FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Carter / Washington weekend

[Dnldhlt@xxxxxxx]

SAT 23 OCT 2004
Carter Co., TN
D. Holt & L. McDaniel

After lunch Larry and I went up Panhandle Rd. on Holston Mtn. to look for 
promising sites for hawk-watching.  Just past Low Gap campground a road on the 
right goes up to a building with an antenna and what looks like a "drum", which 
I've been told are microwave relays for the telephone system.  There was a 
nice view of other towers along the ridge to both the east and the west.  While 
we were there, a kettle of Turkey Vultures formed up over the towers to the 
east, and passed over us on their way west, followed shortly by a second, 
smaller 
kettle, for a total of 60 Turkey Vultures.  If other species follow the same 
path, the site could be a good viewing opportunity.
     Some of the birds we observed on the mountain included a Common Raven or 
two, Hairy Woodpecker, several Blue-headed Vireos, and a faintly heard Ruffed 
Grouse drumming in the distance.
     Afterwards in the lowlands, on Swimming Pool Rd., we had White-throated 
Sparrows and, at dusk, a Common Nighthawk.
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SUN 24 OCT 2004
Washington Co., TN
D. Holt and L. McDaniel

Sunday morning Larry woke me with a cell phone call from Austin Springs.  8 
Dunlin and 2 Pectoral Sandpipers were enough to get me to skip breakfast and 
join Larry at the Humphrey property.  We also found a Wilson's Snipe, about a 
half dozen Tree Swallows, and 3 Savannah Sparrows before an irresistable 
craving 
for breakfast at IHOP overtook us.  After pumpkin pancakes, we spent the rest 
of the day wandering around western Washington Co. on a search for "cool" 
birds, McD's term, idiosyncratically applied.  As I understand it, the ones 
that 
made the list are as follows:  Northern Harrier (4, incl. 1 adult male which 
was "cooler"), Horned Lark ( 70 fleeing a hunting Northern Harrier),  
Loggerhead Shrike (2, psychically predicted by me, but then first spotted by 
old eagle 
eye, dammit), White-crowned Sparrow (2, again psychically predicted by me, and 
then immediately thereafter heard by me - slamdunk!).  Also noted by dint of 
sheer number, at various and sundry times and places, 6+ Red-tailed Hawks, 
about half being mobbed by crows; and 8 + American Kestrels.  Miss of the Day 
was 
Eurasian Collared Dove.  My prediction is that Eurasian Collared Doves will 
next be sighted hanging out among Eurasian animal droppings at the exotic 
animal farm near the pallet factory, which fortunately for them is alongside 
Hwy 
11E so they can find their way back.

Don Holt
Johnson City, TN
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