shrike are usually present near the equipment shed, perched
on one of the light posts, fences, or tall shrubs. Check the brush
around the equipment shed and the adjacent fields for Savannah, Vesper,
and other sparrows, Palm Warblers, and pipits. Barn Owls have been
reported by refuge staff, who plan to erect nest boxes. Watch for
Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk and Northern Harrier.
The largest area of open water is directly in front
of you. Scope this carefully for waterfowl before walking towards
it (do not walk beyond the shed during the winter closure, explained
below). Canada Geese, Mallards, American Wigeon, Gadwall, Northern
Pintails, American Black Ducks, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Ducks
and American Coots occur regularly.
Check the low wet areas near the open water for Swamp and other sparrows,
snipe, and Sedge Wrens. If you have time, walk the dikes towards the
west (your left as you face away from the equipment shed). American
Bitterns, Soras, and Virginia Rails are occasionally observed from
the dikes. Nelson's Sharp-tailed and LeConte's Sparrows have also
been found here a few times during migration.
 |
Wetland
area, dike, and water control structure.
|
At mile 1.4 (from US 129) is a second gravel parking
lot on the right (coordinates
N 35.602298°, W -84.122173°). This area is generally similar to the
area at the equipment shed but offers much more room for parking.
Across the road from this parking lot is more refuge
land that is less frequently birded. The old gravel road goes through
upland old fields and into a forested area. Red-headed Woodpeckers
and other species can be found here. Many common species less frequently
found elsewhere on the refuge are often present here as well. This
part of the refuge south of Garland Road is open to public access
year round.
Continue past this lot to get to the main hilltop parking
area and observation platform. At 1.7 miles from US 129, turn right
at the stop sign onto Big Gully Road. After 0.3 miles, turn right
into the paved parking lot (coordinates N 35.602180°
W -84.122143°). A gravel path leads up the hill to the accessible
observation platform. Because of its distance from open water, a scope
is helpful for viewing waterfowl from the platform.
|
The
observation platform.
|
 |
The brushy fields near the platform, in front of the
parking lot, and to the left (north) of the parking lot are good for
a variety of sparrows including White-crowned, White-throated, Field,
Fox and Song, as well as Dark-eyed Juncos. From the parking lot, plowed
food strips extend in various directions through the bluff; birding
along these is usually very productive. While in this area, scan the
farmyard and pond on the opposite (west) side of Big Gully Road. Several
species not often found on the refuge, such as Red-headed woodpeckers,
are frequently present here.
Northern Bobwhite may be heard or flushed almost anywhere
in the refuge, and Turkey Vultures, Black Vultures, and Red-tailed,
Red-shouldered and Cooper's Hawks are usually present. Bald Eagles
are also seen flying over the area with some regularity.
At least 132 bird species have been recorded at Kyker
Bottoms. Click here for an area checklist.
Please send additions and corrections to the checklist to Charles
Nicholson.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Kyker Bottoms Refuge is closed to all entry from November 1 through
February 14. During this period, use of the hilltop observation platform
is allowed, and stopping in the parking areas along Garland Road to
scan the area is allowed. Many birds can be seen and heard from these
locations, making for an easy birding trip for those with mobility
problems. The refuge is also open for hunting except during the November-February
closure period. Check the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency website
at http://www.state.tn.us/twra/huntmain.html
for current information on these hunts and the refuge closure.
Resist the temptation to stop along the roads to scan
for birds. The roads are narrow with blind curves, and there have
been several near misses. Use the parking lots.
A map is available on the TWRA web site at http://www.state.tn.us/twra/gis/wmapdf/KykerBottoms.pdf
DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer Page 43, Grids D-5 and
D-6.
Prepared by Charles P. Nicholson with assistance from
Charlie Muise, Jean Alexander, David Johnson and David Trently, February
2006.