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The
Buchanan County Bird Club meets the Volume 5 Issue 4 Apr 2006 |
 Birder
of the Month for February 2006Richard Kretz was the recipient of the Buchanan County Bird Club “Birder of the Month Award” in February for having found and photographed an immature Golden Eagle near Rt. 19 in Russell County. Richard was driving on Rt. 19, when he saw the bird rise up from a nearby field and land in a tree. Having his ever ready camera with him, Richard pulled over and took several photos of the bird. |
 Birders
of the Month for March 2006Ed & Michelle Talbott were the winners of the “Birder of the Month Award” for March. They were hiking on a ridge above Elkhorn City when they spotted a Northern Goshawk flying out over Skegg’s Gap. The bird circled, giving them great looks. This is only the second known record of that species within the area. |
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First Spring Migrants The first migrants are moving through the area as they come northward from their wintering grounds. Following is a list of the first ones spotted so far: 3/1/06 Brown-headed
Cowbird
Roger & Lynda Mayhorn Compton Mt Please contact me if there are some that I left out or if any of the info is incorrect
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Obsessive Compulsive Birds Cheryl Thompson has some very unusual birds at her place at Big Rock. She has two thistle feeders hanging in her yard, and the birds eat the same amount from both feeders each day. She said it’s as if someone marked a line on each feeder and filled them to that point. She finally figured out what was going on when she saw a Carolina Chickadee with a tiny tape measure held under its wing. |
 Wood
Ducks on Slate CreekOn March 29th Roger & Lynda Mayhorn were driving up Slate Creek near Grundy. Just above the mouth of Stone Coal Lynda spotted this pair of Wood Ducks in the creek. Roger turned around and drove back by the birds. He then let Lynda drive while he used his camera to get this shot from the moving vehicle. There was too much traffic to stop, so he had to shoot quickly on the fly. Lynda then tried to call Barbara Caudill, who has never gotten a good look at a male Wood Duck, but she and Ed weren’t home. |
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Birds in Breaks Park In addition to all of the warblers Ed & Michelle picked up on April 02, they found 4 Tree Swallows, 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and a Common Raven doing barrel rolls out over the canyon. |
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Ruffed Grouse Roger & Lynda Mayhorn had to bring their Blazer to a stop on the eastern side of Compton Mt on April 02, when a Ruffed Grouse took its time in crossing the road. The bird finally walked out of sight into some wild Rhododendron. |
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Purple Finch at Big Rock Cheryl Thompson had her first male Purple Finch at her feeder on April 4. She had had House Finches, but no Purple Finches. |
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Great Blue on the Levisa Michelle Talbott saw a Great Blue Heron on the Levisa on April 4. If you have not seen Great Blues in the past few weeks, it may be because they are somewhere nesting. So far we have not found a Heron Rookery along the Levisa River. This heron may have been a bird that had not found a mate. |
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More Northern Rough-wings – Wood Ducks – Yellow-rumped Warblers Ed Talbott had 5 Northern Rough-winged Swallows sitting on the power lines at his house at Weller Yard on April 4. That same day he saw a pair of Wood Ducks making their way up the river behind his house. Yellow-rumped Warblers were singing in his yard. |
 Cowbirds
ReturnDuring the week-end of April 1, Cheryl Thompson had her first of the season Brown-headed Cowbirds at her feeder. The males were displaying to each other by facing each other and pointing their beaks toward the sky. Cowbirds have now shown up at several feeders. Roger Mayhorn counted 35
at his feeders a few days ago. They really go for cracked corn or the White
Proso Millet seed (the very small light-colored round seed). |
 Eastern
Bluebird Nest and EggsThis photo was taken by BCBC member Richard Kretz at his home in Elk Garden,VA on April 7. This is not the first year that bluebirds have nested in his yard. Ed & Michelle Talbott have their first bluebirds nesting in their nest box this year. They have been trying to attract bluebirds for the past few years with no success. The bluebirds have also been busy on the various bluebird trails throughout the area. Several nests have been built and some of the nests already contain eggs. |
 Rock-A-Bye
