[Bristol-Birds] shorebird, wader habitat management plan agreement for Paddle Creek Pond
- From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Bristol-birds" <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 20:28:13 -0400
After nearly two years of careful observations
and record keeping (as well as habitat photos)
members of the Bristol Bird Club now have a
shorebird / wader habitat management plan
agreement with the owners of Paddle Creek
Pond in eastern Sullivan County.
In the fall of 2009, we enjoyed a banner
year when the habitat at the pond reached
optimum conditions and both the White Ibis
and Glossy Ibis were found there. We
want to make sure we restore that habitat
early this year.
The photo above was made in 2009 when conditions were excellent.
Following a meeting with the owner today,
we have a verbal agreement to begin now
and expose the mudflats to an optimum
habitat for shorebirds and waders. This
will provide conditions that we did not have
in the fall of 2009 until very late in the season.
I will monitor the habitat throughout the
season and attempt to fluctuate the
exposed habitat to get the best possible
conditions from now thru November
There will be times when we may see more
exposed mudflats than anytime in modern
observation years. This will be an attempt
to juggle the inflow of water to the pond
with the natural earth absorption and work
around the pump-storage capabilities which
mechanically lift water to the upper ponds.
They are under separate ownership and
no longer available to birders because the
owner has built a home there and his
family moved in and now lives on the site.
Since the plan calls for natural earth
absorption and reduced inflow, birders
probably will not see a dramatic exposure
of habitat in a few days. But we'll see what
we can do.
We hope we will provide some very good
habitat for more shorebirds and waders
to utilize as they migrate thru our area
and also provide neat birding.
Let's go birding . . . .
Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
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