[bcbirdclub] Hiwassee on Saturday, January 26
- From: "Jerry Thornhill" <birder@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bcbirdclub@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:49:11 -0500
Jane & I drove down to Cleveland, TN, on Friday afternoon in order to bird
Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge. We were only able to bird until around noon
because Jane had to return home so she could leave for NY early Sunday
morning. Nonetheless, we had a great time.
We started birding just before sunrise. Of course, the Sandhill Cranes were
there in great numbers. We had at least 7 Bald Eagles, all immature with
one in adult transition stage. The first was in the tree-line across the
lake from the Gazebo just after we started birding. While there, we had
Song Sparrows, Cardinals, Blue Jays, American Crows, Eastern Towhee, Tufted
Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, and White-crowned Sparrows in the trees and
brush around the parking lot while the lake gave us Great Blue Herons,
Northern Shovelers, Mallards, and Hooded Mergansers.
We left the Gazebo area and followed Blythe Ferry Road to its end to the
Cherokee Removal Memorial Park. We followed a nice boardwalk to an
excellent overlook to the lake. While we were there, I spotted a single
Bald Eagle flying down the lake at a very low altitude. This was possibly
the same bird we had seen earlier since it came from that direction. It
landed on the beach on the far side of the lake where it joined 4 other
eagles including the adult transition. They appeared to be socializing. As
I scanned toward the middle of the lake, I saw 2 other eagles on a small
island. They were having a tug-of-war with what I took to be a fish. From
the overlook, we also got Gadwalls, Ring-billed Gulls, Double-crested
Cormorants, Buffleheads, Ring-necked Ducks, and a single Canvasback on the
lake. In the trees around the overlook, we got a Downy Woodpecker and a
Tennessee Warbler.
We crossed the lake and doubled back to the lake on Old Blythe Ferry Road to
the spot below the overlook on the opposite shore. Along the way, we picked
up a White-throated Sparrow and saw Sandhills in the air and on the ground
including in people's yards. At the lake, we found a Belted Kingfisher, a
Killdeer, and American Black Ducks.
Our only disappointment was not finding the Whooping Cranes that have been
see there this winter.
Jerry
Sandhills fly into field below gazebo
Sandhills in a yard
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