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 11     November 2005

Ed Talbott III did a Power Point presentation on the recent birding and hawk watch outing at the Great Channels of VA on Clinch Mt near Hayter’s Gap. Roger Mayhorn did a presentation using digital photos taken during Warbler Watch Day, September 10, at the Mayhorns’ place on Compton Mt, and at the Birch Knob hawk watch on September 24.

NEXT MEETING – MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14 – PRE-MEETING MEAL AT ITALIAN VILLAGE

Thanksgiving Day Window Watch – Keep count of the bird species in your backyard for a couple of hours on Thanksgiving day. Contact Roger Mayhorn for more details.

Breaks Christmas Bird Count – Saturday, December 17 – More details later

4th Annual Sparrow Day

Members of the Buchanan County Bird Club were once again invited to Guesses Fork by the Justus family to enjoy the migrating sparrows on their property. The temperatures were near freezing in the morning, but the day warmed up nicely, and the sparrows were abundant. Eleven species were recorded including Dark-eyed Junco and Eastern Towhee. The other sparrow species found were Chipping, Field, Grasshopper, Savannah, Song, Swamp, Vesper, White-crowned and White-throated. The White-throats, as usual were most abundant. A total of thirty-five bird species were observed. Other species found were three species of warblers – Tennessee, Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped. Golden-crowned Kinglets and Ruby-crowned Kinglets were also seen. The Ruby-crowns were just passing through on their way farther south, but the Golden-crowns spend the winter here. After a morning of birding the group had its annual wiener roast. Ed Talbott III had the fire pit already prepared and most of the firewood for the fire. The birders finished their outing with a good meal and good conversation. The bird club wishes to thank Billy Ray, Shirley and Michelle for allowing club members to bird on their property. Thanks also go to Ed and Michelle for their preparations for the event. 

Sparrow Day Pictures - Click Here

Roger & Lynda Mayhorn had several thrushes going through their area during October. On October 8 Roger saw three different species of thrushes on the same branch – Swainson’s Thrush, Gray-cheeked Thrush and Wood Thrush. The same day he saw Tennessee Warblers and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. 

David Raines saw a Peregrine Falcon fly over his house in the Breaks area on Sunday, October 9. Since no Peregrines live in the area, this bird was probably a migrant. 

A female Hooded Warbler was found on Compton Mt on October 10 by Roger Mayhorn. This is a rather late date for this species. They have usually gone south by then. The late date for Buchanan County is October 12. That late date was set in 2003. That bird was also found on Compton Mt. 

Osprey on the Levisa

Ed & Michelle Talbott saw an Osprey flying up the Levisa River on October 7. They observed it near the VA/KY state line. These “Fish Hawks” can be seen on the rivers and lakes here during the summer, but they leave during the colder months.

Ed & Michelle Talbott birded Guesses Fork on October 15. They were hoping to see their first White-throated Sparrow of the season. The White-throated Sparrow spends the nesting season in the northern United States and Canada. They come this far south to spend the winter here. The birders did not find a White-throated on the 15th, but they did find Swamp Sparrows, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Horned Larks, Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, Bay breasted Warbler and two Wood Ducks on a pond.

The first White-throated Sparrow of the season was found the next day at the Mayhorns’ on Compton Mt. 

First of the Season White-crowned Sparrow 

This adult White-crowned Sparrow showed up at the pond stream of the Mayhorns on Compton Mt on October 16. This was the first reported sighting of this species for the season. 

Roger & Lynda Mayhorn were in the Breaks area on October 17. They were taking down bluebird nest boxes that needed to be painted. They were also birding as they moved from one area to another. A Red-shouldered Hawk came from a nearby ridge and flew just over them, calling as it went. Later a Red-tailed Hawk lifted into the air from another ridge and began to make spiraling circles in the blue October sky.

During the afternoon Roger & Lynda were joined by David Raines, while removing nest boxes at his house. While there Roger and David found both Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos in the same thicket near David’s House. In the same thicket Carolina and House Wrens were also found. Roger and David also saw Savannah, Song and Swamp Sparrows, as well as a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

On this same day Ed Talbotts II and III saw 3 Red-tailed Hawks and 1 Red-shouldered Hawk below Grundy. 

Ed Talbott III has been seeing Wood Ducks periodically on the Levisa River behind his house at Weller Yard. On October 20 Ed and his father, Ed Talbott II, watched with a scope as 2 males and a female swam along the bank of the river.

Ed the III is lucky at seeing good birds, but he is also lucky at picking sports winners. During the regular football season each week he, Michelle and Michelle’s parents pick football cards in some friendly competition. The loser for the season has to buy the fixin’s for the Superbowl party. This past week for the first time in his life, Ed picked a perfect card – all 14 games. Congratulations Ed, and while you’re on a lucky streak, get out there and find us a very rare bird. 

Forty-seven Wood Ducks were observed by David Raines on October 19. David was checking out Laurel Lake within the Breaks Park, when he found the ducks there. Also on the lake were 3 Pied-billed Grebes.

A week later Roger Mayhorn found 22 Wood Ducks on a pond not far from the park. The pond is owned by Seldon Clevinger and is on Middle Fork (Happy Hollow) very near the home of David Raines.

In spite of cool, rainy weather on Compton Mt on October 22, Roger Mayhorn saw White-crowned, Field, Song, Chipping and White-throated Sparrows there. He had one lone Tennessee Warbler that came to his pond stream. Roger has also been hearing the croaking of Common Ravens for the last few weeks, as they fly high overhead. 

Ed & Michelle Talbott and Shirley Justus saw the first Fox Sparrow of the season on Guesses Fork on November 5. Fox Sparrows are rather shy, and don’t like to venture too far out into the open. They like to have cover nearby that they can dart into in case of danger.

Until this year the late date in the county for a migrating Chestnut-sided Warbler, like the one shown here, was October 2, established in 2003. That record was broken when Roger Mayhorn saw one on October 6 of this year on Compton Mt. Then on October 22, 2005 David Raines found one on his property in the Breaks, establishing a new late date for the species. The late migrants this year may be attributed to the late warm weather that has persisted throughout this fall season. 

Ed Caudill found 2 Brown Creepers on Smith Branch of Slate Creek on November 5. These small brown tree huggers spend the winter in the area, gleaning insects from the bark of trees. The first one of the season was found on October 1 at the home of Ed & Mary Talbott. 

A Brown Thrasher is still hanging around the top of Compton Mt. These birds migrate southward, but a few hang around and spend the winter with us. Most of those winter birds are usually found in the lower elevations, where the weather is less severe. This bird will probably move to a warmer valley, when the weather gets bad.