The Bristol Bird Club – J Wallace Coffey Chapter TOS / VSO

The Bristol Bird Club was founded in Bristol, Tennessee, Bristol, Virginia (USA) in March 1950 to promote the enjoyment, scientific study and conservation of wild birds.

We generally meet on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. We have both in-person meetings and a Zoom Video option. Our meeting place is in the Ascent Room of The Summit at 1227 Volunteer Parkway in Bristol, TN. The Zoom invitations are emailed to members or guests who request a link.

Our members are from a large area in Virginia and Tennessee. Everyone is welcome to join.

Regular activities include monthly field trips, an annual picnic, banquet and Christmas Party. Additionally, we sponsor three Christmas Bird Counts annually (Bristol, TN/VA; Glade Spring, VA; and Shady Valley/Mountain City, TN). We also sponsor an email listserv called Bristol-Birds that you may join to receive info on recent sightings. To join free listserv, visit https://www.freelists.org/list/bristol-birds and enter your email address next to “User Options: Your email address:”. To finish the process, make sure the action is set to Subscribe and click Go.

If you have questions or would like to participate in one of the aforementioned Christmas Bird Counts, send us an email at: BristolBirdClub2022@gmail.com

The Bristol Bird Club is part of the Tennessee Ornithological Society and an affiliate member of the Virginia Society of Ornithology. The club is a nonprofit organization under the auspices of the Tennessee Ornithological Society. The purpose of the Bristol Bird Club is to foster and support scientific study, enjoyment, and conservation of wild birds, including educational activities and to promote fellowship among the membership. The chapter name of the Bristol Bird Club is the J Wallace Coffey Chapter.  J Wallace Coffey was a vital member of the club for most of his life.  He dedicated his life to the conservation and record keeping of wild birds in the East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia and was the heartbeat of the club for many decades. What is important to our chapter is building our membership in order to continue a leadership role for all things nature.  We encourage young birders so that our club will continue to be healthy and active for future generations of birders.  We want our club to be active in conservation efforts and a strong membership makes that effort even more reachable. Our club strives to be active and to partner with other local clubs in all types of activities.  We have a special interest for programs in our local parks such as Jacob’s Nature Park in Johnson City, TN, and Steele Creek Park in Bristol, TN.

The next Bristol Bird Club meeting will be on Tuesday, Nov 19 at 7:00 PM. We will meet at The Summit at 1227 Volunteer Pkwy. in Bristol, TN.   The presentation will be by Ryan Rice from Above Ground Media. We will also be discussing the upcoming Christmas Bird Counts for Bristol (TN/VA), Shady Valley/Mountain City(TN), and Glade Spring (VA).

The period for 2025 membership dues for the Bristol Bird Club is from late fall through the end of February. Dues owed to the TOS are sent by March 31 of each year (TOS membership is $18 per year for single memberships and $22 for family memberships).  Ten dollars per year goes to our local (BBC) chapter.  The membership fees are for one year, January 1 through December 31.

BBC membership rates including TOS membership:

• Family $32
• Individual: $28
• Sustaining: $40
• Associate: $10
• Student (K-12): $15
• Individual Life: $450 (TOS only)

Please make checks payable to the Bristol Bird Club and send to the BBC Treasurer. You can pay at meetings January – February, but no later than March 15.

Anne Cowan
108 Stonecroft Circle
Bristol, TN 37620

Please include your name, mailing address, phone, and email and make checks payable to the Bristol Bird Club and send your fees to the BBC Treasurer.  You may pay at meetings or mail them to the address given above.

Debi Campbell, Club President

If you have membership questions, email us at: BristolBirdClub2022@gmail.com 

Kera Brewster was the very deserving recipient of the birder of the year award. Kera and her husband George opened the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Johnson City. It has been a successful endeavor and has served the birding community greatly. Debi Campbell gave an amazing and emotional presentation that was a moment to be remembered.

