2006 Club Activities

With birding having become the number one hobby in the United States the members of the Buchanan County Bird Club were in good company as they began the year by finding unusual avian species in the area. A small white goose, known as a Ross’s Goose, was found at St Paul by club member, Richard Kretz of Lebanon VA. These geese, often found on the coast in the company of Snow Geese, are very uncommon in this part of the country. On January 29th a Bald Eagle was observed and photographed just over the mountain behind Lowe’s in Tazewell County by Roger and Lynda Mayhorn. A Golden Eagle was found and photographed in Russell County alongside Rt. 19 on February 19th.

In January of 2006 club president, Roger Mayhorn, began the presentation of a “Birder of the Month Award” to the club member who finds the most unusual or interesting bird during that month. Club member, David Raines won the first award by sighting two very rare Whooping Cranes, while visiting the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge near Chattanooga, TN.

Several BCBC (Buchanan County Bird Club) members participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) during February. The GBBC is sponsored by the National Audubon Society. Participants find the highest number of each bird species in their areas, then go online to record their sightings on the Audubon website. This count takes place all over the world each year. The data gathered is used to monitor the health and numbers of bird species.

Roger Mayhorn and fellow club member, Sheldon Woods took part this past year in Project Wildbird, a study of birds at different types of feeders containing different types of seed. This study was sponsored by the Wildbird Feeder Industry in order to see which birds prefer which food at which feeders. Four bird feeders, poles on which to mount them, predator guards and nine different types of feed are provided free to participants. In return the participant takes note of the preferences of the birds every other day and then reports the data online. More participants are being sought, and more information can be found at the Project Wildbird web site at http://www.projectwildbird.org/

The most spectacular event in 2006 for the Buchanan County Bird Club was its hosting of the annual meeting of the state organization, the Virginia Society of Ornithology. The organization meets in a different area of the state each May, and this past year the Buchanan County Bird Club hosted the event in the Breaks Park. One hundred forty-one birders came from all points of the compass to participate, one couple from as far away as Arizona. The Breaks accommodations were filled to overflowing. The visitors were amazed at the natural beauty of the area, and at the many species of birds to be found here. Renowned birdsong expert, Don Kroodsma, was the guest speaker for the event. Everything about the event went like clockwork, thanks mainly to the great organizational skills of Lynda Mayhorn, who orchestrated the event. One lady attending said that she had attended 23 of these events in past years, and had even helped organize a few, and this one was by far the best she had ever attended. In addition to meetings and a banquet, Buchanan County Bird Club members led birders along the trails in the park as well as Enoch’s Branch Park and Compton Mountain.

For more information on this event - see our VSO 2006 Event Page.

An unusual bird was found on Guesses Fork in May by club members, Ed and Michelle Talbott. The bird was a Brewster’s Warbler, a hybrid that occurs when a Blue-winged Warbler and a Golden-winged Warbler mate. Another Brewster’s Warbler had been found in July of 2005 at Roger and Lynda Mayhorn’s property on Compton Mountain.

The bird club has erected 78 bluebird nest boxes throughout the county. The unusually cold weather of 39 degrees during last May took a toll on the nesting birds. Roger Mayhorn found at least 10 young birds dead in their nests on Compton Mountain. David Raines found 3 dead birds in the nest boxes in the Breaks community. The young birds had died from a combination of cold and starvation. When the temperature drops that low the insects are not available to feed the young. The birds went on to raise 238 birds for the year. Since 2003 when the first nest boxes were put up, 904 birds have hatched and left the nests. 635 of those were Eastern Bluebirds.

Club members Johnnie and Betty Ratliff, who live at the mouth of Little Prater, provide houses and gourds for Purple Martins at their home. This past year they had more martins than they had had in many years. Two hundred twenty Purple Martins hatched and survived to leave in late summer. Purple Martins are great for eating lots of insect pests, and their melodic calls are a pleasant sound to those who provide houses for them.

