[Bristol-Birds] (with Dr. Andy Jones) Coyote in Shady Valley and S.-b. Dowitcher at Musick's Campground
- From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "'Bristol Bird Club'" <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 17:24:37 -0400
Coyote at Crossroads in Shady Valley 31 August 2014.jpg
photo by Wallace Coffey
Dr. Andy Jones and I birded in Sullivan and Johnson counties of Northeast
Tennessee
Sunday morning, 31 August 2014. He is the Director of Science, William A.
and Nancy
R. Klamm Endowed Chair of Ornithology and Head of Department of Ornithology,
Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Andy is currently nominated by the
American
Ornithologists' Union as secretary of the society to be voted on in late
September.
In Shady Valley, we were entering the Raceway Restaurant when Andy noticed a
Coyote apparently hunting in the field directly behind the restaurant which
is
located at the main crossroads at the silo. It is rather rare to encounter
one of these
creatures leisurely hunting at midday.
The owner of the restaurant, Karen Eller, a couple of her employees and
several
patrons, gathered in the parking lot to observe this mostly-carnivore
canine. It was
in easy view for perhaps 15 minutes.
Andy recalled that the last time we saw one abroad in daylight was near the
Food
City Store on TN Rt. 394 near Blountville when we saw an adult carrying one
of
its pups in its mouth as it ran along the edge of a weedy field.
We saw little in Shady Valley but did note a couple of Wild Turkeys on the
Johnson
County side of Holston Mountain as we arrived.
In Sullivan County we birded at Paddle Creek Pond and Musick's Campground:
Paddle Creek Pond:
Blue-wing Teal 5
Killdeer 10
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 1
Pectoral Sandpiper 1
Musick's Campground on South Holston Lake:
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 3
Short-billed Dowitcher 1 adult
Chad Baker, who owns the ponds in behind the Crumley Family Farms
at Paddle Creek, stopped to say hello. He was appointed by Governor Bill
Haslam to the Tennessee wildlife commission which is the managing
boad over the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Chad represents
District 1 counties of Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen,
Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington.
His appointment is effective through February 2019. He and his wife, Paige,
have a daughter, Ira, and a son, Wick. He replaces Clayton Stout, of
Johnson City, who resigned from his position earlier this year.
Chad was quick to suggest that he would be more than happy to hear
from our Bristol Bird Club members anytime we have concerns or
suggestions about the work of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
It was nice that he offered that without being asked or prompted.
Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
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