The most improved birder award went to the equally deserving recipient Mel Kelley. Mel talked about leading the efforts of habitat restoration at a number of important birding locations in the area, most notably Jacob’s Nature Park in Johnson City, TN.

November 23, 2024

The Bristol Bird Club had a birding outing on Saturday, November 23, 2024. Larry McDaniel and I (Rob Biller) were joined by Jesse and Sarah Honeycutt, Nicholas Dingus, Linda Maulton, Jennifer Quinn, and Tom Blevins and we had a most excellent day. This was billed as a waterfowl trip but we also had some other good sightings.

We started at the Weir Dam/South Holston Dam complex. The usual contingent of wintering Buffleheads and American Wigeons were on the river just above the weir. There were three Great Blue Herons scattered in different places along the Holston River. Other birds found along the river include Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (2), Brown Creeper (calling), Common Raven (2), Yellow-rumped Warbler (6), and other more common birds listed below. At the top of the South Holston Dam there were a large number of Common Loons (45) that had apparently dropped in as the cold front that brought a little snow moved through on Thursday night into Friday. There was also a raft of ducks so far out that we could not identify them but marveled as we watched an adult Bald Eagle dive and make multiple attempts to capture one! Also over the lake were a large group of Ring-billed Gulls (41).

Our next stop was the shallow waters of South Holston Lake at Musick’s Campground. On the way into Musick’s Campground there was an American Kestrel on an electrical wire. There was also an adult Bald Eagle sitting in the tree where the known eagle nest looks to be used again in their coming nesting cycle. On the lake from the campground shore we found another group of Common Loons (8), Ring-billed Gulls (9), Bonaparte’s Gulls (9), American Coots (25). Pied-billed Grebes (2), and a Red-tailed Hawk.

Our last stop was the Well Field Ponds in Saltville, Virginia. This was a bit of a drive but it was well worth it. The waterfowl did not disappoint as we had great looks at Northern Shovelers (2), American Wigeons (13), Mallards (2), Ring-necked Ducks (6), Lesser Scaups (43), Hooded Mergansers (16), and Ruddy Ducks (3). As we were walking back to where we parked, we spotted Bob Riggs and met birding partner Elaine. While we were catching up with Bob, Elaine interrupted us by telling us to look up. While we were looking at the Red-tailed Hawk she had found, we then noticed two Peregrine Falcons rising up above the Red-tail and a Turkey Vulture that had drifted in. We watched in awe as one Peregrine Falcon dove on the Red-tail and the other dove on the Turkey Vulture. At one point we were able to track both Peregrine Falcons at the same time with Larry’s scope. Other good birds we had in Saltville were Great Egret (1), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1), Hermit Thrushes (6), Yellow-rumped Warblers (2), and other common birds listed below. Our grand finale for the day was getting a Virginia Rail to respond to its call in the marshy area of one of the wellfield ponds.

It was really nice to see Bob Riggs, and meet Elaine, as it had been too long. Bob used to be a member of the Bristol Bird Club and is an outstanding birder. It was really a good day.

Complete Lists for Weir Dam / South Holston Dam and Saltville Well Fields Ponds:

Weir / South Holston Dam, Sullivan County
Nov 23, 2024
18 species

American Wigeon  17, Mallard  8, Bufflehead  63, Ring-billed Gull  41, Common Loon  45, Great Blue Heron  3, Bald Eagle  1, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  2, Pileated Woodpecker  1, Blue Jay  2, American Crow  1, Common Raven  2, White-breasted Nuthatch  1, Brown Creeper  1, Carolina Wren  1, Eastern Bluebird  2, Song Sparrow  1, Yellow-rumped Warbler  6

