Booker T. Washington Bird Watching | Tennessee State Parks

A pelican near the water at Booker T. Washington State Park.

Birding at Booker T. Washington

Bald eagles, osprey, and many species of waterfowl are frequently seen at Booker T. Washington State Park.

Booker T. Washington State Park offers unique wildlife viewing opportunities throughout the year. Bald eagles, osprey, and many species of waterfowl are frequently spotted here. Great blue herons tend to congregate on the fishing pier with the roof being a particularly popular perch. The hilly area where mountain bike trails are located is an excellent location for viewing spring and fall migratory birds. Seasonal loons are frequent winter visitors. Observers have reported 129 species of birds at this lakeside park.

Share Your Sightings

We love seeing what you discover! Share your favorite bird photos or sightings from the park on social media and tag us on Instagram. @BookerTWashingtonStatePark

Your posts help celebrate the incredible wildlife that calls our park home and inspire others to explore nature responsibly.

Featured Birds

Canada Goose
Great Blue Heron
Common Loon
Eastern Kingbird
Orchard Oriole
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Pine Warbler
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
Tennessee Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Vireos
Red-headed Woodpecker
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Northern Flicker
Brown Creeper
Waterfowl
Black Tern
Caspian Tern
Osprey
Horned Grebe
Bald Eagle
Gull
Scaups
Ducks
Mergansers
Wild Turkey
Song Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Eastern Phoebe
Belted Kingfisher
Thrushes
Shorebirds
Waterfowl
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Red-headed Woodpecker
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Black Tern
American Bittern
Common Yellowthroat
Orchard Oriole
Winter Wren
Rusty Blackbird
Sandpipers
Plovers
Yellowlegs

Responsible Birding

Do not endanger the welfare of birds.
Tread lightly and respect bird habitat.
Silence is golden.
Do not use electronic sound devices to attract birds during nesting season, May-July.
Take extra care when in a nesting area.
Always respect the law and the rights of others, violators subject to prosecution.
Do not trespass on private property.
Avoid pointing your binoculars at other people or their homes.
Limit group sizes in areas that are not conducive to large crowds.

Birding Locations

A hiking map is available at the park. 

Boat Ramp and Fishing Pier

Featured birds: Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Bald Eagle

The fishing pier is one of the best spots in the park to view bald eagles and osprey. Osprey often hunt between the Chickamauga Dam wall and the park’s inlet, and a nesting pair of bald eagles calls the park home, raising several offspring right here on site.
Keep an eye out for our resident grey heron, often seen stalking the shallows near the pier. You can also spot cormorants. Sunset is the perfect time to listen for the heron’s loud, unmistakable calls.
Booker T. Washington Hiking Trail

Featured birds: Eastern Kingbird, Orchard Oriole, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Pine Warbler, Red-breasted Nuthatch

The brushy lake shore affords fall migrant songbirds and breeding eastern kingbird and orchard oriole. The Virginia pines hold breeding brown-headed nuthatches and pine warblers. 
Bay Point Loop Trail

Featured birds: Pine Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Vireos

Forested trail that follows along the lakeshore and shallow bays.
Picnic Area

Featured birds: Caspian Tern, Osprey, Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Common Loon

This wooded and semi-open peninsula provides easy views into the main lake and bay area containing the marina. 
Standifer Gap Marsh Road alongside the marsh

Featured birds: Wild Turkey, Canada Goose, Killdeer, Song Sparrow, Field Sparrow

This site is owned by the Woodland Park Baptist Church and contains a cattail marsh with some large pockets of open water, bordered by stands of wet grasses, sedges, bulrushes, and willows and other moisture-loving trees and shrubs. Over 200 species of birds identified.

Woodland Park Baptist Church
Chester Frost Park: Entrance

Featured birds: Waterfowl, Shorebirds, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Red-headed Woodpecker, Bald Eagle

A leisurely walk around the park roads offers good birdwatching for waterfowl and gulls in winter with views of the lake and mixed pine/deciduous forest. One hundred and seventy species of birds identified. 
Brainerd Levee (South Chickamauga Creek Greenway): Parking Area

Featured birds: Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, American Bittern, Common Yellowthroat, Orchard Oriole

This stormwater control structure, with a paved trail atop the 2.60-mile-long levee, has created freshwater habitats including cattail marsh, seasonal mudflats, wet fields, wet woods, shallow ponds, fields with shrub and shrubby edges, and riparian woods. Over 190 species of birds have been identified. 
Booker T. Aviary

Visit the park’s Aviary to meet our captive bird ambassadors; unreleasable raptors cared for in partnership with local wildlife rehabilitators and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). You’ll meet our red-tailed hawk, barred owl, and screech owl, and if you listen closely, you may even hear wild barred owls calling from the nearby woods.
Nature Trail

The Nature Loop Trail is a peaceful woodland walk where you're likely to see nuthatches, cardinals, goldfinches, and Carolina chickadees. This short loop is perfect for a relaxing stroll with plenty of songbird activity.

Accessibility
Scenic Trail

During winter, the park becomes a seasonal home to the common loon. The best viewing is along the Scenic Trail, which starts near the boat ramp and ends at a lakefront viewing platform; a great place to spot waterfowl and enjoy sweeping views of Chickamauga Lake.