Bristol Area Birders: I write this just a couple of hours away from Hurricane Isabel's landfall off the North Caorlina, Virginia coast. Our best chance of coverage and finding wind-blown birds should come right after daybreak on Friday until mid-afternoon for any of you who can get out and look. Maybe there is some possibility before nightfall today (Thursday). This is such a large storm that wind circulation will be coming into much of Southwest Virginia, particularly east of I-81 and mostly north and northeast of Wytheville. Still there will be influence in a much more broad area from Bluefield, VA to Greeneville, TN. I think the priority coverage area is for anything in the Upper Tennessee River Drainage and the New River Drainage. If any of you have time to go afield Friday to check for storm-driven birds, I would suggest areas closer to the Appalachian Mountains and the various Blue Ridge chains which make up that area. I am listing some primary coveager areas and those of lesser importance to tickel your thinker about where the possibilities might be. In Virginia the highest priorities would be: all of the New River from the Shot Tower on I-77 south to at least Fries and certainly incuding Claytor Lake. Rural Retreat Lake east of I-81 at Rural Retreat is a MUST! Beartree Lake on US. 58 north of Damascus would be a good quick check. Hungry Mother State Park Lake at Marion is a must. South Holston Lake from Musick's Campground north to Avens Bridge and Alvarado would be good. Clear Creek Lake at Wallace near Ext. 7 of I-81 Bristol, Lake Laurel at Low Gap on I-77 south of Lamburg, VA near the Blue Ridge Parkway should be good. North of I-81 along the New River towards Parrot and over into West Virginia at Bluestone are all reasonable possibilities. In Tennessee the highest priorities would be: Wilbur Lake, Watauga Lake (especially in Roan Creek and Elk River off US 321). Ripshin Lake in Carter Co. is worth a look. All of South Holston Lake (especially Musick's Campground and from the dam overlook), the Weir Dam, Middlebrook Lake and Steele Creek Park Lake at Bristol, Boone Lake (especially Austin Springs). Secondary importance but worth checking in Southwest Virginia should be: The five Saltponds in Saltville and the ponds near there on Henrytown Rd. if you can see in there. Laurel Bed Lake on the Clinch Mountain WMA, Gose Mill Pond and Station Spring Pond (new lake) both in Burke's Garden. All of the Brush Creek Structure Dams between Bluefield and Greenwood (most important structures 14, 15,19 as possible). Falls Mill Dam on St. Rt. 643 west of Bluefield and the ponds at Rosedale and Elk Garden Mill Pond in Russell County. Hidden Valley Lake on Brumley Mountain, the Levisa Fork River drainage, North Fork Pound Reservoir, Flannagan Dam,. OF LESSER IMPORTANCE= White Oak Creek Dam, Bark Camp Lake, Big Cherry Reservoir at Big Stone, Upper Norton Dam reservoirs, Bear Creek Dam at Wise. Tennessee waters on the extreme fringe should be: Rankin Bottom (but not a bad bet), Davy Crockett Lake at Greeneville. Greeneville Water Supply near Alexander Mill and the Nolichucky River, Ripley Island and Cane Island SE of Afton, Fairview Pond in Washington Co., Bays Mountain Lake at Kingsport and the Netherlands Inn Riverfront in Kingsport as well as Patrick Henry Lake. I am sure many of you have your favorite small ponds like the Veterans Center at Johnson City or Great Lakes ponds north of Elizabethton or maybe the Creeper Trailhead Pond, Crabtree Pond at Abingdon and Green Spring Pond of VA. 75 east of Avens Bridge and South Holston Lake. Whatever you like, go birding if you can and check out any body of water you can take a minute to scan. And post what you find on Bristol Birds Net. Let's go birding.... Wallace Coffey Bristol, TN ************************************************* BRISTOL BIRDS NET LIST This is a regional birding list sponsored by the Bristol Bird Club to facilitate communications between birders and bird clubs of Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. It serves the Russell County Bird Club, Herndon TOS Chapter, Blue Ridge Birders Club, Butternut Nature Club, Buchanan County Bird Club, Bristol Bird Club, Clinch Valley Bird Club and Cumberland Nature Club. -------------------------------------------------- You are subscribed to Bristol-Birds. To post to this mailing list, simply send an email to: bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, send an email to bristol-birds-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the one word 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. -------------------------------------------------- Wallace Coffey, Moderator wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (423)764-****