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Lytle Creek Road Area

Birding Seasons:

Spring A+

Summer A

Fall B-

Winter B-

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Site Description and Habitats

The Lytle Creek Rd is the best place east of the Mississippi River to find eastern Bewick’s Wrens. The area is mixed fescue pasture and cropland with scattered homes.

Lytle Creek Rd is all private land, so be respectful of home and landowners.

Bird species of interest

Spring and Fall Migration: Bewick’s Wren, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Lark Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, Eastern Kingbird, Grasshopper Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark, House Wren, Orchard Oriole, Field Sparrow, Prairie Warbler, Bobolink (spring), Baltimore Oriole (spring), Northern Bobwhite

Summer: Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Blue Grosbeak, Eastern Kingbird, Grasshopper Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark, House Wren, Orchard Oriole, Field Sparrow, Prairie Warbler

Winter: White-crowned Sparrow

Year-Round: American Kestrel, Loggerhead Shrike (rare in the county).

Species list via eBird HotSpot Explorer

Submit your data to eBird here

Detailed directions for birding Lyle Creek Road

From I-24, take exit 84, Joe B Jackson Pkwy, east to a “T” at Hwy 41. Turn left onto Hwy 41 and travel 0.9 miles and make a right on Dilton Mankin Rd. In 1.7 miles, cross a bridge over a creek and make a right onto Wilson Overall Rd. IN another 0.7 miles, turn right onto Lytle Creek Rd.
Lat-Long: 35.786279, -86.314774 (north end of Lytle Creek Rd)

The intersection of Wilson Overall Rd and Lytle Creek Rd (35.786279, -86.314774) is a long time location for Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. A pair frequents this intersection and the fences along Lytle Creek annually from mid-April through the summer and likely into early fall.

Drive slow along Lytle Creek Rd and at the 3^rd 90 degree turn (this one is to the left), go straight onto Couch Rd. Along this deadend road is one of the few places to find Loggerhead Shrikes in the county. Red-headed Woodpeckers are sometimes found here as well. Up to 2 pairs of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers have been found here as well.

From the 4^th 90 degree turn on Lytle Creek Rd and on up the “hill”, drive slow and listen for Bewick’s Wrens. At the top of the “hill” is a couple homes with several outbuildings, which is where a pair of Bewick’s Wrens have nested for several years and is one of very few semi-reliable places to find the species east of the Mississippi river (not seen in 2014).

Lat-Long (GPS) coordinates
Turn off of Wilson Overall onto the north end of Lytle Creek Rd (also where Scissor-tailed Flycatchers spend the spring and summer) - 35.786279, -86.314774

Fees and Hours
Year round, however spring and summer (primarily April - July) are best.

Hazards
There is little traffic on this road, but be careful!

Facilities
None

Info for other sites
Tennessee’s Watchable Wildlife web site