FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Re: Plan now:

["Raincrow" <raincrow@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Who says "Hooray for hurricanes!"?? Birders north of landfall, of course. I have
particularly fond memories of one huge storm that swung across the Yucatan on 
its
way north. If I am repeating an earlier posting, forgive me: when the aftermath
of Hurricane David swept this area 1981, a coworker in Oak Ridge called me and 
carefully
described the fields marks of a large olive-green "pheasant" in his back yard. 
My
husband and I had a Golden bird book, but we were not "birders," per se, and 
didn't
know what we should do (except whoop and shout amongst ourselves) with the 
knowledge
that David had blown a Chachalaca to East Tennessee -- what a nifty record that
would have been! If only we had thought to call J.B. Owen! Five of us watched it
at great length (it was relatively tame), it stuck around for >1 day (don't have
my notes handy right now), then wandered off into the unknown. Hopefully, my 
friend
will someday stumble across the several good-quality photos he took as it pecked
and scratched in his back yard in the Briarcliff neighborhood.  Emily is brewing
as I write. Good storm birds to everyone!  Liz Singley Kingston TN 


----- Original Message ----- From: Wallace Coffey [mailto:jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent:
7/9/2005 6:19:25 PM To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [TN-Bird] Plan now: 
"Dennis"
-- historic July storm-driven birds 
Tennessee birders may be on the verge of history. A July hurricane bringing 
storm-driven
pelagic and costal birds to our state's waters. We have no knowledge of what 
species
a storm in July may deliver to us. We may get a number of new July records for 
the
state. 
Hurricane Dennis is likely to become a powerful Category 4 hurricane. The 
tracking
forecast at this hours suggests at least a path through West Tennessee, maybe 
Middle
Tennessee and possibly bird fallouts into East Tennessee also. 
Remember that last September Hurricane Ivan brought Sooty Terns to a wide area 
and
Laughing Gulls as well. 
Now is the time to schedule whatever time and travel you can allow to get into 
the
field Monday, just as soon as the weather lets up from the storm passage. Think
about who can go birding with you. Think about your coverage area whether it is
just across the road or a road trip in your region.

Never drive into the northeast quadrant of a hurricane. Always stay put in dry 
safe
conditions. You will not find anything until the weather lets up. It is 
extremely
unpleasant and very, very dangerous to get in the northeast quadrant of a 
hurricane.
A heavy 4x4 vehicle is not reasonable. 
Don't travel south into the heavier storm areas and become part of the 
after-storm
people problems. 
Think about your birding opportunities for Monday -- looks like Monday or 
Tuesday
will be the day for Tennessee storm birds. 
Everyone stay safe. Hope none of you have any serious problems. 
Let's go birding..... 
Wallace Coffey Moderator TN-Bird Net Tennessee Ornithological Society Bristol, 
TN