[Bristol-Birds] Saw-whet Owl banding effort underway
- From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <maryerwin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2003 21:48:04 -0500
On Saturday night we opened our first-ever Northern Saw-whet Owl banding
station near Musick's Campground at South Holston Lake, about 1/2 mile south
of the Virginia line in Tennessee. This is east of Bristol in Sullivan Co.
After two nights of effort, we still have not caught a Saw-whet or any other
owl. We were up and running Saturday and Sunday nights.
In 1995 we captured and banded one bird in one night of operation about 20
miles south at Johnson City in Washington Co. in Winged-Deer Park, so we
have a tiny bit of success under our belt.
We still have visions of Saw-whets dancing thru our heads and we are
encouraged to think that the next two weeks will bring us the peak.
When Clair Mellinger body-slamed and banded 21 Saw-whets in Virginia
northeast of us Saturday as the moon grew dark, we were encouraged the flood
doors being open might swamp us with birds. We are discouraged but not
defeated.
Mellinger, of Harrisonburg, VA, had a very slow start to the fall migration
of saw-whet owls at his station in Rockingham County, VA until someone
opened the door Saturday night and let the owls out. Throughout the region
(MD,WV) they had a good influx of owls. Before Saturday night, in
Rockingham County, Mellinger had banded less than 20 owls. Saturday night
they had 21 before midnight. Perhaps the cold front, the colder
temperatures, or the lunar eclipse (!) brought them down. Who knows.
We truly enjoyed operating our nets and station under the eclipse. We are
especially grateful to the Tennessee Valley Authority and their staffers
Bucky Edmondson and Hill Henry who have worked hard to help us get up and
running. TVA Police Officer Jeff Johnson surprised us late Sunday when he
checked in on us during his patrol rounds. They are out there getting their
good police work done !
Those helping with the station have been Rack Cross, Don Holt, Virgil Carr,
Sammy Cross, Richard Lewis, Wallace Coffey, Rick Knight, Carol Cross and
Larry McDaniel.
I can't say enough about the good and loyal help provided by Virgil Carr who
has pitched in and worked hard to lend a good hand. Rack Cross and Don Holt
also worked the station with me both nights.
I hope to press on. If you would like to help make the show go, let me
know. Warm bodies are needed. Even on cold nights. We set up nets about 5
p.m. and take them down at 11:30 p.m. We need workers who can go the
distance. Curiosity seekers who pay a brief visit to look and socialize are
welcome.
Let's go owling......
Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
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