Here are highlights of the weekend: Saturday morning, March 27, 2004, Chris Sloan, Larry McDaniel and Don Holt birded on Roan Mtn., Carter Co., TN and at Musick's Campground on South Holston Lake, Sullivan Co., TN. Knight posted the findings at the lake yesterday. On the mtn. we had the good fortune to see a SAW-WHET OWL on the NC side of Carver's Gap looking out of a nest-box. Sloan had already seen one nearby in the spruce-fir forest being mobbed. Later while watching the bird in the box, we heard a call note from another Saw-whet in the distance. I've been told that since they don't usually roost in boxes, there is a good chance they are on the nest. Other spp. seen or heard that morning included Wild Turkey, Brown Creeper (singing), Red-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren (singing), Golden-crowned Kinglet, Red Crossbill, & Pine Siskin. Saturday evening, after the Herndon TOS Spring Banquet (at which Sloan presented a delightful and informative program on winter hummingbirds), around 9 pm Sloan and Holt returned to Carver's Gap to look for Saw-whets again. We heard an owl calling on the TN side of the gap, hiked up the trail toward it, then briefly returned its call. In a short while we had very close looks at a very curious owl, within less than twenty feet. There may have been a second bird heard nearby. Sunday morning, March 28, Sloan, Holt, and Larry McDaniel met at Carvers Gap and birded our way down the mtn.. Some interesting spp. added to the weekend's list included White-breasted Nuthatch, Common Raven and singing Fox Sparrows at Carver's Gap, and BLUE-HEADED VIREO at Hummingbird Hill. We continued to Flatwoods Road on Holston Mtn. in Carter and Sullivan Counties in search of Ruffed Grouse. The Blue-headed Vireos were heard all over the mtn. A couple of BLACK AND WHITE WARBLERS were also heard. Good views of Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker were enjoyed. No Ruffed Grouse were found, but the search for one led to the surprise discovery of a BLACK BEAR, perhaps recently roused from hibernation. The bear exhibited behavior typical of the species in this area, by immediately vacating the premises as soon as humans had intruded. Don Holt Johnson City, TN =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ========================================================