[Bristol-Birds] Townsen's Warbler records region and state

Dave Raines and Roger Mayhorn:
What a really good bird find that Townsend's Warbler is.  Thanks for sharing
that with the Bristol Birds list. Congratulations to you, Dave !

This is the first Southwest Virginia record and the second regional record
for the species.  The Townsend's Warbler is an accidental species for
Virginia !  Extremely rare, to say the least!

The first serious report of a Townsend's in Virginia was one reported
December  2, 1999 in Northampton County by David Clark. The record was
submitted to the Virginia Avian Records Committee (VARCOM) while I was on
the committee.

David made a sketch of the bird.  It was later seen by Ned Brinkley, Fenton
Day and Brian Sullivan among other good biders.  It was photographed by
Marshall Iliff.  The bird was around until about Jan. 12, 2000.   The
species was also submitted to VARCOM by Goerge Armistead for his observation of 
a bird Dec. 30, 1999 on the Cape Charles Christmas Bird Count.  Brian Taber was 
among the birders who say the bird on that afternoon.  It was
located the next morning by those mentioned above and Marshal Iliff was in
that group.  Clark, Armistead and Iliff submitted extensive documentation of
many pages.

There are at least 20 reports of this species from the East.  While most
records occur during the spring,  fall records have been concentrated 8
Sept.-4 Oct.

The original North Hampton bird was unusual in that it was found in winter.

Our other regional record is from winter.

On Jan. 13 of this year (2004) Rick Knight found one in a small flock of
chickadees and such at Wilbur Lake in Carter County, TN not far from Watauga
Dam.   He is familiary with the bird from having seen it in the Pacific
Northwest a few times.  He watched this bird for 6-8 minutes in good light
at close range (20-40 ft.).  Although the forest there is mixed, the
Townsend's stayed in pine trees (mostly Virginia & Short-leaf).  It spent
most of the time foraging, by gleaning & flutter-hovers, around the limbs
and needle clusters of the pines at a
height of 5-25 feet above the ground.

Rick reported then that, this it was the third record in Tennessee.  The
others occurred in Blount County & at Pickwick State Park, both in December
1994.  Rick has spent a number of years as a member of the Tennessee Birds
Record Committee.

A great report from David Raines and Buchanan County, Va.

Let's go birding.....

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mayhorn" <mayhorn@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Bristol Birds" <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, September 26, 2004 7:24 PM
Subject: [Bristol-Birds] Townsend's Warbler in Buchanan County VA


> Fellow Birders,
> Members of the Buchanan County Bird Club descended on the home of fellow
club member, David Raines with binos,  digital cameras, telephoto lenses and
video cameras, after receiving calls from David that he had a 1st year
female Townsend's Warbler on his property this Sunday morning, 9/26/04.
> David, a veteran birder, lives just inside the western edge of Buchanan
County in the Breaks community, which is just a short distance from the
Breaks Interstate Park. The park is located on the VA - KY border.
>
> David found the bird at the brushy edge of a large grass field, which then
gives way to tall, mostly deciduous trees. The bird was among other
migrants, which were part of a small feeding flock.
>
> According to David, the first distinctive field mark to catch his eye was
the yellow breast. It was then he realized that he was not looking at a
Black-throated Green Warbler. David had ample time to examine the bird
through binoculars. He could see the dark auricular patch, the wing bars and
the striping on the sides. When the bird flew from one branch to another he
was able to see the white outer retrices.
>
> During the next few hours several other migratory species were found by
club members on the property, but the Townsend's had unfortunately moved on
without being photographed or videotaped. However, David is going to be
watching in case this bird should return. This Townsend's is a first for
Buchanan County and probably a first for Southwest VA, though I could be
mistaken about that.
>
> Enjoy the birds, if they stay around long enough,
>
> Roger Mayhorn
> Grundy, VA
> Buchanan County
>
> *************************************************
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>
> This is a regional birding list sponsored by the
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> and Northeast Tennessee.
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*************************************************
       BRISTOL BIRDS NET LIST
Bristol Birds Net Photo Gallery located at:
http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jwcoffeyy/album?.dir=/efd5

This is a regional birding list sponsored by the
Bristol Bird Club to facilitate communications 
between birders and bird clubs of Southwest Virginia
and Northeast Tennessee.  
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