Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from Tennessee Birding > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Wednesday, June 19 at 08:16 PM EST The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Orchard Oriole,©Julie Zickefoose

19 Jun Pine Siskin nest - again! ["Ron Hoff" ] 18 Jun quail ["Reese, Carol" ] 18 Jun Central California farmers save 65,000 rare, tricolored blackbirds ["Aborn, David" ] 17 Jun Beginners and Out-of-State Trips [kbreault ] 17 Jun Fwd: Looking for a birding guide [Charles Nicholson ] 17 Jun Shrikes on Petersburg BBS route [David Vogt ] 17 Jun NTOS Meeting - Thursday, June 20th [Cynthia Anne Routledge ] 17 Jun TN NWR - Duck River Unit ["wodu1440 tds.net" ] 17 Jun Re: Rankin Bottoms Saturday [michael sledjeski ] 16 Jun Rankin Bottoms Saturday [michael sledjeski ] 16 Jun Recent observations (Greene, Washington Co., TN) ["Alice Loftin / Don Miller " ] 16 Jun Re: Northern Bobwhite on Greene County Breeding Bird Survey--additional info ["Daniel B. Estabrooks" ] 16 Jun Re: Northern Bobwhite on Greene County Breeding Bird Survey--additional info [Bill Pulliam ] 16 Jun Northern Bobwhite on Greene County Breeding Bird Survey--additional info ["Alice Loftin / Don Miller " ] 16 Jun Injured night-heron ["Daniel B. Estabrooks" ] 15 Jun Baltimore orioles - Long Hunter State Park, Davidson Co. [Barbara Harris ] 15 Jun Flat Rock Nightjars ["Daniel B. Estabrooks" ] 14 Jun Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard [Bill Pulliam ] 14 Jun Breeding Ovenbirds - Cedars of Lebanon SF ["Daniel B. Estabrooks" ] 14 Jun Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard [] 14 Jun Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard [Bill Pulliam ] 14 Jun Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard [] 13 Jun Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard [Bill Pulliam ] 13 Jun Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard [Mark Greene ] 13 Jun Dry Tortugas photos [Michael Todd ] 13 Jun Dry Tortugas photos [Michael Todd ] 13 Jun Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard [Michael Todd ] 13 Jun Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard [] 13 Jun Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard [Bill Pulliam ] 13 Jun Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard ["wodu1440 tds.net" ] 13 Jun Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard [Bill Pulliam ] 13 Jun Golden Wing Warbler ["J.N. & Ella Howard" ] 13 Jun Loggerhead Shrikes and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers [Barbara Wilbur ] 13 Jun Lark Sparrows nest building in Gibson Co. [Mark Greene ] 12 Jun Re: Ants in birdhouses [Jesse ] 12 Jun MartinFest 2013 [Mark Greene ] 12 Jun Re: Ants in birdhouses [Mark Greene ] 12 Jun Re: Ants in birdhouses ["Reese, Carol" ] 12 Jun Ants in birdhouses [Lynne Davis ] 11 Jun Barred Owl Question [Ann Shapiro ] 11 Jun Re: Grasshopper Sparrow, Anderson Co. [Charles Nicholson ] 11 Jun TN NWR - kite ["wodu1440 tds.net" ] 11 Jun Yuchi Wildlife Refuge [Charles Murray ] 11 Jun Unaka Mtn crossbills, etc. ["Richard Knight" ] 11 Jun Bald Eagle in Perry County [] 10 Jun TN NWR ["wodu1440 tds.net" ] 10 Jun Carter Co. Summer Count ["Richard Knight" ] 10 Jun Re: Bird Identification [] 10 Jun Re: Loudon County Brown Pelican [Sharon Monett ] 10 Jun Re: Loudon County Brown Pelican [] 10 Jun orchard orioles and flowers ["Reese, Carol" ] 10 Jun Mountain Trip: ID, WY & MT, NV, UT & IL, IN, KY [kbreault ] 10 Jun Re: Saturday visitor [] 10 Jun Saturday visitor [Lynne Davis ] 10 Jun Re: Loudon County Brown Pelican [] 9 Jun Loudon County Brown Pelican [Carole Gobert ] 9 Jun Northern Bobwhite, etc. (Greene Co., TN) ["Alice Loftin / Don Miller " ] 9 Jun Bird Identification [] 9 Jun Re: Brown-headed Nuthatch, southern Lawrence County [Chris Sloan ] 9 Jun Brown-headed Nuthatch, southern Lawrence County [Bill Pulliam ] 09 Jun 14 Loggerhead Shrikes (Robertson Co.) [Tony Lance ] 9 Jun Orchard Orioles ["Stacey Adair" ] 8 Jun Possible Shelby Co. Sandhill Crane [] 08 Jun NTOS Harpeth River Greenway results ["fekel" ] 7 Jun Aberant bird song of a Bachman's Sparrow [James Campbell ] 7 Jun More interesting birds! ["Ron Hoff" ] 7 Jun Re: Smokies birding - 6/6 [Marcus Simpson ] 7 Jun Re: Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC ["Ron Hoff" ] 7 Jun Smokies birding - 6/6 ["Shane H. Williams" ] 7 Jun Willow Flycatcher-7Jun13-Bradley Co [David Chaffin ] 7 Jun Re: Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC [Bill Pulliam ] 7 Jun Re: Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC [Scott Somershoe ] 7 Jun Re: Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC [Bill Pulliam ] 7 Jun Re: Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC ["Daniel B. Estabrooks" ] 07 Jun Grasshopper Sparrow, Anderson Co. [Angela Hoffman ] 7 Jun Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC [Nora Schubert ] Subject: Pine Siskin nest - again! From: "Ron Hoff" <aves7000 AT bellsouth.net> Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:00:21 -0400 Tn-birders, Mike Nelson, Dollyann, and I went back up to the Clingman’s Dome parking lot area (Swain Co., NC) to re-check the Pine Siskin nest that Mike had originally seen being built on May 25th. We had calculated from information in other birding books that this would be the time for young to be on the nest, even if they produced eggs the day Mike first saw them. We calculated perfectly (I love it when a plan comes together!). The nest was doing fine and we saw 4 young Pine siskins on the nest. We watched the female come in a couple of times and feed the young, and then sit on the young for a few minutes each time. Where we had lots of fog the first trip to the nest, this morning was clear with beautiful light. In the attached photo, the adult is in the background and 3 of the 4 young can be seen. We will do some kind of write-up later on, but we think this is the second most southern nesting of this species in the eastern US. There was a nest over in North Carolina on June 14, 1992 that, latitudinally, was a bit further south. Also of note was a couple of fledglings that were reported from the Lookout Mtn. area of Chattanooga, I think a few decades back, but a nest was never found. More fun stuff! Great birding, Ron Hoff & Dollyann Myers Clinton, TN Subject: quail From: "Reese, Carol" <jreese5 AT utk.edu> Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:40:07 +0000 Male bobwhite calling at my house for the last few weeks. I know there is a covey on site. Wonder if the female was killed or if this is a last year hatchling looking for a mate. Surely this year's would not be calling already. "There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot." - Aldo Leopold Carol Reese Ornamental Horticulture Specialist -Western District University of Tennessee Extension Service 605 Airways Blvd. Jackson TN 38301 731 425 4767 email jreese5 AT utk.edu Subject: Central California farmers save 65,000 rare, tricolored blackbirds From: "Aborn, David" <David-Aborn AT utc.edu> Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:28:11 +0000 An estimated 65,000 rare, tricolored blackbirds - roughly one-fifth of the species' entire global population - were saved this year when six Central California dairy farmers were paid to delay harvesting their silage crops through the nesting season. With help from Audubon California and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Tulare and Kern County farmers were paid about $393 per acre for the resulting disruptions to their labor schedules and drop in the quality of grain. The voluntary program made the farmers about two weeks later than usual in harvesting their crops. However, the birds, which tend to nest in farmlands that resemble the marshlands of their historic range, successfully fledged by the end of May. "It's not an ultimate solution," said Anita Brown, spokesperson for the USDA. "But by working together, farmers are going forward so that we can eat, and birds are nesting for the survival of their species." Tricolored blackbirds once numbered in the millions. Today, the population, which has one of the smallest ranges of any bird in North America, has declined to about 400,000. The species is listed as a federal bird of conservation concern and a California state species of special concern. In 2011, similar agreements with three farmers in Riverside County and Central California resulted in the protection of 50,000 tricolored blackbirds. The conservation organizations are working toward a long-term plan that would provide alternative nesting grounds in the farming region for the glossy black birds with dark red shoulder patches tipped with white. Subject: Beginners and Out-of-State Trips From: kbreault <kbreault AT bellsouth.net> Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:58:23 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Beginners and Out-of-State Trips TN Birders: A couple