[Bristol-Birds] GUIDE TO "SOUTH HOLSTON LAKE AT SPRING CREEK"





















GUIDE TO "SOUTH HOLSTON LAKE AT SPRING CREEK" (MUSICK'S CAMPGROUND)
    NORTH IS STRAIGHT UP....WASHINGTON CO PARK IS NORTHEAST.... SPRING CREEK IS 
NORTHWEST.
     SOUTH FORK HOLSTON RIVER FLOWS IN FROM THE RIGHT AND DOWNSTREAM AT THE 
BOTTOM.

In The Birds of Northeast Tennessee (Second Edition), authored by Rick Knight 
and
published last week,  the book introduces a more permanent and descriptive name
for the area birders have, for nearly 20 years, called Musick's Campground.

Above is an aerial photo of the location with the white area just above the 
word "Musick's"
indicating the gravel parking area where birders typically park vehicles and 
stand to
bird this area of South Holston Lake.

At this time, much of the land area present is dirt banks and shoreline which 
would be 
under water during full pool and the early spring and summer recreation season.

 
At the left is a photo
made last week of
the area which is out
of the water during
such an extreme
drawdown.

In this photo the area known as "Egret Island" is out of the water and has
considerable low vegetation on top.  This area was named "Egret Island" more 
than
15 years ago when a flock of Great Egrets roosted there each evening.

This is not a cute reference but a name that eliminates considerable 
description and 
explanation of that directional landmark.

All of the area looking directly towards the Washington County Park Campground, 
which
is straight ahead in the photo, is Spring Creek Embayment of South Holston Lake.
Spring Creek flows in from the left behind Egret Island and into the embayment.

It is worth noting that the embayment is mostly in Virginia.
However, at low water levels such as we are experiencing,  most of the
standing water habitat is in Tennessee and the far shoreline is in Virginia.

Egret Island and some of the water area on the far side from Musick's Campground
is in Tennessee.

Most of the Tennessee waters may best be described as offshore of Musick's 
Campground
in Tennessee.

Let's go birding......

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN

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