FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] IMBD with the Virginia State Park at Natural Tunnel.

["Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The Bristol Bird Club's celebration of International Migratory Bird Day with 
our partners, Natural Tunnel State Park in Scott Co. and the Virginia State 
Park system, this weekend, was a wonderful success.  
This is one of the most valuable partnerships the BBC has developed. 

Everywhere you look in the 850-acre park they focus on a strong environmental 
ethic, including the "Natural Tunnel Birding and Wildlife Trail."  The trail 
features a section through a shrub stage field that is rotaionally mowed every 
3 to 5 years to provide songbird and wildlife habitat.

We enjoyed an impressive turnout from the public, including many from outside 
of Virginia or Tennessee who came to participate in the BBC birdwalks.  

It was boosted by great publicity in the Kingsport Times-News, a large lighted 
sign on U.S. 23 promoting our activities and colorful and attractive flyers on 
bulletin boards throughout the park.  

It was exciting to show birds to people from New Jersey, Mass., Georgia and 
such.

We especially enjoyed meeting Susan Hubley of Rogersville, TN, who reports bird 
observations from John Sevier Lake on Bristol Birds Net.  She was new to us and 
it was neat that she brought her sister.  We look forward to seeing more of 
Susan in the near future.

Bill Grigsby was the point person for this proejct.  As our soon-to-be 
president of BBC, he demonstrated the promise of valued leadership for our 
club.  His organization, people skills and hard work were good signs for good 
things to come.

We particularly enoyed a sunset dinner on the 3,500 square foot deck that 
overlooks Stock Creek Gorge and the northern portal of the Natural Tunnel. 

The park staff trailered a large gas grill to the parking lot for our use.  Rob 
Biller fixed his popular 20 ribs while Dexter Newman and Mike Poe cooked 
hamburgers.  Grigsby cooked beans and a perfect peach cobbler in his dutch 
ovens.  Mary Jane Erwin, Linda Newman, Judy Roach and Jean Brown kept the 
kitchen rolling and everything organized.
Erwin fixed a great salad and Linda Newman capped strawberries for a shortcake. 
 Brown brought several rolls of homemade bread.  The counters were stacked all 
weekend with more food than an army could eat.  The women of BBC are not 
matched for their delicious foods.  BBC members who came brought tons of 
supplies and goodies and the weekend was beyond belief.

Our activities were centered out of the parks Cove Ridge Center, a year-round 
day-use/overnight educational resource facility that incorporates educational 
principles and concepts within a natural resource environment. The center, 
which accommodates up to 100 for meetings and 48 overnight guests, features an 
auditorium, classroom, catering kitchen, resource library (complete with 
Internet access and a dozen each of all kinds of nature guides and binoculars 
as needed).  It also has a great room with stone fireplace, dorm, and 
environmental education equipment.  State of the art audiovisual equipment is 
included with the use of these facilities.
Many of our birders stayed in the plush six-room Clinch dorm that accommodates 
a total of up to 48 overnight guests and the convenience of a self-contained 
kitchen for the purpose of preparing meals.   We also had washer and dryer.  
The beautiful hardwood floors were impressive.

Several birders enjoyed the 536 feet long chairlift that descends 230 feet to 
the giant tunnel. 

The park facilities, camping, dorm and rooms, kitchen, deck, beding, entrance 
and constant logistical support by the staff is donted to the Bristol Bird Club 
for use by our members two weekends each year.  We provide at least eight field 
trips for the park's programing.

This is fast becoming the region's main birding event of the year and a 
destination for the general public to come and go birding.

What an event!

Due to illness, Carolyn and I only attended Saturday afternoon and evening 
activities but that was worth a gold mine of enjoyment and action.

Someone will have a bird list, participant list and other details to post.

Let's go birding.....

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
 





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