of you have asked if my Total Ticks trips would be useful to beginning birders, and so I thought I would respond more generally to the group. Almost all of the places I go are ones that have something for birders at every level of experience. That is because these are places where you can identify the most birds in the smallest amount of time. Now, it is true that if you are dependent on seeing birds, as opposed to identifying birds by ear, there are some places that are better than others: mainly those in which it is easier to see perching birds, e.g., parks and similar areas with open places and large trails/roads in which you can look easily into trees or down on them. Radnor Lake State Park in Nashville is a good example. If you are a beginner interested in out-of-state trips in the ABA Area (generally, everything north of Mexico in North America), you are welcome to contact me and I can provide more focused information than what I usually include in my trip reports. For about a half dozen or so states and provinces I will not be able to help as I have either not gone there (let’s see: AK, and the Canadian provinces of YT, NT & NU), or I have little experience/information (BC). Several other TN birders go overseas on trips and I am sure they would be helpful in that kind of birding. If you have been reading TN Birds, Dollyann Myers, Ron Hoff, Terry Witt, and several others are all high ranking birders on ABAs “World” list. First, initial trips beyond your home state should be to places where the location of birds is generally well known, and where you can interact with other birders, e.g., southeastern AZ and extreme southern TX (on the coast and along the Rio Grande), or FL (Everglades, Florida Keys, and see the recent photos from Mike Todd’s tour to the Dry Tortugas). For various reasons, I think the very best place is southeastern AZ. If you can go with a few other birders who are somewhat more experienced or a dedicated mentor you will do better. Avoid large groups or experts who are not primarily interested in your progress as a birder. Good mentors are experienced teachers/guides who put your progress over their own interest in identifying birds. There may be several reasons while beginners don’t progress, but the behavior of some more experienced birders may be one factor. I see fewer birders like this these days but beware of the birder who’s only interest in life is his list (some life lists are literally that, i.e., life’s list). If you have had some experience and are interested in going to many places or doing total ticking my recommendation is that you should initially employ a local guide. Depending on the area I may be able to help you find a good guide, but of course you should be aware that there are both good and bad guides. (Unfortunately, I generally don’t have the time for this kind of work.) On average you will learn much more with a guide than by yourself. I should also say that experts routinely benefit from guides and I have been quick to get a guide depending on the circumstances. But if you don’t use a guide, and they can be $100-150 per day, birding beyond the nationally known places is considerably more difficult. Not that the birds are any more difficult to identify but where to bird can be an issue. I would say that something in the vicinity of 50% of birding is in the preparation before the trip. (I know birders, even total tickers, who hate this kind of thing, but effective preparation will make your trips significantly more successful.) When I get to a new area I know what birds to look for, exactly where to go, how long to be there, what I should be wearing (and I am not talking about color which is generally irrelevant), and what equipment/materials I should have with me. All of this takes time, and while I work full-time on my “day” job, it generally takes me about four to six weeks, sometimes even more, to put together a large trip to a new state/region. This is what I do for a typical Total Ticks trip in which I am not using a guide. Once I know where to go in a general way I construct (or obtain) a bird list for the state/region. I then come up with a list of places to bird where previous birders have been successful (e.g., various bird-finding guides, Big Day and other trip reports, personal communication). Then I annotate the bird list by adding the birding places, and subtract from the bird list all of the rare birds, with the exception of those that