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week of 7/16/03 | ||
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The
Naturalist's Corner By Don Hendershot  I
have written a few times about Rankin Bottoms Wildlife Refuge in Cocke
County, Tenn. It is aptly described by Michael Sledjeski in a paddlers’
guide as “a southern Appalachian bayou.”Only an hour from Waynesville, this swampy refuge is the antithesis of the cool, clear, swift streams common to the Appalachians. Its backwaters, cottonwood and willow groves, flora and fauna and sweet musky smell are much more reminiscent of the Louisiana delta where I grew up. I must admit that this nostalgic connection gives me a distinct bias, but the myriad attractions of Rankin Bottoms stand on their on merit. Black-crowned night herons, little green herons, wood ducks, ospreys, cormorants and prothonotary warblers are just some of the species one might encounter during the summer. And during migration, there’s simply no telling what one may find as migrants wing their way north in the spring and south in the fall. Some species that I have seen at Rankin include northern goshawk, white pelican, tundra swan, upland, white-rumped, pectoral, least and solitary sandpiper, greater and lesser yellowlegs, ruddy turnstone and black tern just to name a few. There is a large colony of cliff swallows under the bridge across the French Broad River at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources boat launch. Just below that bridge on part of an abandoned railroad trestle is a large osprey nest. The buttonbush and cottonwood trees that line the muddy shores and the flooded willows that provide nesting snags for prothonotaries, tree swallows and others is also reminiscent of the Louisiana delta. And on one trip last April, Bob Olthoff and I saw a beautiful zebra-swallowtail — a smaller, white version of our local tiger-swallowtail. Rankin Bottoms lies along the confluence of the Nolichucky and French Broad rivers about two miles from the mouth of the French Broad. TVA’s Douglas Dam regulates the water level at Rankin Bottoms. Much of the bottoms is accessible by vehicle and by foot during the fall and winter when TVA drops the water levels. However during spring and summer the best, most enjoyable way to see and hear the sights and sounds of Rankin Bottoms is by canoe. Sledjeski and his wife Leslie have helped create the Rankin Bottoms Project, dedicated to preserving the beauty and ecological integrity of the bottoms. They offer a Paddlers’ Guide to Rankin Bottoms plus a guide service for the area. The Rankin Bottoms Project can be reached at 423.487.3161 or mtnsylva@msn.com. According to the guide, the trail is a low-risk, easy excursion for moderately-experienced paddlers. The trail is marked with blue and yellow signs and there are four different side trips. The total distance is around 4 miles and the guide suggests setting aside about two-and-a-half hours for the loop. I am sure most, especially birders, will want to allow for more time. Of course there is no substitute for experience and for those new to Rankin Bottoms, I would highly recommend a guided tour. To get to Rankin Bottoms from Waynesville, take I-40 West to exit 432 B. That will put you on Hwy. 25/70. Follow Hwy. 25 East out of Newport to Rankin Hill Road. (I would estimate about 5 miles, but I have never measured it). There will be a brown “Watchable Wildlife” sign at Rankin Hill Road. Follow Rankin Hill Road to the railroad crossing. At the crossing take Hill Road to the left and follow it to the launch site. A warning from the brochure: the railroad crossing at Hill Road may sometimes be blocked for an hour or more. For info call 800.946.4744. Sledjeski also recommends that the lake level be above 985 feet for paddling. You can get the lake level by calling TVA at 800.238.2264, ext. 07 for Douglas Lake. (Don Hendershot can be reached at don@smokymountainnews.com) |