FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Re: Scouting Clinch Mnt./Clinch River (East Tennessee)

[Don Miller <raincrow@xxxxxxx>]

Tennessee birders,

Many thanks to Wallace Coffey for spending significant time in the 
Clinch River watershed and offering such a detailed write-up. 

As he indicates, I am gathering info on Greene, Cocke, Hamblen, Hawkins, 
Jefferson, and Grainger Counties.  The Clinch watershed is much 
underbirded (by me as well as everyone else), primarily because it 
doesn't seem to be close enough to our region's birders to encourage 
regular access.  No matter.  If those of us who share Wallace's (and my) 
interest in this part of east Tennessee make a concerted effort, we can 
generate a large body of good information in only a year or two--just a 
few birding seasons.

I myself have been to the area described by Wallace only a handful of 
times over the years, mostly before I was a member of this list serve, 
and I have only a few records in my notes.  I don't recall ever posting 
birds online as a result of having traveled there.  In future, I'll be 
visiting the area as much as possible, within the limits set by my many 
life commitments.  Like Wallace, I invite others to bird there as well.  
I would really like to see what we can do.  I think there will be many 
surprises, especially in regard to field birds, water birds, and raptors. 

Let's give it a shot.

Don Miller
Greeneville, TN

Wallace Coffey wrote:

