Professor of Biological Sciences Dr. Fred Alsop joined the faculty of East Tennessee State University in 1972. He is the author of 18 books on the birds of North America, and is director of the EagleCam Project that has live-streamed around the world the nesting lives of two pairs of local bald eagles. He is founding director of the George L. Carter Railroad Museum, covering Johnson City’s railroad history, and is the first faculty member elected to ETSU’s governing Board of Trustees.
New York Yankees legend Yogi Berra is often quoted for his ability to turn a phrase. One of my favorites is, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” As I reflect on my career after coming to the Tri-Cities of Upper East Tennessee in 1972 as the newest faculty member of East Tennessee State University’s Department of Biological Sciences, I have found numerous forks in my road and have had the fortunate opportunity to take them with the help and encouragement of many colleagues and friends.
For a field biologist with a major interest in birds, this region, with its ancient mountains, diversity of habitats, large blocks of National forests and well-defined seasons, is an outstanding place to take students into the out-of-doors and guide them into the pathways of the natural wonders of the ecosystems that abound here.
The five counties that form the easternmost segment of Tennessee have more species of trees than exist in all of Europe and more than 300 species of birds (about 70 percent of the number recorded for the entire state) occur here.
Tennessee has more native species of freshwater fishes than any other state and many occupy this area’s waterways from headwater mountain streams to large rivers.
As an ornithologist and a birder I have been fortunate to be able lead many local bird walks and to write books on birds of the region, of several states, and for all of North America in generalized laymen’s terms to provide interest and information to thousands of people wanting to know more about our wildlife.
Another fork in the road was the challenge to set up live-streaming cameras of the active nests of two pairs of bald eagles in the fall of 2015. With a lot of research on other eagle cameras across the country and the assistance of local utility boards, numerous volunteers, active participation from sponsors and donors—to only highlight a few—we started from zero to having two cameras live-streaming during the daylight hours from November 2015 through the fledging of a chick from each nest in June 2016.
We had in excess of 1 million hits on our site from more than 160 countries and territories in that first season. With more experience and better equipment in the following nesting season, we increased the numbers of cameras, including IR capabilities, and have had our eagles viewed by thousands annually and have increased the number of global locations of our viewers to more than 206 countries and territories in the 2017-2018 nesting season. Many school teachers bring our eagles into their classrooms.
Yet another Y in the road took the “bird guy” into the mantle of the “train guy.” Johnson City, Tennessee’s history as a town tied to the development of railroads with two major lines still bisecting the city.
Henry Johnson founded the town in 1856 when he built a depot and a water tank beside the railroad track. ETSU’s history became tied to the Clinchfield Railroad when its president and CEO, George L. Carter, presented his 120-acre farm and $100,000 to the state of Tennessee in 1909 to establish a normal school here. The G.L. Carter Railroad Museum carries on the history of the town and the university.
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The article above appears in our May/June 2019 issue.
