[TN-Bird] Osprey nestlings/Brown pelican

Chester Frost County Park / Pinky's Point section
Hamilton county

After being confined to quarters this week I begged and pleaded with my wife 
this morning and was rewarded with "one short close to home outing" today.  
Last month on Bill Haley's field trip the group spotted an osprey pair building 
a nest on a nearby river channel marker.  I had wanted for several days to get 
back and check on them so, this seemed my best option for a short close to 
home adventure.

As we arrived I could see one of the adults rearranging the outter perimeter 
of the nest. It looked as if she was also pecking at something in the bottom 
of the nest.  Within moments a tiny infant about the size of a robin stood in 
front of her.  As we scoped for better looks I also saw another juvenile bird 
with about the scrawniest neck I've ever seen poke its head up for a few 
seconds.  The channel market has a sign below it with the numbers 4784 if you 
wonder 
if your looking at the right marker!

Cynthia had moved off to my left so I looked over to tell her what I'd seen.  
The look I got from her said "guess what I just saw" even before she has 
spoken a single word! If you've been in love with someone for over 33 years 
most 
of the time words aren't necessary!  She was determined not to tell me until I 
went over and took a look for myself.  Out from the lake bank about 125 feet 
was a BROWN PELICAN.  We were elevated 15 feet or so over the bird so we had a 
great view looking down on this guy. This happened about 12:20.  The pelican 
stayed close in for us until about 12:45 before it flew down river toward 
Chattanooga.  About 1:00 we had moved to try and relocate the bird when it flew 
over our heads and went back to the same area we had seen it earlier.  About 
1:15 
was the last sighting we had.  

We went home to retrieve our call list of local birders.  Several people came 
but no one ever saw the pelican again.  Hwy 58 is only a short distance (the 
way the crow/pelican flies) so we opted to go there before dark.  Sometime in 
the evening we received a phone call from Gail Savas.  She was on her way over 
to pinky's point traveling down Hwy 58.  As she crossed Wolftever Creek the 
pelican flew across the road in front of her.

Cynthia and I searched in that area as well as around and inside Island Cove 
Marina until dark without seeing the pelican again.

Jimmy & Cynthia Wilkerson
Hixson, Tn.


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