FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Great memories from Burke's Garden

["Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Great memories from years past at Burke's Garden:
March 1991 =  Fred Alsop's party finds Short-eared Owl perched on fence post in 
the open near Gose Mill.  Two Golden Eagles and two Rough-legged Hawks.

January 1992 = Three Golden Eagles soaring and Rough-legged Hawk perched near 
road.  Red Fox sprinted along road through field for a quarter mile.

February 1993 = "The event drew birders from a wide area and the birds 
cooperated.  Two Golden Eagles, a light phased Rough-legged Hawk and a 
Red-headed Woodpecker were stars of the show.  One Golden Eagle soared for 
15-20 minutes and passed low over the group, drawing applause and cheers."

February 1994 = "Twelve birders turned out for the rain trip February 5.  Those 
that stayed all day enjoyed seeing two light-phased Rough-legged Hawks.  Those 
who went enjoyed seeing 52 Evening Grosbeaks in Tazwell, Va. .....the two 
Rough-lgged Hawks were seen in the late afternoon.  One was perched and hunting 
near the community store and the second flying over a field."

January 1995 =  "During mid-afternoon, sleet began to fall and we had to hustle 
to get over the snow-covered road on the mountain and escape south out of the 
winter weather which was quickly moving in.  It was a good trip for all and 
we'll be back next year."

January 1996 = "The best bird of the day was a Long-eared Owl which was found 
dead.  The bird had evidently become entangled in a fence and was impaled by 
one wing.  Three Golden Eagles were spotted, including one immature bird at 
extremely close range on the road near the airstrip.  It was the first time in 
six years that the Rough-legged Hawk was not found.  The wind  chill factor was 
zero or less."

January 1997 =  "Wallace Coffey and two Knoxville biders (David Trently and 
Joel Keebler) were at the garden on Jan 5 (not BBC field trip) and found four 
Rough-legged Hawks with three being seen in the air at one time."

February 1998 = "A record-tieing 33 birders turnout out and so did the Golden 
Eagle (1), Rough-legged Hawk (5) and Red-headed Woodpecker (1)."

February 1999 = "The aerial acrobatics of four Golden Eagles brought thrills, 
chills, shrills, whistles and delight to 21 birders......The Golden Eagle 
parade all came in our first hour in the lovely, high-mountain valley.  Two 
Rough-legged Hawks put the powerful punctuation on a pleasant day for all 
involved......The temperature was just over 50 but the windchill was 
unmerciful.....One of the Rough-legged Hawks was seen at very close range, 
sharing  the dramatic plumage of a ligh phase.  What a touch to winter!  At one 
point the Golden Eagles flew three at a time and challenged for airspace and 
bragging rights.  They dove at one another, reach out to clutch talons and even 
landed on the ground, perched just up ridge on a great log, landed in trees on 
the hillside.  There were smiles on our faces, scopes galore, and, for some, 
the thrill of a new tic on the life list chase.....Nine Red-tailed Hawks soared 
on the wind and defended territory from intruders.  Thier threatening screams 
and daring dives drove away other unwanted (passage) Red-tails.....25 
Green-winged Teal.....20 Black Ducks....Fox Squirrels and Red-headed 
Woodpeckers visting treetops."

Let's hope for more great memories this year.......

Let's go birding.....

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN


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