Saltville Well Fields, Smyth, Virginia, US
Nov 23, 2024
40 species

Canada Goose  300, Northern Shoveler  2, American Wigeon  13, Mallard  2, Ring-necked Duck  6, Lesser Scaup  43, Hooded Merganser  16, Ruddy Duck  3, Mourning Dove  2, Virginia Rail  1, American Coot  6, Pied-billed Grebe  2, Great Egret  1, Great Blue Heron  1, Black Vulture  30, Turkey Vulture  2, Red-tailed Hawk  1, Belted Kingfisher  1, Red-bellied Woodpecker  1, Downy Woodpecker  1, Peregrine Falcon  2, Blue Jay  3, American Crow  6, Carolina Chickadee  3, Tufted Titmouse  4, Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1, White-breasted Nuthatch  1, Carolina Wren  3, European Starling  4, Northern Mockingbird  2, Eastern Bluebird 7, Hermit Thrush  6, American Robin  1, House Finch  30, American Goldfinch  3, White-throated Sparrow  6, Song Sparrow  3, Eastern Meadowlark  2, Yellow-rumped Warbler  3, Northern Cardinal  2

October 26, 2024

Seven birders gathered at Orchard Bog in Shady Valley (Johnson County) in anticipation of a great day. We were not disappointed.

We tallied a total of 40 species – 8 species of Sparrows, 3 species of Warblers and other common, migratory, and winter returning birds. Highlights include – Lincoln’s Sparrow, multiple singing Fox Sparrows, singing Savannah Sparrows, Orange-crowned Warbler, Palm Warblers, many Yellow-rumped Warblers, Northern Harrier, Red-Shouldered Hawk, Virginia Rail, Winter Wrens, Hermit Thrushes, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets.

After lunch, Larry McDaniel and myself found a Peregrine Falcon zooming past the 4-way “cross-roads” intersection heading towards Cross Mountain.

It was a wonderfully fun day and many thanks to everyone that showed up and contributed to a very memorable day:

Roy Knispel, Larry McDaniel, Judy Moose, Cathy Spencer, Jennifer Quinn, Lynn Eastin, Rob Biller

Complete list follows:

Wild Turkey  1, Virginia Rail  1, Wilson’s Snipe  1, Great Blue Heron  1, Turkey Vulture  3, Northern Harrier  1, Red-shouldered Hawk  1, Red-bellied Woodpecker  1, Downy Woodpecker  2, Pileated Woodpecker  1, Northern Flicker  3, Peregrine Falcon 1,  American Kestrel  1, Eastern Phoebe  2, Blue Jay  15, American Crow  21, Common Raven  2, Carolina Chickadee  6, Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2, White-breasted Nuthatch  1, Winter Wren  3, Carolina Wren  4, European Starling  4, Northern Mockingbird  2, Eastern Bluebird  17, Hermit Thrush  3, Cedar Waxwing  20, American Goldfinch  15, Field Sparrow  5, Fox Sparrow  4, White-throated Sparrow  5, Savannah Sparrow  3, Song Sparrow  8, Lincoln’s Sparrow  1,  Swamp Sparrow  4, Eastern Towhee  1, Red-winged Blackbird  65, Orange-crowned Warbler  1, Palm Warbler  6, Yellow-rumped Warbler  15, Northern Cardinal  4

Richard Phillip Lewis: November 13, 1951 – May 8, 2024

It is with great sadness that the Northeast TN birding community received news from Rack Cross that Master Bird Bander Richard Phillip Lewis of Bristol, TN passed away on May 8, 2024, following a brain cancer diagnosis several months ago. He was 72 years old. He was a long-time member of the Bristol Bird Club and the Tennessee Ornithological Society. He earned his master’s degree and worked as a software engineer before retiring. He also taught biology as an adjunct professor at Virginia Highlands Community College. Richard was a Master Bird Bander for the United States Geological Survey and the State of Tennessee. He was the Eastern Mountain Editor for the TOS Migrant Journal for several decades and compiler for the Bristol, TN Christmas Bird Count since its beginning until last year. He operated a MAPS Banding station on his property collecting data for several national studies and academic programs. He (along with Rack Cross) participated in 27 Bird Banding events at Bristol, TN’s Steele Creek Park’s Annual Wildlife Weekend much to the delight of birding enthusiasts. He was a patient and readily available mentor and friend to Rack Cross and many others. Richard will truly be missed by all who knew and loved him.