are best seen in the area to which I am going, or if there is specific and credible information about where to find them (note that some bird-finding guides will include rare birds not indicated as such that you are not likely to see). In general, spending precious time looking for rare birds is a fool’s errand, a significant total ticking error. Now, there are hot spots for rare birds in many states but these are generally not useful on your first trip to a new area if you have limited time. Let rare birds come to you. So what you end up with is a list of abundant, common and uncommon birds annotated by birding locations (note that some uncommon birds are rare and vice versa depending on the time of the month/season, but with effort this can be sorted out). Now, you also do not need to worry about the abundant birds as they will come to you too (rather more frequently), although not finding one with only a small amount of time left on your trip can be frustrating. (I was once with an experienced guide and we ended up spending far more time looking for several very common birds than almost all the uncommon birds on our target list.) With each of the common and uncommon birds you will want to make sure you have multiple places (three-four is usually enough), where you can find them (this is quite critical, and what some good birders don’t fully appreciate until it is too late). This may require adding other birding spots to make sure you have enough options. If you are learning bird vocalizations focus on the list of common and uncommon birds in connection with the habitats in which they are likely to be found. If you are not learning vocalizations you should begin. The next step is to schedule your visits to the birding places following several rules of thumb, e.g., make sure you spend time in the mornings in each habitat, bird also in the evenings and after it gets dark (and bird early in the morning before it is light), don’t spend too much time in any habitat, but generally spend more time in the fewest habitats you will visit, spend the least amount of time traveling from place to place, but don’t hesitate to travel for new and potentially productive habitats. On my recent “mountain” trip much of the birding in Grand Teton National Park was on trails, but you are not going to be effective if you hike for many miles in the same habitat. Hiking is not birding. If you can’t find a bird in an area in which it should be, you should leave and try elsewhere, on a different day, or at a different time (in that order). Once on the trip itself, review your list/s and know what to expect everywhere you go, stop and listen for an extended amount of time when habitats change and near water, thoroughly bird when several or more birds are vocalizing in the same area (you may even see an owl that way), and make notes with regard to the habitats in which you find birds (quite useful for subsequent trips), and always be flexible: let your list drive the birding. At the end of the trip you don’t want to say: if I had only gone there, or gone there in the morning, or gone there again, etc. Preparation makes you sleep better once you are home. And, please, if you are inexperienced take precautions (the same ones ordinarily used by experienced birders). For example, if you are in a remote area and hear a bird you cannot identify, don’t leave the trail (to a distance where you can no longer see the trail). The issue here is not animals but getting lost. Losing your way, not having appropriate clothing or enough water, and a sudden change in the weather, are all causes of serious hiking injuries every year, and at the very least are likely to cause you to lose birding time. For clothing, rain gear, including pants, are the most important. In some areas bring bug clothing just in case, including a fine net for your face (places in AZ, NM & TX re bees come to mind). A hat covering your ears is similarly important, if only for more long-term concerns (looking good won’t get you any more birds, but feeling good, on the other hand, will keep you birding longer). And be sure you have seen a weather report/radar. In remote areas, and ones with known security issues (mammals of various kinds), do Not bird alone, have a compass/GPS (and know how to use them), and bring a phone if you have service in the area. Before every trip use a travel list for everything you will need, including medications, sun screen, small first-aid