[Bristol-Birds] Washington Co., TN Great Blue Heronry

On Wed. morning, Mar. 15, 2006, I finally saw a Great Blue Heron at the nesting 
colony at Hwy. 107 & Onks Lane in Washington Co., TN.  (I had begun to believe 
they had abandoned the site, since the large exposed nests on the snags visible 
from the highway are almost completely demolished, and I have repeatedly failed 
to see any herons present in the mornings as I commute to Greene Co.)  Shortly 
after seeing one fly in and land in a live White Pine towards the back of last 
years colony area, I saw another in my binoculars.  Then I glanced up from my 
binoculars and suddenly saw three dozen Great Blue Herons circling over the 
woods hidden behind the tallest of last year's nest trees.  Apparently, 
something had just then disturbed them up off their perches and / or nests for 
a moment, as they shortly settled back down into that area that is just a bit 
further back from the highway than last year's area.  Where they seemed to be 
concentrated last year was centered around the promi
 nent snags that are unoccupied now.  This year they seem to be concentrated on 
live White Pines scattered on the wooded hillside, including some of the live 
pines that they used last year.  I may not be able to see and count many of the 
nests in the live pines, but at least I saw 38 individual adult birds at one 
time flying into the site.  
 
Don Holt
Johnson City, TN

Other related posts: