Staff Photo by Dan Henry Shannon Hatmaker watches a cardinal at Greenway Farm in Hixson while working on a research project about the effects of invasive plant species on native bird populations.

Birding is soaring in the Chattanooga area.

From watching migrating whooping cranes to ogling local blue herons, many people in the city take binoculars everywhere they go.

Each birder has a special viewing place to go.

“The Brainerd Levee is one of my favorite spots,” said amateur birder and Tennessee Ornithological Society member Ray Zimmerman. “It’s got a diverse assortment of waterfowl. A lot of wintering birds stay there.”

The Tennessee River also shines for waterfowl watching.

Riverwalk Bird Club members, a sister group to the more than 150-member Ornithological Society, have spotted more than 90 species of birds along the Tennessee Riverwalk — stretching from downtown to the Chickamauga Dam. Their list includes the great egret, blackcrowned night heron, sandhill crane, bald eagle, Caspian tern and double-crested cormorant.

Across the country, more than 66 million people watch, feed or photograph birds, according to a 2001 survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

No one knows for sure how many area folks bird. But there are certainly abundant birds to be seen.

Special events include winter migrations of sandhill and the rare whooping cranes. Biologists estimate that more than 15,000 migrating sandhill cranes overwinter at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Meigs County.

In fall and spring, hawks migrate south and north, providing a raptor show. Falcon watching soars from March through June, when chicks are born and fledge.

For a small amount of money, you can buy top-quality birding gear, local birders have said.

Quality binoculars start at $200. Highly recommended birding guides include “The Peterson Guide to Eastern Birds” and “The Sibley Guide to Birds.”

This month and next a parade of migrating birds will stream though the area. While pros may seek such delights as warblers, beginners may choose to look for easy birds to ID.

“I’m out looking for ducks,” Mr. Zimmerman said. “They’re not migrating in, they’re leaving the area at this time. But they’re large, easy to see, easy to identify and as long as you’re near water you’re likely to see one.”

WHERE TO WATCH

Brainerd Levee: Good for marsh birds, rails, herons, shorebirds, ducks as well as grassland birds such as sparrows and hawks.

Tennessee Riverwalk: See peregrine falcon, gulls, songbirds and waterfowl.

The trails around the Cravens House on the Lookout Mountain portion of Chickamauga National Battlefield are premier songbird watching spots.

Booker T. Washington State Park: Good views of the most open portion of Chickamauga Lake; great waterfowl viewing.

Reflection Riding Arboretum & Botanical Garden and Chattanooga Nature Center, 400 Garden Road: Variety of habitats, pleasant walks and homes for many species of birds.

North Alabama Birding Trail: www.northalabamabirdingtrail.com.

Blue Moon Cruises, 888-993-2583, www.bluemooncruises.org. Ecotours from downtown and Sale Creek Marina to the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge and Tennessee River Gorge.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Chattanooga chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society meets at 7 p.m. on second Thursdays of each month at the Ascension Lutheran Church on Germantown Road. Details: rockyturf@comcast.net, www.chattaonogatos.org

Resource list for active birders: www.dmoz.org/Recreation/Birding/North_America/

American Bird Conservancy — Read news or sign up for an RSS feed: www.abcbirds.org.

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