[Bristol-Birds] Mendota Fall Hawk Festival

Area Birders:

Begining this November, the citizens of Mendota, Va. will be having an
annual Fall Hawk Festival to celebrate the annual passage of birds of prey
along Clinch Mountain above their little community in Washington County.
Does this sound like a celebration of the cranberries in our mountains ?

What an amazing development !   To beat it all, we have come from the days
when a birder shot a Turkey Vulture at the lookout to a point where the
citizens are having a public celebration and festival to honor our coming
each fall to count the hawks.

Next year, the festival will be moved to September so it is held during the
actual hawk watching.   The name of the festival will then be changed for
2004 to better reflect the actual hawk migration and hawk watching and such.

This year they have asked the Bristol Bird Club to come and participate in
their celebration.  They want us to have a display.  In addition they have
many conservation and environmental groups scheduled to participate.

This year they have a parade planned,  music groups scheduled, food vendors,
beauty contests, competitions,  craft booths and many other activites
already in place.  One of the organizers told me they are working to get
helicopter rides and other events in place.  Can you imagine flying along
Clinch Mountain and getting a hawk-eye view ?

At this time, I am not sure of the exact date because I eveidently did not
remember that as easily as I thought I would.  The date I recall does not
well match a weekend festival schedule.  I will get that and get back.

I think this is promise of giving the hawk migration and the lookout area, a
real boost for future protection, maintenance and maybe even public
ownership.

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN




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Bird Club, Bristol Bird Club, Clinch Valley Bird Club
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