[Bristol-Birds] BBC blows thru Burke's Garden with cold wind in pursuit.

From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Bristol-birds" <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2011 20:24:13 -0500



















BBC blows thru Burke's Garden with
30-mile-per-hour cold wind in pursuit.
The always-hardy and durable Bristol Bird Club birders, with
enthusiastic support of fellow Russell County Bird Club friends,
fought a strong head wind on a gorgeous Saturday to bird
Virginia's highest mountain valley in Tazewell County.

Nice turnout led by Knight

With 21 birders taking part,  Rick Knight (BBC
Field Trip Coordinator and V.P.) was out front
leading the charges.  The party included
Knight, Jacki Hinshaw, Neil Henson, Jean
Henson, Michele Sparks, Jo Ann Detta, Marty
Huber, Tom Hunter, Laverne Hunter, Peggy
Herbert, Wallace Coffey, Carolyn Coffey,
Fred Martin, Janice Martin, John Moyle,
Polly Moyle, Vickie Frye, Jane Goette,
Susan Hutson, Faye Wagers and Mary Erwin.



21 Birders the 21st year -- a remarkable run !

It was the 21st Annual Golden Eagle Winter Field Trip to Burkes Garden
which BBC has sponsored -- annually since 1991 when Ken Hale 
organized and led the first.  In 2010, the club added a second annual
foray to the garden with a November trip being sponsored each year.
The early winter trip has been very successful and enormously popular.



















We had good birds right from the get-go and 
Knight will have a good list to share in a separate
post on Bristol-Birds.

Mammals did not let us down as we found a 
Raccoon high in a cavity, 14 White-tailed Deer
enjoying the sun, an Eastern Chipmunk (Ground
Squirrel) and one of it's relatives, a Ground
Hog.  It was something like a homecoming.

Birders were pleased to find a birding hat and
T-shirts on sale.  With no less than four weekends
with birding groups in the valley so far this winter,  the store owner
is beginning to test the market.  We supported our cause.

A Yellow Warbler, not out of season but
a sticker in the car window of a Russell
County Bird Club member, was an
eye-catcher.  

It was a promise of not only good
things from their people but good
things to come with the warm days
and gentle winds of spring heading
to the mountains in just a matter
of a few more weeks.


Don't think, on a day
when there was so 
little snow anywhere,
that we didn't "drift"
back many times to
last year's trip which was
birding in a world of winter
like no other.  Nature came
to our boot tops with 
stunning reality.  Tough
mountain people, blessed
by God survive it all.

 And BBC birders plowed ahead along roads that often had highwalls
 of snow banks higher than our heads.  We couldn't look into the fields
 for birds because the snow was above the fences and above our cars.

 But 2011 not only brought great birding moments but a few new names
 and faces who joined us and had a fun time.  It was so special 
 we truly hope they will join us again and again.  Some of the new
 birders got life birds.  Some were in Burke's Garden for their first time.
 Some just wanted to run into the woods, fields and down any trail to
 simply absorb it all.  Most of us did, one way or another -- if even in
 a winter fantasy.

 Let's go birding . . . .

 Wallace Coffey
 Bristol, TN 










Garden actually felt their
jaws drop when they saw
the deep snow cover in the
beautiful mountain valley.
Nature came
to our boot tops with 
stunning reality.  Tough
mountain people, blessed
by God survive it all.
[Bristol-Birds] BBC blows thru Burke's Garden with cold wind in pursuit.

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