[Bristol-Birds] Avens Bridge eagle nesting pair fledge young on South Holston Lake
- From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 13:54:30 -0400
BAEA nest Avens Bridge 21 Jan 2012.JPG
Adults at monster nest Jan 2012
(estimated 10 ft. in diameter) which the pair replaced the storm-destroyed
nest with. Photo by Wallace Coffey
Avens Bridge
South Holston Lake
Washington Co., VA
25 June 2015
Sandy and Bill Lawson continue to monitor the Avens Bridge
nesting pair of Bald Eagles on South Holston Lake in
Washington Co., VA.
The nest site is now being used for its sixth year and has
fledged two young this season. The eaglets had been branching
for a few weeks and now perching in the open.
With the exception of one year when a violent storm blew the
nest out of a tree and killed both eaglets, the adult pair have
been successful in fledging two young each year. The young
raised the first couple of years, if they have survived, are now
mature enough to breed and may be nesting this year.
The adults rebuilt the year after the storm and are a few hundred
yards away and closer to the water.
As the trees continue to grow larger and the crowns fill out more
each year, it is difficult for the neighbors to all enjoy a good
view of nesting activity. However, some families still get a good
angle and can follow the nesting season more easily.
Since the Lawsons are retired and no longer living in Lebanon,
VA and using the lake house as a permanent residence, they are
giving serious thoughts to building a house further out the road
from where they live and building something that is more suited for
a permanent home rather than a lake house weekend home. The lot
where they are considering building is located in a position that will
provide better visibility of the present eagle nest as long as the
birds continue to use that site.
This nest became an historical site since it was the first known
nest in Southwest Virginia history and the first for South Holston
Lake.
Eaglets (29) were hacked over a three-year period
from the large hacking tower near South Holston Dam.
Eaglets were brought from Alaska and Wisconsin during the
period 1991-1994. The Bristol Bird Club and its members
helped raise thousands of dollars to fund the project which
was conducted by the Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee
Wildlife Resources Agency and Tennessee Tech University.
Let's go birding . . . .
Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
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