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Buchanan
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Volume 6 Issue 5 June-September 2007 |
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The
Buchanan |
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June Birders of the Month Both David Raines and I, Roger Mayhorn, received the Birder of the Month award for June. David for his sighting of the Northern Saw-Whet Owls in his yard on June 15, and I for the Sandhill Crane that I photographed on Compton Mountain on June 22. In the first photo I am presenting David with his award, and in the second, Vice-president Ed Talbott III is presenting me with one. |
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Jack
Brown Birder of the Month for July Club member Jack Brown of Roseann took the birder of the month award for his sighting of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher on the Mountain Top Golf Course on Compton Mt on July 5th. He was in a golf cart, and saw the bird on the ground. He drove to within a few yards of it and watched it for a short time. The bird then lifted from the ground and flew into some nearby trees. |
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Sheldon Woods Presents June ProgramBCBC Club Member Sheldon Woods presented a program on birds of the area, and of a few found at the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in Ohio during the May club trip. Sheldon took the photos for the program with his new digital camera which has a lot of zoom power. Thanks Sheldon
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Peregrine Falcons ReleasedOn July 12th David Raines and I went to the Breaks Park in hopes of seeing one of the newly released young Peregrine Falcons there. We were not disappointed. We were standing on the Clinchfield overlook, when David said, “I hear a Peregrine” Sure enough, flying up the gorge in front of us was a young Peregrine. I photographed it as it passed. Fourteen young birds were released during June and July. More Peregrines are planned for release again next year. |
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 BCBC Members Join RCBC For Annual PicnicOn August 30th Buchanan County Bird Club members Fred & Janice Martin, Roger & Lynda Mayhorn, Richard & Pam Kretz and Dave and Diana Worley, all of whom are also members of the Russell County Bird Club, joined other RCBC members for their annual picnic at Laurel Bed Lake at the Clinch Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Russell County. It was hoped that eagles would be seen, as they often are in that area, but none were found this year. A flock of Black Terns did fly up and down the lake for several minutes. Despite the lack of birds everyone enjoyed the get together and the good food. (photo courtesy of Richard Kretz) |
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Enoch’s Branch Park OutingEnoch’s Branch Park near Grundy was the site for an evening outing of the BCBC on September 10th. Birds were not plentiful, probably due to the heat and the drought, but a Northern Harrier, a Barred Owl, a few Wild Turkeys and an Eastern Kingbird were found. After the meal David Raines entertained everyone with his exceptional talent on the Banjo and some folk songs. Jerry Thornhill drove from Rosedale, VA to take part in the outing. Others in attendance were locals, Johnnie and Betty Ratliff, Roger and Lynda Mayhorn and Sheldon and Orpha Woods.
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Warbler Day on Compton MountainThirty-two people showed up at our place on Compton Mountain on September 15th for our annual Warbler Day. The weather was great. It had rained all day the day before and had cooled down the temperature a bit. Birders from as far away as Virginia Beach to the east, Cincinnati, Ohio to the west and Alabama to the south attended. Sixty species of birds were counted for the day with 15 of those being warblers. Before a great meal birders were taken on a bird walk by Ed Talbott III (see photo). It was a fun day for everyone, and some birders got lifebirds; one lady got three. More photos can be found at http://www.pbase.com/mayhorn/migration_7 |
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The Mendota Hawk WatchDavid Raines and I, Roger Mayhorn,
volunteered to help Ron Harrington of Bristol with the Mendota Hawk
Watch on Sunday, September 16. David (see right photo) and I, along with
club members, Don Carrier, Mollie McCutchen, |
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| The Buchanan County Bird Club would like to welcome Bonnie Atkinson (in red) of Alabama as a new club member. So far I believe that she, of all of our members, lives the farthest distance from our meetings. Welcome Bonnie! We won’t expect you to attend every meeting J. | |
Western Kingbird Found in the BreaksOn September 3rd David
Raines found a Western Kingbird on a power line near his home in the
Breaks.
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David Raines Birder of the Month for SeptemberThere was no Birder of the Month award given for August, since nothing unusual was noted, but for the month of September David Raines carries the day with his Western Kingbird sighting. With David’s extensive knowledge of birds and his sharp eyes, he doesn’t miss much, and is deserving of the award. Congratulations David! |
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Pine Mountain Hawk WatchDavid Raines and I joined Steve “Kip” Sweeney and Tom, a friend of Kip’s on Pine Mountain near Whitesburg, KY on September 20th for some hawk watching. The hawks weren’t very cooperative and only 62 were counted for the day. Nevertheless, the four of us enjoyed ourselves atop Pine Mountain with beautiful scenery, a pair of entertaining Red-tailed Hawks and good conversation.
Pine Mountain is not as good a hawk watching site as the neighboring Clinch Mountain range, probably because Pine Mountain is a much shorter range, and the hawks can access the Clinch Mountain range much farther north. The birds use the rising thermals along the ridges to help gain lift in their southward migration.
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Bald Eagle in St PaulOn July 19th Richard Kretz saw a Bald Eagle, while hiking the Sugar Hill area near St Paul, VA. To see one in the area during the breeding season is unusual. Hopefully they are nesting in the vicinity. |
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Thousands of SwallowsOn August 23rd, while driving his parents through Burkes Garden, David Raines saw at least 8,000 Tree and Barn Swallows in the area. The birds were probably gathering for their fall migration southward. While flocks of that magnitude are not uncommon along the coast, really large flocks are a bit unusual in our section of the country. |
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Golden-winged WarblerThis male Golden-winged Warbler
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Talbott HikesEd and Michelle Talbott have made a few hikes during the summer, and as usual, Ed and Michelle have made some great photos of objects of nature along the way. Following is a list of some of the hikes and links to their photos.
Caney Island Branch - June 30, 2007:
http://www.pbase.com/aquilaet/caney12
Pine Mountain - July 1, 2007:
http://www.pbase.com/aquilaet/pinemt2
Week-end Hikes September 29, 2007
http://www.pbase.com/aquilaet/breaks11
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One Hundred Five Nighthawks On September 2nd I noticed a large flock of Common Nighthawks over our yard here on the mountain. As close a count as I could get, with all of their turning and diving, was 105 birds. I took lots of photos. Some of those can be seen at |
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Five Warbler Species in One PhotoOn September 3rd I was lucky enough to get five species of warblers in one photograph. The birds had come to our small yard stream to bathe. The species were Blackburnian, Black-and-white, Chestnut-sided, Worm-eating and a Tennessee. That photo and others can be found at http://www.pbase.com/mayhorn/migration_4
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Bob
Riggs Presents BCBC July Program
Bonnie Atkinson (see left photo) and several birders from the Bristol
area counted nearly 900 hawks for the day. One of the exciting aspects
of the day was the 5 Bald Eagles that were seen flying over the area
throughout the day. 
It
was like this one that I photographed in TX in 2004. David watched the
bird for several minutes before leaving. When he returned the bird was
gone. With the Saw-whet Owls found in the Breaks, the Sandhill Crane
found on Compton Mt and the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher found on the golf
course on Compton Mt, this is the 4th unusual find this year.
came
in to bathe in our stream here on Compton Mountain on September 26th.