[TN-Bird] Meigs County Grebes, Sandhill Cranes, and More
- From: Charles Murray <dro_1945@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Tn Bird <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 12:42:56 -0700 (PDT)
This morning I turned onto Burdette Road from Highway 60 in the Birchwood area
of Meigs County. Burdette Road runs into Shahan Road. At the TWRA boat ramp on
Shahan Road, I saw several horned and pied-billed grebes which were often close
to shore. Some of the grebes of both species were in breeding plumage. The
horned grebes in breeding plumage were quite spectacular! The grebes were
catching small fish in the shallow waters, as were ring-billed and Bonaparte
gulls. I also had a close-up view of an osprey overhead which eventually caught
a small 6 - 8 inch fish and left the area. Last week I saw a pair of
blue-winged teal and a pair of wood ducks near a bridge close to the boat ramp.
From Shahan road I went on to the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge (HWR) viewing area.
I didn't see any of the few hundred canvasback ducks, ring-necked ducks, and
others that have been there much of the winter. When I left HWR, I went to the
Cherokee Removal Memorial Park (CRMP). As I walked up the ramp to the viewing
area, I was surprised to hear sandhill cranes flying from south to north over
the park. A few minutes later I counted fifteen sandhills that had landed on
Hiwassee Island. Several ospreys and one adult bald eagle were also noted from
the CRMP overlook.
Charles Murray
Birchwood, TN
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