Gray’s Landing
Site Directions: Gray’s Landing is a boat ramp with good access to view Kentucky Lake. The landing is on the east side of the Hwy 79 bridge over Kentucky Lake, just across the river from Paris Landing State Park. The road is on the north side of Hwy 79 about 100 yards from the bridge. The gravel road goes down to the lake edge, where there is parking.
Lat-Long: 36.448274, -88.043887 (entrance road)
Hours: day light hours
Seasonality: year round, but best in fall, winter, and spring
Fees: none
Site Description: The landing provides wooded edges and a large waterfront for scanning. In winter, the lake is lowered and shallow waters to the north provide for roosting birds.
Wildlife to Watch: This innocuous little boat ramp can be excellent for in spring and fall with migrant warblers and vireos. Large passages of southbound Blue Jays have occurred here in early October (400+ birds in one hour). Late Black-throated Green Warblers linger into November, while a cool front can bring good numbers of a large variety of migrants including Orange-crowned Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo.
The lake view may yield Bald Eagles, gulls, and waterfowl. A peninsula sticks out from the shoreline about 0.25 mi north of the boat ramp and is used by gulls and waterfowl in winter. Birders can walk the shoreline or dirt roads further north to get a better view.
Lesser Black-backed and Greater Black-backed Gulls have been found here.
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Be sure to check out our Safety Tips page for important information regarding viewing wildlife in these areas.
