Sharp's
Ridge
| Sharp's Ridge Memorial Park is a 1.5
mile section of ridge on the north side of Knoxville. It is one
of many parallel ridges running northeast to southwest in eastern
Tennessee. Unlike most of the others, it is very easily accessible
with a paved road along its crest. |
Photos by Charles
P. Nicholson |
Sharp's Ridge Memorial Park is one of the best places
in the Knoxville region to observe migrant songbirds during the spring.
It is well known and popular with birders, and birders are usually
present weekend mornings during April and early May, and, especially
in late April and early May, many weekday mornings. At this time,
it is common to record 15 or more species of wood warblers, and, on
occasion, 20 or more warblers. Vireos, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, thrushes,
tanagers, Indigo Buntings, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and orioles are
regularly present.
Sharp's Ridge can also be a good place to find fall
migrants, although it is less consistently productive during the fall
than in the spring.
DIRECTIONS
Getting there: From I-640, take Exit 6 - Broadway/US 441. From the
exit ramp, go south on Broadway (towards downtown). If you are coming
from the west, turn right onto Broadway. If you are coming from the
east, turn left. Go 0.7 mile on Broadway until you reach Ludlow, where
you will turn right. This intersection is a short distance past a
Shoney's Restaurant on the left side of Broadway. Stay on Ludlow for
0.5 miles until you reach a gap on the ridge (coordinates N 36.0090°,
W 83.9343°. Go to the left at this gap; you are now on the main road
along the top of the ridge.
BIRDING SHARP'S RIDGE
Before you reach the gap in the ridge, you will go through a few intersections.
Immediately past the Y intersection with Pembroke, 0.3 miles after
you turn off Broadway, is a good place to make a quick stop. House
Wrens nest in the adjacent yards, and Common Yellowthroats and other
species of grassy/brushy areas can often be found in the field on
your right.
As you reach the gap on the ridge, you come to a T;
turn to your left. The gap itself is usually worth a quick stop. After
you turn to the left, you will be on a paved road that runs about
1.3 miles on or close to the crest of the ridge. There are several
pull-offs and small parking areas along the ridge. Many birders park
at a paved, striped area on the left 0.4 miles after you first get
to the top of the ridge (coordinates N 36.0055°, W 83.9393°) and walk
the rest of the ridge. This area, the site of the J.
B. Owen Overlook (named after a prominent Knoxville birder and
journalist), has a wooded observation deck and railing, and a nice
view of downtown Knoxville and, if clear enough, the Smokies. One
of the many tall telecommunication towers that bristle from Sharp's
Ridge is directly across the road from this parking area.
If your time is limited or if you want to limit your
walking, drive about 0.8 miles from where you first top the ridge
to a gap where the road bends to your left at a wooden shed and just
before the driveway to a house and fire tower. There is room for parking
several cars on the right (coordinates N 36.0022°, W 83.9443°). The
next several hundred yards to just past the picnic shelter on the
right and the second of two small gravel parking areas is often the
most productive area.
During the fall, closely check the masses of grape and
Virginia creeper vines scattered along the ridge. Large numbers of
thrashers, catbirds, thrushes, as well as smaller numbers of vireos
and warblers, are often in the vines eating the fruits.
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View
to the southwest along Sharp's Ridge roadway at the J. B. Owen
Overlook (on the left). Numerous communication towers of all
shapes and sizes line the crest of Sharp's Ridge.
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The
Sharp's Ridge roadway just west of the parking area at the wooden
shed and fire tower. This stretch of the ridge is often one
of the most productive areas.
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A checklist of the birds of Sharp's Ridge is available
in two parts: Part
1, Part 2.
Since this checklist was assembled, additional birds recorded on the
ridge include the Wild Turkey (now fairly regular), and Clay-colored
Sparrow (rare transient).
DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer Page 59, Grid D-7 and Page
43, Grid A-7..
Prepared by Charles P. Nicholson, October 2004.