[bcbirdclub] Re: Panhandle Rd Carter Co Tn/Surprise Species
- From: "Roger Mayhorn" <rmayhorn@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Buchanan County Birdclub" <bcbirdclub@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 16:16:54 -0400
Wow Mike! Between the snakes and the bears it looks like you can't have any
peace out birding.
Roger Mayhorn
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Sanders
To: Buchanan County Birdclub ; Bristol Birdclub
Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2011 2:29 PM
Subject: [bcbirdclub] Panhandle Rd Carter Co Tn/Surprise Species
Gary Cooper & I took a trip to Panhandle Rd in Carter Co Tn this morning
06-26-2011. We had a pretty good morning finding many species of birds and a
species of another kind. Gary and I decided to hike up to the fire tower, in
hopes of finding a Grosbeak or two, as we approached the last curve before the
last 100 yards to the tower I noticed a trail to the right with blue blaze, I
was curious about the trail and I almost went down the path. Gary said he
thought it lead out to a point, about that time Gary started down the trail
with me right behind him. All of a sudden I slammed into him and he started
back peddling, about the time he stopped he called out SNAKE. I was looking but
didn't see anything (Picture 1) finally in the grass I saw a head, I followed
the head down the snakes body to its tail where I saw rattles, a-lot of
rattles. I asked Gary to grab a stick so I could move it out in the open to get
a better look, but before he made it back the snake started rattling and moved
off through the nettle to a log where it curled up. The snake was a 5 ft long
Timber Rattle Snake, its body was heavy and thick, its mid section was as big
as my forearm, the tail section was black which can't be seen in the attached
photos. We took a few pics of the snake and some video with my phone, part of
the snake is under the log and can't be seen. I counted 12 rattles on the
snake. Needless to say we had a hard time birding after this experience. Plus
the rain was heading our way so we packed it up. The pics and list are
attached, enjoy. Oh and anyone venturing in this area be careful, the log the
snake went to was right off the main path and looked big enough to hold a-lot
more, plus the ground cover is thick, and hard to see through as the pics show.
Mike Sanders
Bristol, VA
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Veery
Wood Thrush
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Northern Parula
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Hooded Warbler
Canada Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Dark-eyed Junco
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Blue Grosbeak Elevation 4150 ft Female at the fire tower
Indigo Bunting
Brown-headed Cowbird
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Gary Cooper & I took a trip to Panhandle Rd in Carter Co Tn this morning
06-26-2011. We had a pretty good morning finding many species of birds and a
species of another kind. Gary and I decided to hike up to the fire tower, in
hopes of finding a Grosbeak or two, as we approached the last curve before the
last 100 yards to the tower I noticed a trail to the right with blue blaze, I
was curious about the trail and I almost went down the path. Gary said he
thought it lead out to a point, about that time Gary started down the trail
with me right behind him. All of a sudden I slammed into him and he started
back peddling, about the time he stopped he called out SNAKE. I was looking but
didn't see anything (Picture 1) finally in the grass I saw a head, I followed
the head down the snakes body to its tail where I saw rattles, a-lot of
rattles. I asked Gary to grab a stick so I could move it out in the open to get
a better look, but before he made it back the snake started rattling and moved
off through the nettle to a log where it curled up. The snake was a 5 ft long
Timber Rattle Snake, its body was heavy and thick, its mid section was as big
as my forearm, the tail section was black which can't be seen in the attached
photos. We took a few pics of the snake and some video with my phone, part of
the snake is under the log and can't be seen. I counted 12 rattles on the
snake. Needless to say we had a hard time birding after this experience. Plus
the rain was heading our way so we packed it up. The pics and list are
attached, enjoy. Oh and anyone venturing in this area be careful, the log the
snake went to was right off the main path and looked big enough to hold a-lot
more, plus the ground cover is thick, and hard to see through as the pics show.
Mike Sanders
Bristol, VA
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Veery
Wood Thrush
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Northern Parula
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Hooded Warbler
Canada Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Dark-eyed Junco
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Blue Grosbeak Elevation 4150 ft Female at the fire tower
Indigo Bunting
Brown-headed Cowbird
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