Baby Carolina Wrens in KentuckyLarry Pinson took this photo of some young Carolina on Wrens on April 12 at his home in Southeastern KY near the TN line. The nest was built in a swinging basket of silk and plastic flowers. According to Larry, the basket really swings when the wind blows. This might seem a little early for wrens to have hatched, but even a hundred miles south or north can make a difference in the climate. Carolina Wrens that hatched that early in our area would probably not survive a late cold snap. |
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Hummingbirds Return Johnnie & Betty Ratliff saw their first Ruby-throated Hummingbird of the season on April 2, but the rest of us had to wait a while longer. A female Ruby-throat appeared at the Mayhorns’ feeder on Compton Mt on April 8. The fact that it was a female is unusual, since the males usually arrive first, find food and establish their territories. A male arrived at the Mayhorns’ place on April 13. Shirley Justus of Guesses Fork at Hurley had her first hummer of the season also on April 8. Ed & Michelle Talbott had their first one at Weller Yard on April 13. |
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Mourning Dove Nest Johnnie & Betty Ratliff have a Mourning Dove nesting in their yard at Little Prater for the first time. The dove has a flimsy nest built in a pine tree. Mourning Doves will nest as soon as the weather warms enough to allow it. They will continue to nest throughout the summer. |
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Scaup and Wood Ducks on Laurel Lake On April 2 David Raines found 43 Scaup ( a duck with a light body and blue head) on Laurel Lake within the Breaks Park. This species is not commonly seen in our area, even during migration. David also saw 2 Wood Ducks on the lake. On April 8 David found and American Coot on the lake and 3 Wood Ducks. He also saw 4 Northern Rough-winged Swallows flying over the lake. |
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White-eyed Vireos and Others Ed & Michelle Talbott had the first of the season White-eyed Vireo at their house on April 8. One showed up on Compton Mt at the Mayhorns’ on April 11. On the same day a Yellow-throated Warbler was singing from a White Pine in the Mayhorns’ yard. A White-crowned Sparrow, just passing through, was seen at their feeder on the same day. |
 Johnnie
and Betty’s Martins ReturnTwelve to fifteen Purple Martins have returned to the Ratliffs’ martin house again this year. Johnnie and Betty have been housing Purple Martins in their yard for many years. Recently, while Roger Mayhorn was on the phone with Johnnie, one male Purple Martin was so loud he could easily be heard over the phone. These large swallows eat prodigious amounts of insects each year. These feisty birds will drive invasive European Starlings from the area of the martin house. |
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Rose-breasted Grosbeaks Two female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were seen by Richard Kretz at his feeder in Elk Garden on April 12. These thick-billed birds feed on seeds and often stop by feeders during migration. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks nest in our area only at higher elevations like Beartown Mt in Russell County. |
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Blue-gray Gnatcatchers Shirley Justus on April 9 was the first this year to see one of these tiny gray bundles of energy with a high pitched buzzy call. Sheldon Woods saw one at his house at Vansant on April 12. Roger & Lynda Mayhorn saw one at Keen Mt Park on April 13. Ed Talbott also saw one in the Breaks Park on the 13th. |
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Wilson’s Snipe at Laurel Lake Ed & Barbara Caudill birded the Breaks Park on April 7. At Laurel Lake they saw a Wilson’s Snipe and a couple of Wood Ducks. Ed was trying to show the Wood Ducks to Barbara, who has never gotten a good look at one, but the birds flew. Barbara did get good looks at a Yellow-throated Warbler. |
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Osprey over Levisa River and Boyd’s Ridge On April 7 Ed Talbott II saw the first Osprey of the season near the house of Ed Talbott III on the Levisa. On April 9 Todd Perkins was turkey hunting on Boyd’s Ridge and saw two Ospreys fly over. |
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Ready for the 2006 VSO Annual Meeting The Buchanan County Bird Club is ready to host the Virginia Society of Ornithology’s 76th annual meeting on the week-end of May 5 in the Breaks Interstate Park. Trails for leading birding field trips have been assigned. Food has been ordered for the banquet. Conference rooms have been rented. Packets have been prepared. Name tags have been made. Brochures are being printed, and the spring migrants are returning right on time. All is in ready for the 112 people who have so far registered for the event. If the weather cooperates it should prove to be a memorable birding week-end. Visitors are welcome to come over and enjoy the Vendors/Exhibitors area free of charge. |
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