The Chat
Buchanan County Bird Club Newsletter
Editors Roger and Lynda Mayhorn

The Buchanan County Bird Club meets the
2^nd Monday of each month at the
Buchanan County Public Library at 6:00 PM

Volume 4     Issue 2     February 2005

Dave Worley was the guest speaker at the Jan. 10 meeting. Dave came over early in the day, and he and Roger Mayhorn birded Poplar Gap Park. In addition to Pileated Woodpeckers, Eastern Bluebirds and Killdeer, they found the resident flock of 20+ Horned Larks that feeds on the bare ground at the upper level of the Park. After the birding Dave and Roger met other club members at Italian Village for a pre-meeting meal.
Following the meal the group reassembled at the public library, where Dave presented a colorful, interesting and informative program on his first birding trip to Costa Rica. After the program Dave was presented with a Wood Duck carving in appreciation of his presentation.

• Saturday February 12 – Burkes Garden Outing. Meet at Tazewell Hardees at 8:00 am.
• Monday February 14 – Regular club meeting. The meeting starts at 6:00 instead of the usual 6:30.
• February 18-21 – Great Backyard Bird Count. You count the highest number of each species observed at one time in your area. You may enter your results at http://www.birdsource.org/GBBC/ or e-mail the results to Roger Mayhorn and he will enter the results for you. 

Johnnie Ratliff has nearly completed the 16 bluebird boxes needed for the two new bluebird trails, one at Keen Mt. Park and the other around the lake in the Breaks Park. Roger and Lynda Mayhorn have painted the numbers and the Buchanan County Bird Club name on the boxes. Hopefully, there will be some warm days toward the end of February, when the boxes can be erected.

On January 08, Roger Mayhorn and a non birding friend birded the strip site on Compton Mt. In the past the area has been open to birders, hikers, and four-wheelers. Now a part of the property has changed hands and the road has been blocked and NO TRESPASSING signs posted. Roger has obtained permission for bird club members to bird the area, but it has to be done on foot. On this particular day Cardinals, Carolina Chickadees, Titmice, Carolina Wrens and Ruffed Grouse were found. Also found were Golden-crowned Kinglets, but the most pleasant surprise was the observation of a Red-breasted Nuthatch. Enjoy these small nuthatches this year. They are not yearly visitors to our area. 

Todd Perkins and his dad were trying to call in coyotes on the night of January 8, when they were suddenly surprised to have two Barred Owls answer from very nearby. Todd thought at first that they were coyotes, but he said they then started to sound like owls. Later, his dad shone the red filtered light around the area and found a Barred Owl sitting close by. Todd said the owl looked rather eerie in the red light.

On January 23 a Tree Sparrow was observed at David Raines’ feeder in the Breaks community. Ed Talbott drove over and made some excellent video of the bird. The bird pictured here was taken from that video. A second Tree Sparrow was then found at the Mayhorns’ feeders on Compton Mt. the next day. Two more of this species made an appearance at the Mayhorns’ on January. 27. The last Tree Sparrow that had been found in the county prior to these was observed at David’s feeder on Jan. 27, 2003. The one before that was observed at the Mayhorns’ during the winter of 2001. This northern species comes this far south only sporadically, probably due to failure of their food crops farther north.

The bird that came to David’s feeder on Jan 23, 2004 is still coming regularly to feed there.

Marie Miller hiked a part of the new Grundy bike/hike trail last fall with a friend. She had good things to say about it. On January. 12 Roger Mayhorn and a friend hiked and birded the trail. They were impressed. The graveled trail is lined with tall mature stands of Canadian Hemlock, Beech, Basswood and Oak trees. Some of the larger trees show evidence of Pileated nest cavities. Pileated Woodpeckers, Downys and a singing Winter Wren were some of the birds observed.  

On February 6 Roger and Lynda Mayhorn hiked and birded the trail with Marie Miller. Once again they heard a Winter Wren singing part of its song. They also saw Pileated Woodpeckers, nuthatches, Blue Jays, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice and Carolina Wrens.  

The trail looks as if it will be an excellent birding spot during the spring migration and the subsequent breeding season, when the tall trees should be filled with warblers, vireos and tanagers. Because of the large trees hawks and owls should also be present. 

Several Great Blues are spending the winter along the Levisa River. Johnnie and Betty Ratliff saw one on January 15 at Oakwood, then another near Rife’s in Grundy on the 17th. Ed Talbott has been seeing them regularly flying up and down the river at his house at Weller Yard, and as he drives to work on Rte. 460. 