At the August club meeting, Teta Kain, nature photographer, birder, past president of the Virginia Society of Ornithology, and compiler of the Audubon bird counts, was the guest speaker. She first had dinner with club members at Bellacino’s, then later at the public library presented an excellent slide program on her trip by ship to the South Pacific and to the ice pack near the Antarctic continent. With her wit and unique style she kept the group laughing. Upon hearing of the demolition of Grundy she asked if she could see some of it the next day and possibly photograph some of it. Club president, Roger Mayhorn and Vice-president Ed Talbott III soon had her outfitted with hard hat and vest, which were required by VDOT. With permission obtained to allow her on the site, she spent the next day with some of the club members watching and photographing the demolition. She was supposed to leave early in the day, but she was so fascinated by it all, that it was late afternoon before she departed.

In September club members made their way to the Birch Knob observation deck atop Pine Mountain to observe migrating hawks. Each year at that time thousands of hawks make their way southward to the Southern U.S. and on into Central and South America. The group did not count as many hawks as they have in the past, but the views of Kentucky and Virginia from the observation deck were spectacular. Some club members also join other birders at the Mendota fire tower on Clinch Mountain in Russell County each fall to help with their hawk count. Thousands of hawks pass that spot every fall. Eagles and other birds of prey are also observed.

Club members, Roger and Lynda Mayhorn, once again hosted their annual Warbler Day at their home on Compton Mountain. The Mayhorns’ home is located on the fall migration route for hundreds of species of birds heading south. Each day during September their yard fills with brightly colored bird species. The birds fly non-stop during the night, then drop down to feed and rest as day breaks. This past year twenty-one birders came from different areas of Virginia and Tennessee to watch the migration. They started arriving at 7:00 a.m. to see the first wave of migrating birds. Fifty-three different species were observed passing through the area. At noon the birders were served lunch, courtesy of the Mayhorns and the bird club.

BCBC members David and Susan Raines of the Breaks hosted a Sparrow Day at their home on Saturday, October 21st. October is when the many species of sparrows migrate southward to escape the coming cold. The day was an excellent fall day with clear blue skies and warm temperatures. Nineteen birders were present, and 50 species were recorded for the day including some that are not usually found in the area. David and Susan provided a great lunch for all with desserts brought in by some of the birders.

In early October Roger Mayhorn was invited by a couple of Russell County birders to join them on a trip to Cape May, New Jersey, which is a mecca for birders. Thousands of birds move down the coast there on their way south. The birders arrived there just at the peak of hawk migration and were treated to spectacular flights as hawks and falcons flew up and down the streets of Cape May and along the beach.

Normally the hummingbirds have left our area by the end of September, but on October 19th a western hummingbird called a Rufous Hummingbird came to a feeder in Lebanon, VA. This species is usually found in the Western U.S. and Western Canada. They fly south into Mexico and Central America to spend the winter, but in the last few years more and more of these birds are appearing in the East. Some are staying for part or all of the winter. The one in Lebanon has remained all winter. The feeder owner placed lights near the feeder to keep it from freezing. Bird club members have gone to see and photograph the bird. If those feeding hummingbirds would leave their feeders out later in the year they may attract one of these avian marvels.

Gray Catbirds are common throughout our area during the summer, but they are usually gone by the end of October. This past year one was found by BCBC members at Poplar Gap Park on November 18th. On December 16th, during the Christmas Bird Count, an annual count sponsored by the National Audubon Society, the bird was located again at Poplar Gap Park by club member Lynda Mayhorn. Why this bird decided to stay around long after its relatives were gone is not known. The bird was not found again after that date.

In late December a Pine Warbler came to a seed feeder at the home of David Raines in the Breaks. This was another bird that should have been farther south, but decided to hang around. The bird came to the feeder for about a week, and was not seen after that.

The Buchanan County Bird Club held its annual celebratory Christmas Party and club anniversary celebration at Bellacino’s restaurant on December 11th. This was the club’s 5th year of existence. The food was good, the conversation excellent and small gifts were exchanged.

Roger Mayhorn