Spring Creek Embayment
South Holston Lake
Washington County, VA
A SNOW BUNTING (an apparent first year bird) was found in the Spring Creek
Embayment area of South Holston Lake near Musick's Campground today (Saturday,
Nov. 13).
The bird was heard as it flew over a group of birders at Musick's Campground.
It circled widely over the the lake along the shores of Washington County park
in Virginia, down the lake well below the campground in Tennessee, back over
the campground observation area and landed on the backside of "Egret Island" in
Sullivan Co., Tennessee just a few yards south of the Virginia-Tennessee
stateline.
Birders included Don Holt, Diane Draper, Wallace Coffey, Rack Cross, Sam Cross,
Ken Hale and Morgan Hale.
Ken Hale had just arrived with his fast Sea Ray boat and quickly took everyone
by water to the backside of Egret Island were the bird could easily be seen
onshore, first perched on a low rock and then walking and feeding in a more
open area close to the water's edge. Rack Cross got very good video of the
bird. It was observed for at least 10 minutes at a distance of about 40 feet.
The bird arrived in the area at 4:40 p.m. and departed at 5:08 p.m., flying off
down the lake near sunset.
This is the third sighting of a Snow Bunting from Musick's Campground and the
second record of a bird on Egret Island. All are November records. Carol
Cross, Rack Cross and Coffey observed one on the gravel launching ramp at
Musick's Campground November 18, 2002. Coffey observed one November 28, 2002
as it was moving along the shoreline of the island about 20 feet above the
water's edge.
These are probably the only well-observed birds known from Sullivan County. A
casually reported bird from the Bristol Christmas Bird Count of December 26,
1956 by Judith Abbott and her cousin, seen near South Holston Dam, has long
been considered questionable.
Let's go birding....
Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
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