This past Saturday, BRDC staff and friends set off on an expedition to see the superb bird species of Burke’s Garden in Tazewell, VA. Burke's Garden is a rare valley bowl with a floor that rests at 3,000' while the encircling ridge rises to around 4,000'. It is located in Tazewell County, VA, where the Appalachian Trail skirts its southern rim. The 8.5 mile long and 4-mile wide valley is often referred to as "God's Thumbprint" for its distinctive shape.

The bowl is a beautiful pastoral landscape during the summer but in the winter it is equally impressive. During February it plays host to the rare wintering birds from the far north including the Golden Eagle and Rough-legged Hawk. Once in the valley, we slowly worked our way around the bowl in a large loop by vehicle, searching for birds along the way. During this expedition, we were able to see 35 different bird species. Species observed were: Eastern Meadowlark, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, Common Raven, American Crow, Blue Jay, Eastern Phoebe, American Kestrel, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Belted Kingfisher, Eastern Screech-Owl, Rough-legged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Golden Eagle, Black Vulture, Great Blue Heron, Wilson’s Snipe, Mourning Dove, Rock Pigeon, American Black Duck, and Mallard. Seeing the Golden Eagles, the Red-headed Woodpecker, and the vast amount of Red-tailed hawks, 36, truly made this years trip special. This is one of our annual trips, so if you are interested in seeing any of these magnificent birds, we will continue to host this amazing expedition for the years to come.