[Bristol-Birds] heads up, eyes up, down low, for raven's nests

Area Birders:
Ken Ranck, who lives just east of Bridgewater, VA in Rockingham County, says 
that eggs are beginning to hatch in a Common Raven nest on a railroad bridge 
near his house in the vicinity of Mt. Crawford.  This is along I-81, about 250 
miles northeast of the Virginia-Tennessee border.

We should keep our eyes open for any Common Raven seen in our region.  Do not 
be thinking only about nests on cliff faces.  Be thinking the possibility of a 
raven's nest anywhere.  Raven's nests have been found on other structures.  

Be thinking nesting at any elevation in our region.  Fifteen years ago we were 
mainly thinking high elevation cliffs.  Years before that we mainly thought 
5000 feet.

Don't forget that raven's nests were found in trees on Burns Creek in the 
Jefferson National Forest at Coeburn in Wise County in 1986 and 1987.   So 
think about finding a nest in a tree near your house.

Ravens have been found nesting as low as 1320 feet elevation in Sullivan County 
not far from Boone Dam.  That is the lowest elevation site on record in 
Tennessee. 

Raven's nests, throughout the region, have had eggs since about March 16 so 
many should have hatched or be hatching. This means any adults could be flying 
to and from nesting locations.  Maybe very near a nest.  I have watched a raven 
gather food from a bog in Shady Valley and fly off a mile or two into the 
mountains.  So they can forage for nestling food over a long distance (I think).

So let's be thinking more outside the box and on a wider regional scale.  You 
have a much better chance of finding a good bird record when you are looking 
for it ;-)

Let's go birding......

Wallace Coffey
Bristol  

 



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