kit, chess programs (okay, that’s just for me). Instead of leaving the trail for an unknown bird, take out your bird list for the area and use a phone app to quietly (or with earbuds), help identify the bird (I think iBird Pro is the best app but there are others). Even if it is during migration you may be able to find the bird. If you are unfamiliar with iBird Pro it includes pictures, photos, ranges, identification information, “interesting facts,” and vocalizations for 938 North American birds, including Hawaiian birds–a traditional bird guide but with vocalizations. (There is also quite a bit of search functionality but experienced birders will need more.) If you would prefer not to have the exorbitant smart phone monthly fees you can use an iPod touch that will have almost all of the capabilities of a smart phone (including the iBird Pro app), and you will be able to make calls with the free apps, Skype and FaceTime. But rarely use recordings to attract birds and never in the nesting season (and follow ABAs ethical requirements and any local rules on the use of recordings). For more information see me webpage at the university, http://www.mtsu.edu/~kbreault and go to “Competitive Birding” and “How to be a Total Ticker”. Good luck and let me know if I can help. Kevin Breault Brentwood, TN Subject: Fwd: Looking for a birding guide From: Charles Nicholson <cpnicholson53 AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:27:39 -0400 I received the following inquiry through the TOS website. If anyone is willing to provide the requested guide service, please contact Ms. Haberkorn directly. Chuck Nicholson Tennessee Ornithological Society Norris, TN On Mon, Jun 17, 2013 at 11:25 AM, Haberkorn, Denise < DHaberkorn AT assaabloydss.com> wrote: > Hi, > > My 13 year old son is a birding enthusiast and I have become his financial > backer (ha ha) and lover of birds as well. We will be vacationing in the > Smokey Mountains, staying in Gatlinburg July 27th through August 2nd, I > would like to find a birding guide for a day maybe two that week. Can you > refer me local birding guides? > > Thank you and kind regards, > *Denise Haberkorn* > *Healthcare Specialist* > *ASSA ABLOY* > *Door Security Solutions, North Central* > ** > *Cell: 630-698-0722 (personal cell 847-772-3421)* > dhaberkorn AT assaabloydss.com > > Subject: Shrikes on Petersburg BBS route From: David Vogt <dfvogt41 AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:25:50 -0400 )n 15 June while conducting the Petersburg BBS route I was pleased to record a group of recently fledged juvenile Loggerhead Shrikes on one of the stops. This route is in Marshall county and the shrikes were near the end of the route not far from Cornersville. Although shrikes were regular on this route when I began conducting this survey 30 years ago they have not been encountered in the last several years. Also had Grasshopper Sparrow and Dickcissel not far from shrike stop. David Vogt Subject: NTOS Meeting - Thursday, June 20th From: Cynthia Anne Routledge <routledges AT bellsouth.net> Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:20:29 -0500 Good Morning TN-Birders� Just a reminder that the normal monthly meeting of NTOS will be held THIS Thursday, June 20th. Radnor Lake Visitor's Center, 7:15 pm. Our guest speaker will be Tom Dove�Tom is a retired military officer who was deployed in Southern Iraq for 9 months and during his tour was able to photograph 110 species of birds. In fact an article about his adventures was featured in Birding Magazine (Dec. 2008). Please join us for this fascinating look at Birds of Iraq. See you then!! <") ( \ / |` Cyndi Routledge NTOS Program Chair "A bird sitting on a tree is never Afraid of the branch breaking, Because her trust is not on the branch But on her own wings. Always believe in yourself." Subject: TN NWR - Duck River Unit From: "wodu1440 tds.net" <wodu1440 AT tds.net> Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:49:35 -0500 TN NWR Duck River Unit Humphreys County 06/17/13 This morning we observed 16 white pelicans in Pool 2. None of them had the breeding "knob" on the end of their bills. We also had a single American coot in Pool 3 right off the Blue Goose Blvd loop. Clayton Ferrell Subject: Re: Rankin Bottoms Saturday From: michael sledjeski <mbsledjeski AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:10:04 -0400 Photo link for the cattle egret wasn't quite right. Correction: