Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Guntersville Dam

Guntersville Dam is just a quick skip and a hop across the highway from our mountain so Morgan and I decided to take a peek there last month on the way to town. There are walking trails to be explored and its a great place to bird.This is the east side of the dam on the Tennessee River. While we were there, a horn blew and next thing you know...out comes a boat from the lock. We drove over to the west side to take a few quick shots. The Great Blue Herons seemed to love this wall for sitting.We saw quite a few Herons.This monstrous tower hovered above and Morgan could not look up at it without getting dizzy,but I heard an Eastern Bluebird and was bound and determined to find it. Well there was a bird on the tower, but it was a Red-headed Woodpecker!Then I spotted my Bluebird using the scaffolding as a perch to hunt from! I think he had a pretty good view of his tasty treats below! We'll be going back to Guntersville Dam for more birding adventures for sure!

10 comments:

kerry hawkins art and photo said...

The little birds are so cute. It seems like you are having fun on your adventures

Tina said...

Eve,
A red-headed woodpecker, how nice!!..a bird I have tried to find many times...someday!! someday! Maybe I need to come to Gunterville Dam..lol!
I would, also, get dizzy looking up at that tower, hate heights!! Neat that you have so many different places that you are finding to explore with Morgan!!

Anonymous said...

What a lovely area Evie. That Lock looks a masterpiece of engineering.

Eve said...

Thanks all! Tina and Barb you have an open invitation to come to my place any time to see the RHW's living in my woods, I see them regularly!

Jenny said...

That's a massive pylon Evie. I wonder if you get Peregrines there as well as Bluebirds and Woodies?
Looks like a fab place. I guess it will be heaving with wildfowl in the winter. (-:

Anonymous said...

Looks like a great place to hang out and relax.

The Giraffe Head Tree said...

Yay! for dam expeditions!!! Normally, I see tons of cormorants at Wheeler Dam, Eve. I've NEVER seen RHW or bluebirds at a dam before. That's so cool! When I visit you - AND THAT WILL BE SOON, BTW - we'll trek to the G'ville dam if we have time!!! Geez....now where'd I put those dam pictures??? Hmmm....

Rural Rambler said...

You are going to have so much fun Eve finding new things with Morgan and as the seasons change-WOW! The dam looks familiar, we had one similar when we lived at the Lake. It is an awesome structure you have there. A Bluebird, Herons and Woodpeckers!! Looking forward to more pictures and history and fun finds!

Unknown said...

The TVA dams are really neat- Wilson Dam over here in Florence was one of the first dams built on the Tennessee River. The federal government built it to provide hydro-electric power to help power nitrate plants for World War I. The National Fertilizer and Development Center is still here and provides valuable fertilizer and food growing techniques to many parts of the world- especially Africa. Henry Ford came within a whisker of buying the dam when the government thought about selling it- if he had bought it- this would have probably been the headquarters for Ford. I'm glad that he wasn't allowed to buy it- the natural resources of the Muscle Shoals/Florence area are spectacular- I am sure that they would have been ruined by the industrialization.

A New England Life said...

What a pretty place Eve. You and Morgan are always discovering something new. Did you see Swallows also? Herons are always a treat to see!

Sharon