Buchanan County Bird Club Newsletter

Editors Roger & Lynda Mayhorn

Sheldon Returns Home!

BCBC member Sheldon Woods returned home on March 15th after 83 days of being hospitalized at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville. Sheldon suffered from Pancreatitis and other complications. Because of the Pancreatitis he was not allowed to take food or water by mouth. It wasn't until a few weeks after returning home that he was allowed to start eating very soft foods. During his stay his weight dropped from well over two hundred pounds to 153 and his situation was very serious.  I am happy to report that Sheldon is doing well at home, is regaining his strength, and is hoping to be able to attend our next bird club meeting. Welcome Home Sheldon!

Bald Eagle in Breaks

Upon arriving home on the rainy day of March 4, 2008 David Raines was approached by his neighbor, who told him about a large bird that had been perched in a tree in a field near their houses. After some searching David found the bird. He identified it as a second year Bald Eagle, a species that had not been found in the Breaks area for at least thirty years and probably longer. It didn't have the white head and tail like this beautiful adult eagle that Don Carrier photographed in TN in 2007.

Shortly after David found the eagle it left its perch and flew up the valley. Later in the day David found the bird again, and was able to watch it for a few minutes. Great Find David. Congratulations!

First Confirmed Raven's Nest on Dismal River

 On April 18, 2008 Don Carrier, David Raines and I (Roger Mayhorn) climbed the steep mountain next to the Dismal River  to confirm that ravens were nesting on a cliff face there. The nesting area had been located a week before, when we three were birding in the area and had seen a couple of Ravens coming and going from a cliff about two thirds up the side of the mountain. The cliff is located about a quarter mile upriver from the intersection of Rt 638 and Rt 635.

 As we neared the cliff a raven flew from it, giving a rough, rattling call as it went. We found the nest on  a ledge about 25 feet up the cliff face. We looked the area over, took photos and left. It wasn't until I looked closely at the photos later that I discovered two raven nestlings in the nest. This is the first confirmed Common Raven nest for Buchanan County.

 An elderly gentleman living in the area told us that ravens had nested there for at least 30 years.

First Recorded Blue Grosbeak in Buchanan County

This male Blue Grosbeak, and possibly a second, showed up at our feeder on Compton Mt on April 27, 2008. I was out birding with Don & Christian Carrier, and David Raines. My wife, Lynda, photographed it, identified it, then called us to alert us that it was there. Fortunately, the bird stayed there all that day and the next, which allowed for more good looks and more photo opportunities.

Two "blue" birds came in initially, but one stayed in the trees and left shortly after. The second was this fellow, who evidently liked the food offered. Lynda was unsure if the first blue bird was another grosbeak or an Indigo Bunting. 

This is, to our knowledge, the first of the species ever recorded in Buchanan County. These birds can sometimes be found in Russell County to our south, which has more open farmland, the habitat it seems to prefer.

Congratulations Lynda on a great find!

Lynda received the Birder of the Month award for April for having found this bird.

Belated Birder of the Month Awards Presented

Ed & Michelle Talbott belatedly accept their Birder of the Month Award at the April 14th BCBC meeting for their sighting of a Long-tailed Duck on Laurel Bed Lake during the Russell County Christmas Bird Count in December 2007.

Great Sightings for March and April

                   First of Season Pine Warbler on Compton Mountain

This Pine Warbler appeared at our suet (peanutbutter - lard) feeder on March 3 2008. It was the first migrating warbler of the spring season we had seen. It soon moved on.

                Ring-billed Gull on Compton Mountain

On the foggy morning of March 15 I received a call from a neighbor who said she had a strange bird in her driveway. Don Carrier had just arrived at our place to go birding, so he and I went to check it out. This Ring-billed Gull along with two others had come down to look around. After hanging around for an hour or so the birds moved on. This is only the second time in nearly 40 years that I have seen gulls on the mountain.

Wild Turkeys in Russell County

Jerry Thornhill took this photo of a flock of Wild Turkeys not far from their home in Russell County, VA on March 30 after being alerted to them by his wife, Jane. These birds were part of a larger flock of 36. From the looks of it these gobblers were getting into the spirit of spring. Nice work Jerry and Jane.

Birding on Bradshaw Mountain

On March 29 Don Carrier (taking photo), his son Christian (left), David Raines (center) and I, Roger Mayhorn (right) went in search of a possible eagle nest on Slate Creek here in Buchanan County near the VA/WV state line. No eagle nest was found, but we had a good hike up the mountain, some enjoyable birding and a steep climb down, as you can see from this photo.