2/7/08 Observations

- Cool and clear on the mountain this morning...the winds have diminished and the atmosphere is more tranquil after a day of storms across much of the Southeast. Unfortunately for many, the dynamics and fury of the natural forces were again on display. Here we only had wind and 1.23" of rainfall. Tornadoes are rare in the rugged topography of our area of southeast Tennessee.

- Work on Mother's Bridge, the covered bridge spanning Stone Creek, continues. The concrete was poured recently and the site is taking shape very nicely. This beautiful natural area within our mountain properties is simply awesome...and for those who love nature, it has so much to offer....The Bridge...the adjoining 12+ acre nature park along the creek....and just a few hundred feet to the east is Picnic Rock...on the escarpment of The Cumberland Plateau. From the elevated perch on Picnic Rock (about 1400' above the valley floor) one can see much of the expanse of the beautiful Sequatchie Valley...running north and south as far as the eye can see.

- Attached are photos taken yesterday of Hemlock Park...one of many nature parks within our mountain developments. One photo is of a new bridge spanning Stone Creek (a bit over a mile north of Mother's Bridge) for those hikers and explorers heading in the direction of The Magical Mile...the trail running from Hemlock Park to Mother's Park/Bridge. In keeping with our environmentally sensitive theme of land development, this bridge is made of recycled wood. The other photo, taken a bit further from the bridge (from a vantage point on The Magical Mile - under a towering Hemlock), gave me the immediated sensation of "The Road Less Traveled".

- A sad note...two American Goldfinches (Carduelis tristis), one adult male and one juvenile, lay dead on the front porch of my cabin yesterday. No doubt they were caualties of the high winds of the night before....and were trying to find shelter. It is not the first time avia have met their end by crashing into the glass in the A-frame of my cabin.

- I have seen several varieties of winged predators lately....especially the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius). I have also recently watched both The Sharp-Shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) and The Broad Winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus).

- One other note relative to the Buteos. Some time back, in the late fall, after running at a nearby state park, I noticed a flock of large birds floating on the winds high above, against a grey sky. Even after looking through binoculars, due to the distance and the grey clouds, I could not get enough contrast to pick out identifying field marks. Puzzled, later in the afternoon I called a good friend at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and we had a great discussion concerning migrating Buteos. According to my friend, what I had witnessed was a large group of Red-Shouldered Hawks and Broad Winged Hawks (and perhaps other species as well)...two similar species that often migrate together.