[TN-Bird] Empty eagle nest

Dutch Bottoms/Douglas Lake, Cocke county, 3/22/09, 3-6 PM
Lake elevation: 965.2 ft.   Dutch Bottoms will be completely flooded  
by the end of the week.

A beautiful day to be on the lake, although bird species & numbers  
were not exceptional.  We visited the site of a bald eagle nest near  
the "18" day marker across from Taylor's Bend.    The nest has been  
occupied for at least 5 years, but there were no indications that the  
nest has been in use this season, no feathers or feces below the nest,  
no adults or nestlings. A developer has had heavy machinery in the  
area, as close as 100 ft. from the nest, and at the same elevation.   
The road below the nest is hard-packed from heavy ATV use, and several  
big oaks near the nest have been felled.  At least we continue to see  
eagles in the general area.

Ospreys seem to be less particular.  We saw a pair in a nest on top of  
Walters Bridge; hundreds of vehicles, including thunderous  swarms of  
motorcycles, pass directly below, hour after hour.

Partial list:

Double-crested cormorant (45)
Great blue heron (14)
Osprey (6)
Bald eagle (1 immature)
Least sandpiper (3)
Bonaparte's gull (3)
Ring-billed gull ( 30+)
  (http://www.pbase.com/image/110531005/large   :side-by-side view of  
the 2 gull species)

Michael Sledjeski & Leslie Gibbens
Del Rio TN



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