Brown Thrasher Spends the Winter

A Brown Thrasher has spent the winter at David Raines’ house in the Breaks. Normally these birds move farther south for the cold season and return in April, but occasionally one will decide to tough out the cold with the rest of us. The bird at David’s has become a regular visitor at his feeder. In addition to the Thrasher at his feeder, David also has the Tree Sparrow, Cardinals, Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Mourning Doves, Carolina Chickadees, Blue Jays, Starlings, Towhees, Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, Chipping Sparrows, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, Carolina Wrens, Goldfinches and House Finches.

Ed Talbott III found a Sharp-shinned Hawk at Poplar Gap Park on January 16. Roger and Lynda Mayhorn had an immature Sharp-shinned chasing birds at their feeder on January 30. They had a Cooper’s Hawk in their yard on February 2. Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks are rather common here in the county year round, but it’s always a good day, when you get to see one of these masters of the air.  On February 4 David Raines saw 4 Red-tailed Hawks near his home at the Breaks. These may have been birds on their northerly migration. It is nearly time for these raptors to start nesting.

This Red-breasted Nuthatch that appeared on the Mayhorns’ property on October 11 is still hanging around. It now comes regularly to the feeder. The Purple Finches are still showing up periodically at feeders throughout the county. The Pine Siskins that have made appearances this winter are also still being observed at feeders. A Chipping Sparrow has been coming to the feeders on Compton Mt. Normally this species is not seen there until early April. 

You may have been one of the observers who has seen the large flocks of American Robins that move through the area during February as they make their way northward. Ed Talbott III saw a flock of 17 in a yard at Big Rock. Johnnie and Betty Ratliff are seeing Robins at their house on Little Prater.

In some areas, especially, where the food is plentiful, the Robins don’t leave at all. However, it won’t be long now before we all will be seeing Robins hopping around on the lawns in search of earthworms. 

Marie Miller and her neighbor, Agnes, are still seeing the flock of Wild Turkeys near their homes on Slate Creek. The flock has been feeding along the mountainside across the road from their houses. You can often tell that turkeys have been feeding in an area by the large areas where leaves have been scratched away to expose the bare earth. These large birds have a harder time finding food this time of the year, because many of the nuts and seeds that were there during the early part of winter are gone, and the young green buds and shoots have not yet pushed above the soil. 

The Yellow-rumped Warbler is the only warbler that does not leave this area to avoid the winter. Since most warblers feed on insects they would not be able to survive the cold, snowy days here without the insects. Yellow-rumps do eat insects, but they have also adapted to eating fruits and berries. One of their favorite foods is the berries from the offensive Poison Ivy vine. So, if these birds like insects and berries, why did a Yellow-rumped warbler appear to feed at a suet feeder at David Raines’ home in the Breaks on February 5? Well, it turns out that the suet David was presenting had some berries in it. This must have been what drew the warbler in. This is the first record we have within the county of this species coming to a feeder.

Sheldon and Orpha Woods have been observing some unique bird behavior at their feeder at their house on Prater. A Downy Woodpecker comes to their feeder and carries seeds to a hole in the bark of a tree. After the Downy stashes the seeds a Red-bellied Woodpecker comes close behind and eats the seeds. Within a few minutes the Downy brings more seeds. The Red-bellied returns to eat again. Without realizing it the Downy is just setting the table for the Red-bellied. It is not unusual for several bird species to hide seeds and nuts in holes in trees. Nuthatches do this, as do Blue Jays. The western Acorn Woodpecker gets its name from storing acorns in holes in trees. It is also not that unusual for some species to take advantage another by stealing the stored food. 

Dave Worley has been watching some of the waterfowl and other birds that have started to migrate northward through Russell County. On February 5 at Stuart’s Pond Dave found a Merlin, 17 Canada Geese, 2 Gadwall, 14 White-crowned Sparrows and 12 Killdeer.

On the same day at an area in Elk Garden called the “Mudhole” Dave saw 17 Snipe, 2 Green-winged Teal, 6 Canada Geese, 3 Mallards, a Red-tailed Hawk, 6 Cardinals, 5 Eastern Bluebirds, and 11 Eastern Meadowlarks. 

Total Species:  66

The final data for the Breaks CBC is in and there were new high numbers this year for several species.
2004 Count  /  Previous High Count 

Great Blue Heron    3  /   2
American Robin    80  /   74
Turkey Vultures    26  /   7
Northern Mockingbird    2  /   1
Black Vulture    3   /   New 0 
European Starling    456   /   137
Cooper’s Hawk    3   /  1
White-throated Sparrow    198  /   162
Mourning Dove    81   /  77
Ring-necked Duck    1  /   New 0
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker    4  /  3