A Guide for Birdwatching at Lake Junaluska

Birdwatching at Lake Junaluska can be enjoyed in every season. There is also a checklist of the species that have been reported and documented, which will be a helpful tool. It is available at the Welcome Center. Maps of the campus are also available.

This guide describes the best locations for finding certain species. A field guide to birds will aid in identifying questionable species; binoculars are a must for locating species, affording closer views. Remember to be respectful at all times of other guests and residents. Do not walk onto private property; instead, stay in the public spaces.

Birds are prey animals, and are sensitive to loud noises and quick movements. Speak in a low voice, and try not to move quickly or point vigorously. Wear neutral colors (don’t wear white) so that you blend with your surroundings.

Begin your visit at the Aquatic Center, where the pool is located. This is a good spot for finding water fowl on the lake. During the winter, many water fowl can be found here; typically the most interesting will be in the middle of the lake, so a scope is helpful. You can walk to the Turbeville Bridge to continue the search, which could include shorebirds along the water’s edge, along with sparrows in brush. The homes in the vicinity may have other species moving about, so keep an eye and ear out for passerines - Towhee, Cardinal, Wren, Goldfinch, and others.

Leaving the Aquatic Center, drive along North Lakeshore to the large parking lot beyond the Memorial Chapel. This is another good venue for spotting water fowl, and also for bluebirds and swallows. Don’t forget to look up into the sky! There is a family of resident Bald Eagles, and Osprey are present. Several hawk species can be seen as well.

Next, drive up to the Cross. This location offers treetop views, perfect for spotting warblers and flycatchers.

Find a parking spot near Lambuth Inn and walk along the road towards the dam. This wooded area usually yields a nice variety of woodpeckers, along with the White-breasted Nuthatch, and maybe even a Brown Creeper.

From Lambuth Inn, continue to the dam, cross over to South Lakeshore and drive along to the swan feeding area. Along the way, you may spot other waterfowl on the lake, or passerines along the lake edge. Don’t forget to look up!

The Swan feeding station is a spot with higher concentration of opportunistic species looking for a handout. Amongst those regulars you may find something worth the stop.

Continue driving, keeping an eye for movements in the trees, the lake, and of course the sky.

When you pass the Turbeville Bridge area, you may see additional waterfowl, different from those in the larger portion of the lake. Safely pull over if you want to stop and look.

Near the area where Richland Creek flows into the lake, near the highway, there will be another opportunity for water fowl, woodpeckers and more.

The last stop is the boat launch, accessed from the main highway. Here is a good view of the wetlands, where herons and egrets might be seen. The Green Heron is a frequent visitor, as are the lake’s swans.  Common Loon  Turkey Vulture  Rock Dove  Pied-billed Grebe  Black Vulture  Mourning Dove

 Horned Grebe  Sharp-shinned Hawk  Common Nighthawk

  Eared Grebe Cooper’s Hawk  Chimney Swift  American White Pelican  Red-tailed Hawk  Brown Pelican  Red-shouldered Hawk  Broad-winged Hawk  Double-crested Cormorant  Bald Eagle  Great Blue Heron  Northern Harrier  Great Egret  Osprey  Snowy Egret  Peregrine Falcon  Little Blue Heron  Merlin  Cattle Egret  Ruby-throated Hummingbird  American Kestrel  Green Heron  Belted Kingfisher  Sandhill Crane  Black-crowned Night Heron  Northern Flicker  Sora  White Ibis  Pileated Woodpecker  American Coot  Snow Goose  Red-bellied Woodpecker   Ross’s Goose Semipalmated Plover  Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  Canada Goose  Killdeer  Hairy Woodpecker   Lesser Canada Goose American Golden Plover  Downy Woodpecker  Greater Yellowlegs  Cackling Goose  Eastern Kingbird  Lesser Yellowlegs  Wood Duck  Eastern Phoebe  Solitary Sandpiper  Gadwall  Willow Flycatcher  Willet  American Widgeon  Eastern Wood Pewee  Spotted Sandpiper  American Black Duck  Tree Swallow  Wilson’s Snipe  Mallard  Bank Swallow  Long-billed Dowitcher  Blue-Winged Teal  Northern Rough-winged Swallow  Semipalmated Sandpiper  Canvasback  Barn Swallow  Western Sandpiper  Redhead  Purple martin  Least Sandpiper  Ring-necked Duck  Blue Jay  Pectoral Sandpiper  Greater Scaup  Common Raven  Dunlin  Lesser Scaup  American Crow   Surf Scoter Herring Gull  Carolina Chickadee   White-winged Scoter Ring-billed Gull  Tufted Titmouse   Black Scoter Laughing Gull   White-breasted Nuthatch  Bufflehead Franklin’s Gull

  Red-breasted Nuthatch  Common Goldeneye Bonaparte’s Gull

 Red-Breasted Merganser  Forster’s Tern  Brown Creeper

 Common Merganser  Common Tern  House Wren  Hooded Merganser  Caspian Tern  Winter Wren

 Ruddy Duck  Black Tern  Carolina Wren  Northern Mockingbird  House Sparrow

 Gray Catbird  Eastern Meadowlark

 Brown Thrasher  Red-winged Blackbird

  American Robin Orchard Oriole  Baltimore Oriole  Hermit Thrush Birding   Swainson’s Thrush Rusty Blackbird   Gray-cheeked Thrush  Common Grackle  Eastern Bluebird  Brown-headed Cowbird  Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  Scarlet Tanager Checklist  Golden-crowned Kinglet

 Ruby-crowned Kinglet  Northern Cardinal

 Rose-breasted Grosbeak  American Pipit  Indigo Bunting  Cedar Waxwing  Purple Finch  European Starling  House Finch

 Yellow-throated Vireo  Pine Siskin

  Blue-headed Vireo American Goldfinch Inside you will find a list of  Red-eyed Vireo  Eastern Towhee

 Warbling Vireo  Savannah Sparrow birds that can, could or should

  Black-and-white Warbler Grasshopper Sparrow be seen here at Lake  Dark-eyed Junco  Prothonotary Warbler Junaluska.  Worm-eating Warbler  Chipping Sparrow  Field sparrow  Tennessee Warbler This list represents birds seen  Nashville Warbler  White-crowned Sparrow

 Northern Parula  White-throated Sparrow in each of the four seasons.

  Yellow Warbler Fox Sparrow

 Magnolia Warbler  Swamp Sparrow ~Beautiful song and colorful plumage mark  Song Sparrow  Cape May Warbler the lake’s summer residents.  Black-throated Blue Warbler  Blackburnian Warbler NOTES: ~Spring and fall present the migrants stopping  Yellow-throated Warbler by on their journey between breeding and  Chestnut-sided Warbler

 Bay-breasted Warbler wintering grounds.

 Blackpoll Warbler ~Winter hosts waterfowl in abundance.  Pine Warbler

 Prairie Warbler Enjoy your time as you explore  Palm Warbler  Northern Waterthrush Lake Junaluska in search of

 Common Yellowthroat these intriguing habitants!  American Redstart