Standifer
Gap Marsh
Standifer Gap Marsh is a large marsh complex that provides
habitat for herons and egrets, waterfowl, rails, and songbirds. The
marsh includes areas of open water, emergent vegetation such as cattails,
rushes, parrot feather and arrowhead, and patches of willow and ash
trees, and clumps of leadbush and buttonbush shrubs.
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View
of Standifer Gap Marsh looking south from near the northwest
corner of the marsh.
Photos by
Charles P. Nicholson
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Birding at Standifer Gap Marsh is good throughout the
year. Several species of waterfowl are present during the winter.
Canada Geese and Wood Ducks breed in the area and can be present year-round.
Blue-winged Teal are present in the spring and early fall, and a pair
nested at the marsh in 2004. Virginia Rails have been found in all
seasons, and, along with Least Bitterns, nest in the marsh. Other
species present in the summer include Green Herons, Willow Flycatchers,
Common Yellowthroats, Orchard Orioles, and abundant Red-winged Blackbirds.
Small numbers of shorebirds such as yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpipers,
and Solitary Sandpipers are present during the spring and early fall,
and Wilson's Snipe are present during the winter. The marsh edge and
nearby grasslands and shrubby areas provide habitat for various species
of sparrows from fall through spring, Bobolinks in the spring, Northern
Bobwhite, Blue Grosbeaks, Killdeer, and Eastern Meadowlarks.
DIRECTIONS
Standifer Gap Marsh is located on the northeast side of Chattanooga.
From I-75, take Exit 5, Shallowford Road. Go west (to the left from
I-75 North, to the right from I-75 South) on Shallowford Road 0.6
miles to the intersection with Hickory Valley Road. Turn right (north)
and go 0.7 miles to the first stoplight. Turn left onto Standifer
Gap Road. After 0.4 miles, turn right onto a paved entrance road to
a new church campus (coordinates N 35.059085, W 85.167189). The marsh
area is on your left. DeLorme atlas grid D4, page 25.
BIRDING STANDIFER GAP MARSH
Shortly after turning off Standifer Gap Road, there is a large pond
on the left which often contains waterfowl. 
| Past this pond,
about a quarter mile from Standifer Gap Road on the left, is a
narrow marshy slough (coordinates N 35.061938, W 85.165750) where
rails may be seen. Also scan the large open water area and marshy
fringe of the main part of the marsh directly behind this slough.
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Towards the back of the church campus, about 0.4 miles
from Standifer Gap Road, the paved road makes a sharp turn to the
right and a gravel road goes to the left. Park along the gravel road
and walk along it (coordinates N 35.064651, W 85.16685), scanning
and listening for rails, Least Bitterns, Willow Flycatchers, and other
marsh birds. Please limit your use of tape playback, especially during
the marsh birds' April - July breeding season.
DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer Page 25, Grids D-4.
Prepared by Charles P. Nicholson, August 2004.