Saturday, November 1st – Duck River Unit, Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge
For our November walk, we will be guided by Daniel Redwine as we continue our annual tradition of
visiting the Duck River Unit just before its seasonal closure. This beautiful refuge is a prime birding
spot in early November, with large numbers of waterfowl already returned for the winter. With luck,
we could spot up to 20 species of ducks and geese. Duck River is also a reliable location for winter-
ing raptors such as Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers, Red-tailed Hawks, and perhaps a falcon or two.
We’ll also focus on sparrows, with the potential to see at least 10 species. If conditions are favora-
ble, we’ll possibly offer an optional “sparrow stomp” through marshy fields in hopes of flushing out
LeConte’s Sparrow and other skulking species.
Carpooling is highly encouraged for this trip due to limited parking and group coordination. For
those who wish to carpool, please meet at the MTA Park-and-Ride in Bellevue and depart
promptly at 6:15am, or you can meet us directly at the refuge entrance (35.97407, -87.95305) at
8:00am.
Please dress in layers for the weather, bring water and snacks, and if you plan to participate in the
sparrow stomp, waterproof shoes or muck boots are strongly recommended. We expect to wrap up
by mid-day or early afternoon. Come join us for one of the season’s best birding outings!