Recent trips to the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Meigs County at Birchwood have
resulted in some good summer species for that area. On July 9, 27 species were
found at the refuge. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and Orchard Orioles were among the
species located. When I arrived at the viewing area on July 11, two young
people from Chattanooga were leaving. Regretfully, I didn’t ask their names,
but the woman showed me a photograph of an American Redstart they had seen near
the slough north of the gazebo. I have never seen one in Southeast Tennessee
except during spring and fall migration seasons. Those two people had also seen
Yellow-breasted Chats, and I heard the same species later that morning. On July
13, I saw 33 Black Vultures circling over the Hiwassee River. I also noted a
Black-&-white Warbler in a tree on the road into the refuge about 20 meters
from the refuge parking area. A Red-headed Woodpecker was observed on the
utility pole near the refuge gazebo the same day. I saw two woodpeckers of the
same species at the refuge today, July 14. One of them was in the same area
near the gazebo.
Charles Murray
Birchwood, Tennessee
