FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Re: County Listing

[Don Miller <raincrow@xxxxxxx>]

Douglas,

An excellent idea, and well presented.  This is a great road map (pun 
not intended but apropos nonetheless) for doing better birding at the 
county level.

You are right about the importance of 9-1-1 maps.  They are much more 
detailed than the DeLorme atlas and more up-to-date.  I use DeLorme but 
rely on 9-1-1 maps for the real lowdown.

Don Miller
Greeneville, Greene Co., TN

Douglas Downs wrote:

>Just a thought about the recent discussion of county lists.  Three or four 
>years back I decided to pick up birding in a serious way.  I also wanted to 
>focus my energies on my home territory, White County.  Though birded some in 
>the past, White County was one of the many largely unbirded counties around 
>the state.  As a result, one of the first things I did was to obtain a 911 
>map of my county.  These maps are now available in most, if not all, 
>Tennessee counties and are extremely useful in that they show every public 
>access road within a given county.  During my first year of serious birding, 
>I made it my goal to travel at least once on every public access road in 
>White County.
>
>What an experience!  First, I became aware of the many and diverse habitats 
>within my home county.  Second, I was exposed to the varied beauties of 
>nature in a way that few people, even among the locals, would ever have 
>experienced.  Third, constant viewing and listening enabled me to advance my 
>birding skills quickly.  And finally, I was able to locate reliable sites 
>for various species (white-crowned sparrows, loggerhead shrike, and marsh 
>birds immediately come to mind) in short order.
>
>The project was really quite simple.  I just kept my map in the truck and 
>tried, as often as possible, to take "the long way home" each day after 
>work.  It's amazing how much territory you can drive through in an hour a 
>day.  I also noted any ponds, marshes, or other significant habitat areas on 
>the map.  By the end of a year, I had at my disposal a thorough and accurate 
>habitat and birding map of White County, Tennessee.
>
>Add to the map project my association with several very good - and very 
>patient - birders and I now enjoy my home county - and my birding life - in 
>ways I could never have imagined.  My goal is now to begin similar mapping 
>projects in an adjacent county or two.  To any birder, especially those of 
>us who are new to the art, I recommend this as a possible way to "wade in 
>and get your feet wet."
>
>Good birding!
>Douglas Downs
>Sparta, White County, Tennessee
>
>
>=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
>
>The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
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>you report were seen.  The actual date of observation should
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>______________________________________________________________
>  TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society 
>       Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
>        endorse the views or opinions expressed
>        by the members of this discussion group.
> 
>         Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
>                 wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>_____________________________________________________________
>     Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
>          web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
>
>_____________________________________________________________
>
>
>
>
>  
>

=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================

The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
You are also required to list the count in which the birds
you report were seen.  The actual date of observation should
appear in the first paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________ 
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
______________________________________________________________
  TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society 
       Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
        endorse the views or opinions expressed
        by the members of this discussion group.
 
         Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
                 wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_____________________________________________________________
     Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
          web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp

_____________________________________________________________