FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Linda Northrop: A Life in Birding

[Don Miller <raincrow@xxxxxxx>]

In memory of Linda Northrop, who died Saturday, January 7, 2006--

Linda was born in Pikeville, Kentucky during the dark years of the Great 
Depression.  Although she seldom spoke about her early years, once in a 
while she let slip a comment about her childhood love of the outdoors.  
It isn't hard to see why she grew up to become a birder.

Linda's formal birding interest began no later than the early 1960's, 
when she and husband Roy lived in Fort Huachuca, Arizona.  In 1966, they 
moved to New Jersey, and some years later they settled in upstate New 
York, Roy's home country.   In every place they lived, she observed the 
local birds and honed her skills.  By the time she came to Tennessee, 
she had had years of experience in a diversity of North American 
habitats and had developed a long familiarity with many species.

Linda became a member of our chapter, and a friend to all in the 
Greeneville area who knew her, shortly after she and Roy moved to Greene 
County in 1984.  Her enthusiasm for birds and skill in finding and 
identifying them were welcome additions to the club.   In her 20+ years 
here, she birded and encouraged others to bird not merely in Greene 
County, but all over the world.  A close friend of hers said today, "We 
shall always be grateful that she suggested so many birding trips to 
us.  We followed in her footsteps."  In addition to birding over much of 
the United States, Linda also logged significant field time in Canada, 
Mexico, Costa Rica, and Trinidad.

While in Greene County, Linda became an active member of the Tennessee 
Ornithological Society, attending meetings regularly and becoming a 
director for the Greeneville Chapter.  It was mostly at TOS meetings 
that she met so many Tennessee birders and made so many friends.  
Needless to say, she also built a solid Tennessee life list by birding 
around the state at meetings.  This was important to her, as she had 
come to see Tennessee as her home for the rest of her life, and she 
wanted to find as many birds here as possible.

For about fifteen years, Linda and Roy maintained a residence in the 
rural community of Mosheim in Greene County, where Linda actively 
observed birds throughout the nesting season and early fall.  Each year, 
after fall migration, she and Roy migrated south to spend the winter in 
warmer climes.  They also owned property in the Rio Grande area of south 
Texas, a prime birding spot in a prime birding state.  Over a period of 
many years, they lived at two locations in the region, first in 
Salineno, then in McAllen.  Linda was a regular participant in Christmas 
Bird Counts in south Texas for over a decade.  During this time, she and 
Roy played host to many birders from Tennessee and elsewhere, openly 
sharing their home, their hearts, and their knowledge of birds and bird 
habitats in the Rio Grande Valley and nearby areas.  Quite a few birders 
from Tennessee and around the United States fattened their life lists in 
Texas as a result of Linda's generosity.

In 1998, Roy and Linda sold their home in Mosheim and moved to Tusculum, 
on the outskirts of Greeneville.  Linda continued to bird actively, 
although Roy's increasing health concerns limited her time in the 
field.  For the first time, she was able to participate in Greeneville 
Christmas Bird Counts, and she was a regular part of monthly chapter 
outings.  After their move to Tusculum, they decided to sell their home 
in Texas.  Within three years, they had accomplished this, and their 
birding ties to Texas ended.  Linda spoke fondly of their Rio Grande 
years, as only an avid birder could, but she focused primarily on her 
role as primary caregiver for Roy, a role she embraced with dignity, 
dedication, and great love.  Roy passed away in September 2003.

Linda's time in Greene County was rich in birding moments and 
milestones, but three things in particular stand out as typical of her 
love of birds and her dedication in pursuing them:

(1) In 1994 Linda decided to attempt a North American Big Year.  With 
help from Roy, who aided in planning but who was not up to the rigors of 
travel, Linda took a series of birding trips to Alaska, Arizona, 
California, Florida, Maine, South Carolina, Texas, and various other 
locations that resulted in a list of 605 species by the end of the 
year.  Only one birder topped her total in 1994, and that person had the 
advantage of owning his own private plane.  Linda earned her total in 
under 200 birding days, making her noteworthy accomplishment all the 
more remarkable.

(2) In the early '90's, a Common Loon flying over Greene County mistook 
a wet parking lot for a pond and became stranded after touching down 
(loons cannot take flight from land).  Someone captured the bird and 
delivered it to veterinarian Susan Ford (now Cordrey), who took it in 
for rehabilitation.  Linda "adopted" the weary traveler, and a memorable 
photograph was taken of her and the loon, looking each other in the 
eye.  It is a stunning and arresting image: the loon, sitting on the 
ground, staring at Linda, who, bravely lowering herself to eye-level 
with the bird, smiles enigmatically into its face.  Her expression is a 
candid mixture of "What a great bird!" and "I sure hope it doesn't do 
anything nasty with that bill" and "I wonder how close I can get?"  The 
loon was later released.  Linda had copies made of the photo and sent 
them as Christmas cards. 

(3) On November 30, 1997, Linda found a Great Crested Flycatcher near 
the Northrop home in Mosheim.  She observed the bird until December 5.  
Her observations represented a statewide late date for this species by 
almost a month.

Sadly, in Linda's last year she saw little time in the field.  Health 
problems and fatigue assaulted her as the months passed.  Perhaps the 
most memorable event of this year was her appearance at the fall TOS 
meeting held in Greeneville.  Despite pain and tiredness, she came to 
the meeting, to see old friends and to support our local chapter.  
People gathered around her, glad to see her again.  After the meeting, 
there was a little more birding, but only a little.  Her last outing was 
a brief trip around eastern Greene County and up to Camp Creek Bald on 
November 7.  Alice and I are deeply grateful to have been with her at 
that time.  

At her passing, Linda's North American list stood at over 720.  In her 
final days, she spoke longingly about chasing the Ivory-billed 
Woodpecker this coming spring.  Now, that won't be possible.  However, 
Alice and I like to think that she may already be working on the first 
ever "afterlife list."

Don Miller, Alice Loftin
Greeneville, Greene Co., TN

with thanks to the family of Linda Northrop; Susan Ford Cordrey; members 
of Greeneville TOS, especially Tom & Katie Smith and Margaret & King 
Gaut; and an article on Linda's Big Year by James Brooks ("Woman Travels 
Far to Find Feathered Friends," Johnson City Press, Monday, September 
25, 1995)

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