Where: Forney Ridge Trail, Great Smoky Mountains National
Park
When: Sunday, June 21, 2015, 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Leaders: Jay Sturner and Jimmy Tucker
Contact info: Jay Sturner, 865-244-7819, flowerpetalsonthecreek(at)yahoo(dot)com
Three birds walk into a bar in the Smoky Mountains. Mr. Red,
the barkeep squirrel, jumps onto the counter. "What'll y'all have?"
he asks, cleaning a pint glass with his fluffy tail.
"Quick, three beers!" says the Olive-sided
Flycatcher.
"Beer-beer-beer-beer-pleeeease," buzzes the
Black-throated Blue Warbler.
"I'll take a PBR tall and a bag of salted gnats,"
says the Veery in perfect English.
Eyes turn in their general direction. "Learned it from
a tourist," the Veery proclaims as he takes his beer. Heads shake and turn
away. A snail withdraws into her shell with a thimble of moonshine.
All of a sudden an Alder Flycatcher sallies forth from the
jukebox and shouts "Freee-beer! Freee-beer!" as he drunkenly bumps
into things.
This ruffles a few feathers.
A towhee sipping tea squints from her perch by the window. A
murder of poker-playing crows drops their cards and gets up from the table. All
goes quiet. Somewhere in the back, a wet slap is heard as a tipsy salamander
falls from his log and passes out. Now the corvids start to flap-hop
aggressively toward the disruptive bird…
Like vultures on a summer thermal, the tension rises. A
black bear hiccups and runs out the back door.
"Beer-check!" shouts a Least Flycatcher.
"Beer-check!"
* * *
Join us this Sunday for a Jay Walk (an impromptu field trip
with naturalist Jay Sturner) at the Forney Ridge Trail in the Great Smoky
Mountains to look for high-altitude beercatchers and other birds. Target
species include Least, Alder, and Olive-sided Flycatchers. There is no
guarantee we'll find these species, as they are not always common here
(Olive-sided hasn't been documented in awhile), but the point is to try.
Fortunately there will be lots of other great birds to see.
Meet at the Clingmans Dome parking lot no later than 7:30
a.m. We will drink a few beers then hike the Forney Ridge Trail to Andrews Bald
(3.5 miles roundtrip). The hike will be moderately difficult and last a few
hours, so bring plenty of water, food, raingear, maybe a walking stick, and
sunblock. I was just kidding about the beer.
This is a free event. No RSVP required, and you do not have
to be a member of KTOS to attend. See you there!
Clingmans Dome parking lot: 35°33'24.9"N 83°29'46.2"W
or 35.5569312,-83.4961581
Forney Ridge Trail and Andrews Bald:
http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/andrewsbald.htm
Posted by Jay Sturner
KTOS Field Trip Coordinator
Knoxville, TN
Knox Co.
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