[tn-bird] One last post re: CLARK'S NUTCRACKER

From: JimmWilkerson@xxxxxx
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2002 14:33:54 EDT
I just returned home and did see the Clark's Nutcracker, a life bird for me!

From downtown Chattanooga it's about 165 miles and takes just over three 
hours if you observe most of the speed limits.

Take 1-24 to I-59 and exit in Gadsden by turning left onto 431.  Just this 
side of Anniston 431 becomes 21 stay on 21 until you reach I-20 go east 
toward Atlanta and in 6 miles you will exit onto 431 again.  Turn right and 
follow the signs to CHEAHA  STATE PARK  (you will have to turn right and then 
make a left onto 281 but it is well marked).  Once your on 281 its about 12 
miles to the main entrance for the park.  Turn right where all the state park 
buildings are.  If you continue straight ahead you will come to a pay booth 
($1.00) per person.  Travel a couple miles and turn at the first left.  Up 
the hill on the right there is a stone tower marking the highest point in 
Alabama.  in 0.1 miles you will pass Pavillion #1 continue down the hill for 
another 0.1 miles.  Steve McConnell has tied orange survey ribbons on both 
sides of the road (the left side is tied onto a tree limb the right side in 
tied onto a water fauscett) at the location we saw the bird.  Don't anyone 
tell that Alabama birder he marked the spot in Tennesse Orange.

As Dee and Carol posted earlier this bird was also very congenial.  It seemed 
to be gleaning halved Hickory nuts from the roadside and flying to nearby 
trees where it would peck and eat the nut meats. We also saw it eating seeds 
from pine cones. Steve must have taken 30 photos while I was there.  At times 
we were only 25 feet away.  The general consensus was the bird will most 
likely hang around a few days near this location.  

Sibley's shows the bird much to light for its actual color. National 
Geographic's image is just a shade to dark but if you have  All the birds of 
North America page 111 has the nearest to what we saw except there is not 
nearly as much white near this birds striking bill.

Jimmy Wilkerson
Hixson, Tn.




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[tn-bird] One last post re: CLARK'S NUTCRACKER

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