[Bristol-Birds] Washington County VA waterfowl

From: "Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Bristol-birds" <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 23:58:08 -0500
8 March 2010
South Holston Lake
Washington County, VA

The vanguard of spring waterfowl migration has  become
interesting in recent days as the waterfowl movement
to northern breeding grounds has grown day by day. But
the now fast-falling barometric pressure means the 
first pulse might slow but continuous winds from the 
South are helping push the advancing flights.

Migration will slow with the approach of a cold front but
it can be heavy.

Nevertheless, we enjoyed a nice stop over of Redhead
ducks this evening in the Virginia portions of South 
Holston Lake.

Carolyn and I counted 323 Redheads in flocks sheltered
in deep coves along Lake Road on the western shore
of the impoundment.  They were mostly in a couple of
nice rafts spread over a mile with the first (137) well
back to the inside cove of Camp Sequoya and the largest
(186) along Lake Rd., deep in the mouth of Spring Creek. 

The Sequoya birds were hanging with 23 Pied-billed
Grebes and the Spring Creek flight ushered by 
18 Lesser Scaup.

Sunset overtook us at 6:29 p.m. as we hurried south
down the lake to Tennessee.  We finally made it to
Musick's Campground by 6:35 p.m. but little was seen.
The large raft was well back in Spring Creek and not
a good feather was found from the outer banks.  We left
at 6:51 p.m. as twilight swept Musick's and darkness 
overtook us before we got to Darter's Store.

We had earlier enjoyed ~50 Ring-necked Ducks at
the Nicewonder Pond at Exit 10 on I-81 along with
a few Gadwall.  Across the hill to the west the 
American Coots were in a tight group of 34 at Clear
Creek Lake and made me wonder if they weren't 
pondering their journey north.















 Dominant high pressures and warm weather has 
 created almost textbook conditions to stimulate
 migration with the flights picking up as the warm front
 moved past and migration picked up significantly 
 behind the front.  An important feature for migration
 has been South wind around 5 mph and continuing 
 into Tuesday night.  Wednesday should continue to
 bring very favorable South wind between 5 and 15 mph, 
 with gusts as high as 20 mph.

 Watch every stream, river and pond.

 Don't count on seeing another Eurasian Wigeon too
 soon.  The last one was at South Holston Lake in
 Washington County, VA nearly 45 years ago on
 March 13.  That will give you some idea of how
 good of a find Larry McDaniel had at Steele Creek
 Park Lake.
 
 Let's go birding . . . .

 Wallace Coffey
 Bristol, TN
[Bristol-Birds] Washington County VA waterfowl

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