[TN-Bird] Eurasian Collared-Doves--more speculation
- From: Don Miller <raincrow@xxxxxxx>
- To: TN-Bird <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Jeff Wilson <OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 02 Sep 2004 23:38:41 -0400
In a message dated 8/31/2004 9:49:11 PM Central Standard Time,
raincrow@xxxxxxx writes:
This sequence of sightings may be coincidental, but it seems likely to
me that it isn't necessarily so. The 11E corridor offers a lot of the
kind of habitat that collared-doves prefer: mostly open country
consisting of a combination of residential subdivisions and nearby
farmlands, with abundant scattered woodlots. The road itself is mostly
four-lane and makes an easy path to follow--a long gray ribbon extending
northeast through the region. I think of it as a "dry river."
[response from Jeff Wilson]:
I'm not real familiar with that area as I've only travelled it a few
times to enjoy some of the great bird finds over that way but I would
bet there is a railroad track that follows the 11E corridor. These birds
seem to follow tracks for the food found at
grain elevators or the normal spills along the tracks and such.
***********************************************************************************************
Jeff and others,
I've thought about the railroad angle, but in this case it doesn't seem
to be an exact fit. There is a railroad that in a rough sort of way
parallels part of the 11E corridor, but I am not aware of grain
elevators or drop-off points. My impression is that this rail line
carries little or no agricultural freight, and I am not aware of any
grain being grown in this area in significant quantities that might be
part of inter-regional commerce. (If I am wrong in this, please,
someone, provide better information.)
It has occurred to me that the doves might be following the rail line in
response to a behavior learned elsewhere and which they have continued
even though it hasn't paid good dividends. I can't imagine how we could
find evidence to support this idea, though. In any case, it is true
that most of the sightings have been near the rail line: the ones in
Hawkins, Greene, and Washington Counties definitely fit this pattern. I
am not sure about the Jefferson County sightings but suspect that the
line probably runs not too far from 11E there as well.
The big puzzle in the rail line idea concerns the grain issue. I would
really welcome additional information on this. I have searched the
Greene and Hawkins areas for evidence of grain loading or unloading
areas and have found none, but I may not have known everywhere to look.
Don Miller
Greeneville, TN
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