[Bristol-Birds] Osprey nest at South Holston Lake, TN

Bristol Area Birders:
Larry McDaniel and I today observed an apparent Osprey nest at South Holston 
Lake, Sullivan County, TN just upstream from U.S. 421 bridge.  No birds were 
present.

A check with nearby marina managers and with the management at Darter's Store 
found no one aware of the nest.  All of these business people have expressed 
constant interest in the possibility of eagles nesting in the vicinity.  They 
frequent the area.

The nest appears to be at least 4 feet in diameter and more than a foot in 
depth.  It is well above the canopy of nearby trees and sits in the top of a 
tall, dead, tree.

The site is on the Holston Mountain side of the lake to the left of the bridge 
as you are headed in the direction of the mountain or Shady Valley.  It is just 
off the left slope of the second knoll from the bridge.  When you are traveling 
on the bridge and look out your window to the left, it is a dominant and 
obvious nest structure,  towering above the surrounding tree canapoies.  It has 
a commanding view of surrounding lake area and is not easily accessible.  It 
may be within 100 yards or less from the water and up a steep ridge.

Ospreys have a tendency to select tall, dead trees and place their nest in the 
very tops.  They like trees that are above all of the surrounding trees.  
Ospreys, compared to Bald Eagles,  tend to have their nest in the top of the 
crown of a tree rather than below the top. Also the South Holston nest may tend 
to be more round than conical in shape.  Eagle nests have more of a cone shape 
because of the depth.  Ospreys like standing dead snags and this tree has all 
of that.  

The marina operator reports Ospreys regularly in the area.  But an adult Bald 
Eagle was seen soaring above the marina about 10 days age.   He said no one has 
evidently noticed the nest building or the nest.  I have my doubts if the nest 
could be from any previous season.  As much as this area is watched,  this nest 
would probably not have gone without notice.  It has considerable bulk. 

Larry and I observed the nest for about an hour or more but saw no Ospreys in 
the area.  We did see one Osprey at Musick's Campground, just up the lake.

To the best of my knowledge, this is the first Osprey nest in the Upper Holston 
Reservoirs comprised of Fort Patrick Henry, Boone, South Holston, Wilbur and 
Watauga.  

Knight (1994) reports that Ospreys had "nested (or at least attempted to) along 
the Holston River in Kingsport most years since 1987,  a result of local 
hacking."

We will continue to monitor the South Holston Lake nest to see if it is active 
and for any nesting success.

Let's go birding.....

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN








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