City of Bristol

American Redstart, © Adrianna Nelson

The twin city of Bristol is perhaps best known for being split between the states of Virginia and Tennessee. Historic downtown State Street is divided between both states — one side of the road is Tennessee, the other is Virginia. The name of the city originated from its industrial history; because of its importance to regional commerce, industry, and economy, it was named after Bristol, England, which was also a booming industrial epicenter at the time. The historical train station, which is currently a popular event venue, was once an essential hub for commercial activity in the region. Overlooking the train station is a large sign bearing the city’s name. The sign used to read “PUSH - THAT’S BRISTOL,” spelled out in thousands of light bulbs. When bulbs burned out, the sign would occasionally read “PU-- THAT’S BRISTOL” or “SH-- THAT’S BRISTOL.” To remedy the situation, a competition was started in 1921 to select a new saying. The winning slogan was “A Good Place to Live” because it was “modest in claim, and truthful in statement” as opposed to the second most popular slogan “The Best Place to Live.” The sign, still displaying that phrase, straddles the state line. At night, it comes to life with flashing lights and adds a vibrant energy to downtown life. The nearby Birthplace of Country Music Museum is an homage to the 1927 Bristol Sessions. The Sessions, a significant music recording event, are often called the “Big Bang of Country Music” and are said to be the first major push in commercial country music recording. Musicians from all around the region gathered in Bristol TN/VA to record folk music. Downtown street signs bear the names of Jimmie Rodgers, the Carter Family, and the Stonemans, all of whom were major musicians during the Sessions and came to heavily influence modern country and folk music.

Bristol is one of 38 independent cities in the state. Its 13 square miles are home to approximately 17,000 residents. The city sits in the Great Valley, a portion of the Ridge and Valley physiographic province of the Appalachian Mountains. Its highest elevation is 1,670 ft., which is modest compared to the summits of nearby counties. Besides Tennessee, Bristol is bordered entirely by Washington County, Virginia. Lee Highway and Interstate 81 pass through the top edge of Bristol. Most of the city is urban and suburban, but there are several pockets of natural space that are excellent for birdwatching. Just a short walk from downtown is Cumberland Square Park. The park is a hub for local festivals and is home to a Veteran’s War Memorial, music pavilion, picnic area, and Vietnam-era helicopter display. Beaver Creek runs along the park’s edge, which makes for great viewing of Canada Geese and Mallards. The creek was diverted many years ago to run underneath downtown State Street. The location where it dips under the city can be seen from the park. The areas where the roads cross the creek also provide close looks of breeding Cliff Swallows. Cumberland Square Park hosts many common songbirds found in the region such as wrens, woodpeckers, swallows, chickadees, titmice, Mourning Doves, Song and Chipping Sparrows, and House Finches. The most notable bird that can be found here is the Yellow-crowned Night Heron. This species is somewhat scarce in the region, but this site has been a reliable viewing location for many years. Following Beaver Creek upstream leads to Mumpower Park. This small park offers a strip of riparian habitat which is home to breeding vireos, warblers, waterfowl, blackbirds, and other songbirds.

Another hotspot is Clear Creek Golf Course. Clear Creek is favored as a winter birding location as it offers the widest range of waterfowl in Bristol. It is the deepest lake in the city, and diving ducks such as Ring-necked Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, and Buffleheads are quite common in winter. Redheads, Gadwalls and other dabbling ducks, American Coots, Pied-billed Grebes, and Ring-billed Gulls also make regular appearances. Other occasional visitors include Snow, Ross’s, and Greater White-fronted Geese. It is possible to get both night-heron species during a trip to Bristol. Clear Creek is known for its Black-crowned Night Herons, which can be found in the tree line along the lake. Bald Eagles, Osprey, and Belted Kingfishers are frequently seen fishing. The golf course is also home to a decent variety of sparrows, a handful of warblers, and some grassland birds.

Spring Lake, a small pond in a nearby neighborhood, offers a decent spread of dabbling ducks. This location deserves recognition - the pond’s small size provides incredibly up-close views of many waterfowl overwintering in the region.

Last, but certainly not least, is perhaps the best birding spot in Bristol — Sugar Hollow Park. This 400-acre city park is composed of a variety of habitats perfect for bird and wildlife viewing. The front of the park consists of ball fields, shrubby edges, a small marshy area, and a riparian zone. Killdeers breed in the park, often laying their eggs near the fields and parking lots. Broad-winged Hawks can be seen kettling in great numbers over the ball fields, a big distraction for any birder trying to view a sporting event. As Fish Crows continue expanding their range inland, it is not unusual to hear one flying overhead. Keep an ear out for Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Warbling Vireos singing along the creek. The shrubby edges are excellent for Indigo Buntings, White-eyed Vireos, Field Sparrows, and more. The marshy area behind nearby Grace Pentecostal Holiness Tabernacle is a great spot for Wilson’s Snipe, Mallard, Canada Goose, and Winter Wren. The wetland, which is only a short drive into the park, is one of the most productive birding locations in Bristol. Breeding Mallards, Wood Ducks, and Green Herons can easily be found here. Many owl boxes are scattered along the boardwalk, which provides great views of Eastern Screech-Owls as they roost during the day. Breeding and migrating warblers are perhaps the main attraction of the wetlands. A good day of peak migration could yield over 10 species of warbler foraging in mixed flocks. From the wetlands, numerous trails lead into the forested portion of the park. Tanagers, warblers, wrens, flycatchers, thrushes, and woodpeckers can be found along the miles of wooded trails. Spotted Sandpipers, Solitary Sandpipers, and Lesser Yellowlegs are attracted to flooded fields. This is arguably the best location for viewing a variety of shorebirds in Bristol as there is limited habitat for them elsewhere. The wide range of habitats in the park draws in many sought-after migrants including Black-billed Cuckoo, Summer Tanager, and Blackpoll Warbler. The park gets less attention during winter, but is birded for Christmas Bird Counts. Winter species include Ring-billed Gull, Purple Finch, Hermit Thrush, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Brown Creeper.

Over the years, there have been several rare bird sightings in Bristol. In the winter of 2012, a Brant was found at Clear Creek Golf Course. It stayed in the area for over four months. In the last few days of 1997, the state’s first record (according to eBird) of an Allen’s Hummingbird appeared at a local birder’s home. It was banded and extensively recorded. A retrix was even sent to the Smithsonian for official documentation. In November of 2002, a Rufous Hummingbird was found and banded a short distance from where the Allen’s appeared just a few years earlier. Finally, three Red-necked Grebes were reported at Clear Creek in March of 2014.

Bristol, though greatly underbirded, offers an excellent mix of birds expected in the region. Sugar Hollow Park, my personal favorite birding spot in Bristol, is truly a hidden gem. It is on-par with any other regional hotspot, easily bringing in 70+ species in migration. I highly recommend diving into the city’s culture and checking out its underexplored avian diversity!

—Adrianna Nelson

Hotspots

Sources