FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Historical Snippet - May 25, 1991

["Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>]

 BBC Snippet  

James Brooks called the Bristol Bird Club  field trip participants 
a "great group to take a field trip with" and everyone had a good time 
and productive bird trip, May 25, 1991, when the club went to Saltville 
and the Clinch Mountain Wildlife Management Area.

A nice moment came when Alice Nair called up a Virginia Rail with a 
tape recording. Almost everyone saw it.  At least six Virginia Rails were 
heard during the afternoon at the Saltville ponds. A rail, believed by some 
to be an immature Virginia, flew openly across one marsh.

Among the 19 participants were James Brooks, Carolyn Coffey,
Wallace Coffey, Jenny Decker, Tony Decker, Bert Hale, Cindy
Hale, Ken Hale, Loraine Hale, Steve Hopp, Ella Howard, J.N.
Howard, Lloyd Jones, Alice Nair, Marge Olson, John Shumate, Lorrie
Shumate, Louise Tilson and Jennifer Wren.

Jennifer Wren traveled from Brevard, N.C. to go on the field trip and get 
the Virginia Rail for her life list. She got it !

BBC President Ken Hale led another outstanding field trip which, among other 
things, included dinner at the Salina Restaurant in Saltville where cheeseburger
platters and club sandwich platters were priced about $3.50. You couldn't beat
those prices in 1960's !

The BBC party spent an interesting evening at the sprawling Clinch Mountain 
Wildlife Management Area where Steve Hopp used a parabolic reflector to
record a Yellow Warbler song and then played it back and called the bird right
into everyone's laps.  How amazing was that ?  It is well known that birds
will often respond quickly to a recording of their own voice.

On the mountain at nearly 4,000 feet elevation, Wallace Coffey was bitten by a 
large water snake while attempting to capture it from among a group of about
30 such snakes found under a large piece of plywood.  He  caught the 
snake but came up with a bloody hand.  James Brooks was quickly front and 
center to take color photos.  Part of the group stayed to cheer and laugh while 
other members of the party ran to the safety of park cars.  Soon more cameras 
came out and the snake was proclaimed a hero. 

An evening hike through the forest under a full moon was absolutely charming 
and beautiful.  Dr. Hopp repeatedly played the Saw-whet Owl song in 
hopes of calling up a bird. A Saw-whet Owl had been found nesting near there by
John Baker and Dan Lovelace, March 29, 1989.  The owl was found residing
in a box intended for northern flying squirrels. This was the first nest for the
region.  It was located on the south side of Laurel Bed Lake in Russell County. 
The nest contained two eggs "wet and having a creamy-white color".

A Barred Owl did respond for the BBC field party and frequently called, much 
to the enjoyment of the group. The group had two Common Loons on Laurel 
Bed Lake. A Spotted Sandpiper was seen at the Saltville ponds. 

Birders set spotting scopes on the moon and everyone found that a delightful
way to end a fun afternoon and evening field trip.