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Cross Creeks NWRBirding Seasons: Spring A Summer B Fall A Winter A+
Site Description and Habitats Cross Creeks NWR straddles the banks of Lake Barkley and is a waterfowl refuge in winter. Low areas are managed waterfowl units, while upland forests comprise half of the acreage of Cross Creeks NWR. One short hiking trail is informative of local flora and fauna. Bird species of interest:
Spring and Fall Migration: Nearly all warblers, vireos, flycatchers, and thrushes can be found. Summer: Osprey, Summer Tanager, Prothonotary Warbler, Northern Parula, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Buntings, Blue Grosbeak, and Yellow-breasted Chat. Very small numbers of Cerulean Warblers nested in a tornado ravaged area on the north side of the river in the late 2000's and may still be present. Winter: Scout the shrubby areas by the HQ for White-throated, White-crowned, Swamp, Field, Song, and Fox Sparrows, while Lincoln's Sparrow is more often in fall and spring, but could be around. American White Pelican. Ring-billed, Herring, and Bonaparte's Gullscan be found throughout the winter. Year-Round: Bald Eagle, Barred Owl, Mallard, Eastern Towhee and other resident species. Species list via eBird Hotspot Explorer - Cross Creeks NWR There are several hotspots for specific locations on the refuge. Submit your data to eBird here
Detailed directions for birding Cross Creeks NWR From Hwy 79 and Hwy 49 in Dover, TN, travel 3 miles south to refuge entrance. Follow signs to visitor's center. There are roads that traverse the north and south sides of the refuge. The main access area is on the south side. Roads travel through the woodlands and lakeshores in the floodplain. Scout out ponds for waterfowl and shorebirds, if habitat is present, and listen in the woods for migrants and summer residents. In winter, the refuge is closed to most access, but viewing can be done from the overlook behind the HQ. Large numbers of ducks and geese can be present, as well as American White Pelicans. Other wildlife viewing opportunities
Lat-Long (GPS) coordinates Fees and Hours No fees are required to access these areas. The areas are accessible during daylight hours. Most of the refuge is closed from November 15th to March 15th. The observation deck and visitor's center are open year round. Hazards Facilities Contact Info for other sites
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