>Greeneville's Don Miller is gathering records and understanding of a 
>six-county Upper East Tennessee region which includes Hamblen and adjacent 
>counties of Greene, Hawkins, Grainger, Jefferson and Cocke. This is a block of 
>counties which, added to the five-county Northeast Tennessee group (Knight, 
>1994), makes up 11 contiguous counties of Upper East Tennessee.
>With an ambitious agenda, I spent Sunday (6/5) on a nearly 200-mile habitat 
>scouting trip along the western edge of the region and back through Hamblen 
>and Greene to return home. 
>
>A priority focus was the Clinch River watershed of Hawkins and Grainger 
>counties which is to the west of Clinch Mountain. The Holston River is among 
>the primary watersheds of the six-county area. The Clinch Mountain defines 
>most of the western boundary but Hawkins and Grainger have extended areas over 
>the mountain and down to the Clinch River to the northwest.
>
>North of Church Hill, the route entered Stanley Valley, a wide expanse of easy 
>rolling to flat prime grassland habitat. This area ranks with the best of 
>grasslands in Upper East Tennessee. Two NORTHERN BOBWHITE were singing on 
>Mount Zion Rd., a side road. Nice small stands of rushes leaves you to wonder 
>if Virginia Rails nest here. Otherwise, the area supported an array of ridge 
>and valley farmland species. A slow listing day could easily produce 
>Dickcissel, Blue Grosbeak and Grasshopper Sparrow.   SAVANNAH SPARROW would 
>not be surprising.  Big Creek, a lazy moving stream full of aquatic plants 
>behind curious, abandoned, Shank's Mill on George Allen Rd. could host 
>impressive species in several seasons. The entire Big Creek watershed, 
>including its tributary of Stanley Creek, holds much promise. I left Stanley 
>Valley through Shank's Gap and returned to US 11W near Surgoinsville.
>
>The Clinch River watershed of Hawkins Co. was reached by traveling over Clinch 
>Mountain on TN Rt. 66 out of Rogersville. It was followed up a another ridge 
>to the Hancock Co. line. At the top of Clinch Mountain I blew my horn for RON 
>and ROSE LAPP but their house is about 3 miles northeast. Why not be friendly 
>anyhow :-) ? On the decent a PARAULA WARBLER was singing and several RED-EYED 
>VIREOS.  Also heard a GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER. I was impressed at the 
>extensive amounts of honeysuckle along the mountain road. 
>
>In the Clinch River valley I headed southeast along Clinch Valley Rd. (DeLorme 
>map calls it Mountain Rd. or East Lee Valley Rd., depending on where you are). 
>Eventually I traveled down TN Rt. 131.
>
>Much of the southeast route through Hawkins and Grainger was less expansive 
>with more outcrops of limestone. It appeared more populated. Birding in most 
>areas was among lots of apparently abandoned pastures in early successional 
>stages. Wild rose, honeysuckle, locust and eastern red cedar were obvious. 
>After a short stretch through Hancock Co., the road becomes Thorn Hill Rd. in 
>Grainger Co. until it meets TN Rt. 131, which continued almost the length of 
>Clinch Mountain through Grainger to the Union Co. line. At 1484 Thorn Hill Rd. 
>a colony of 10-15 PURPLE MARTINS were at gourds and a nestbox. Heard one 
>WHITE-EYED VIREO and several FIELD SPARROWS along this route. 
>
>Near the railroad crossing of TN Rt. 131 just northeast of Highland Spring I 
>took what was probably my last good route back over Clinch Mountains to U.S. 
>11W. This was the Jopa Mountain Road. The low gap and nice hardwood area 
>produced two SCARLET TANAGER, and a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER feeding young in a 
>nest cavity. Also an ACADIAN FLYCATCHER was calling. On the road to the top a 
>BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER was singing as well as a BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER. 
>All of this habitat is intriguing and needs breeding season attention.
>
>The routes which transverse Clinch Mountain should produce many more typical 
>species. Much of this area seems like Chestnut-sided Warbler habitat but it is 
>apparently does not occur along the Clinch in these counties. I did not hear a 
>Black-throated Blue Warbler anywhere nor were there Darked-eyed Juncos. These 
>are generally lower elevation mountain tops and gaps probably not exceeding 
>2100 feet in most places -- to low for such species of higher-elevation 
>influence.
>
>I really need to get back into Stanley Valley and along the gaps and slopes of 
>the Clinch to see what surprises might await any birder.
>
>Along U.S. 11W at the bridge over a cove of Cherokee Lake near the 
>intersection of Old 25E highway (Grainger Co.), 20 CLIFF SWALLOWS were perched 
>on a utility wire at the bridge and flying beneath the bridge. The species may 
>likely nest under most concrete bridge structures over Cherokee Lake
>
>Stanley Valley in Hawkins Co.:
>
>N. Bobwhite  2
>Black Vulture 1
>Turkey Vulture 3
>Red-tailed Hawk 1
>Killdeer 1
>Rock Pigeon 1
>Mourning Dove 32
>Northern Flicker 2
>Pileated Woodpecker 1
>Eastern Phoebe 3
>Eastern Kingbird 5
>Blue Jay 2
>American Crow 10
>Tree Swallow 3
>N. Rough-winged Swallow 5
>Barn Swallow 37
>House Wren 1
>Carolin Wren 7
>Eastern Bluebird 9
>American Robin 14
>Gray Catbird 1
>Northern Mockingbird 17
>Brown Thrasher 8
>European Starling 52
>Yellow Warbler 1
>Common Yellowthroat 8
>Eastern Towhee 2
>Chipping Sparrow 9
>Field Sparrow 6
>Song Sparrow 4
>Northern Cardinal 5
>Red-winged Blackbird 66
>Eastern Meadowlark 23
>Common Grackle 23
>Orchard Oriole 1
>Baltimore Oriole 2
>House Finch 7
>American Goldfinch 4
>House Sparrow 10
>
>Let's go birding......
>
>Wallace Coffey
>Bristol, TN
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>This is a regional birding list sponsored by the
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>between birders and bird clubs of Southwest Virginia
>and Northeast Tennessee.  
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>         wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>           (423)764-****
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*************************************************
       BRISTOL BIRDS NET LIST
Bristol Birds Net Photo Gallery located at:
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jwcoffeyy/album?.dir=/efd5

This is a regional birding list sponsored by the
Bristol Bird Club to facilitate communications 
between birders and bird clubs of Southwest Virginia
and Northeast Tennessee.  
--------------------------------------------------
You are subscribed to Bristol-Birds.
To post to this mailing list, simply send an email
to: bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, send
an email to bristol-birds-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with
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--------------------------------------------------
       Wallace Coffey, Moderator
         wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
           (423)764-****