[bcbirdclub] Incident an Fort Henry Dam
- From: gary cooper <tikiowl@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, bcbirdclub@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2011 07:35:17 -0800 (PST)
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Trail below Fort Henry Dam
7:30 AM
Mike Sanders and I took a trip to the trail below Patrick Henry Dam in hopes of
locating the White-eyed Vireo or the Gray Catbird that has been seen there
recently. After being there for only five minutes, we heard several shotgun
blasts as four Canada Geese flew down the river. We have seen this before when
walking there in the winter. We kept on walking the trail, birding. A few
minutes later, they were out of the blind, shooting at something on the other
side of the river. We could only assume that they were shooting at small birds
that were foraging along the river bank.
The whole tone of the situation changed when we saw a Great Blue Heron flying
in their direction, coming from the nests near the dam. They took at least
three shots at it as it passed by the blind they had set up. The heron changed
direction and appeared to have escaped unharmed.
We immediately left the area and drove to the parking lot near the dam and
called the emergency number on the sign for the TVA Police. They dispatched an
officer to the parking lot to speak with us about the incident. We told him
about what we saw, and that the men were on the left side of the river, which
is posted Eastman property. He said that he would immediately get in contact
with the TWRA to get a game warden to meet him at the scene, so they could
check out the men...or as I call them, SCUM. I have no doubt in my mind that
they would try to shoot any type of bird that got into their range.
My only hope is that when they are apprehended, that their punishment is
nothing trivial.
Gary Cooper
Bristol, Virginia
Other related posts:
- » [bcbirdclub] Incident an Fort Henry Dam - gary cooper