http://www.pbase.com/image/150831530 Also, I got a clear daytime view of a Great Horned Owl near the mount of the Nolichucky a week ago- http://www.pbase.com/sylvafoto/image/150831762 Michael Sledjeski On Jun 16, 2013, at 11:08 PM, michael sledjeski wrote: > Douglas Lake, Cocke county, 5/15/13, 6-8pm, by canoe > Elevation: 997' (3' above "full pool") > > CORMORANT vs. OSPREY - When the cottonwood limb supporting their nest broke off, an Osprey pair relocated to a tree already occupied by cormorants with 14 nests. > That was a month ago, and now there are no cormorants, in or out of nests, in that tree. Today, we watched the ospreys bully a dozen cormorants perched in the old cottonwood. They would fly directly at them, swerve at the last millisecond, sometimes bump against them as they swooped by. In a few minutes, all of the cormorants, one by one, flew downriver - where, across from McCowan's Creek, six Great Blue Heron nests were surrounded by many cormorants, with their own nests, in peaceful coexistence. > > > > Partial list: > Wood Duck, many, with ducklings > Double-crested Cormorant (300+, 18 nests) > Great Blue Heron (25) > Great Egret (15) > CATTLE EGRET > photo at -http://www.pbase.com/image/150831530 > Green Heron (3) > Black-crowned Night-Heron (3) > Osprey (9) > AMERICAN COOT > Yellow-billed Cuckoo (7) > Eastern Kingbird (4) > Tree Swallows > Cliff Swallows > Prothonotary Warbler (9) > Orchard Oriole > Baltimore Oriole > > Michael Sledjeski & Leslie Gibbens > Del Rio TN > > > > > > > > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER==================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: Rankin Bottoms Saturday From: michael sledjeski <mbsledjeski AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:08:51 -0400 Douglas Lake, Cocke county, 5/15/13, 6-8pm, by canoe Elevation: 997' (3' above "full pool") CORMORANT vs. OSPREY - When the cottonwood limb supporting their nest broke off, an Osprey pair relocated to a tree already occupied by cormorants with 14 nests. That was a month ago, and now there are no cormorants, in or out of nests, in that tree. Today, we watched the ospreys bully a dozen cormorants perched in the old cottonwood. They would fly directly at them, swerve at the last millisecond, sometimes bump against them as they swooped by. In a few minutes, all of the cormorants, one by one, flew downriver - where, across from McCowan's Creek, six Great Blue Heron nests were surrounded by many cormorants, with their own nests, in peaceful coexistence. Partial list: Wood Duck, many, with ducklings Double-crested Cormorant (300+, 18 nests) Great Blue Heron (25) Great Egret (15) CATTLE EGRET photo at -http://www.pbase.com/image/150831530 Green Heron (3) Black-crowned Night-Heron (3) Osprey (9) AMERICAN COOT Yellow-billed Cuckoo (7) Eastern Kingbird (4) Tree Swallows Cliff Swallows Prothonotary Warbler (9) Orchard Oriole Baltimore Oriole Michael Sledjeski & Leslie Gibbens Del Rio TN Subject: Recent observations (Greene, Washington Co., TN) From: "Alice Loftin / Don Miller " <pandion AT embarqmail.com> Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 19:37:09 -0400 (EDT) June 1-16, 2013   Greene County: Greene Mountain (GM), Joachim Bible Refuge unit of Lick Creek Bottoms Wildlife Management Area (JBR), Greeneville, Mosheim, etc. Washington County: South Central, Lamar   Wild Turkey . 1-10 Greene Co. June 1-2, 9, 16. [4 young observed June 1] Northern Bobwhite .  1 Greene Co. (JBR, Hwy. 351 at Cedar Grove United Methodist Church) June 1, 15. Eurasian Collared-Dove . 1 Mosheim June 1. Barn Owl . 1 in nest box JBR June 1. Eastern Screech-Owl . 1-2 Greeneville June 1, 3, 11. Great Horned Owl . 1 Greene Co. (Tusculum College) June 13. Barred Owl . 1 GM June 1. Eastern Whip-poor-will . 5 GM June 1. Red-headed Woodpecker .  1 Greene Co. (Bibles Chapel Rd. 0.1 mi. east of Oakwood Rd.) June 1. Willow Flycatcher . 1 singing male  Washington Co. (Charlie Carson Rd. 0.2 mi. west of Thompson Ln.) June 16. Savannah Sparrow . 1 singing male  Washington Co (Charlie Carson Rd., Thompson Ln.) June 15-16. Summer Tanager . 2 Greene Co. June 1. Dickcissel .  1 JBR June 1. Bobolink . 1 Washington Co. (Charlie Carson Rd. 0.2 mi. west of Thompson Ln.) June 15-16.   Don Miller Greeneville, Greene Co., TN   Subject: Re: Northern Bobwhite on Greene County Breeding Bird Survey--additional info From: "Daniel B. Estabrooks" <dbe2g AT mtmail.mtsu.edu> Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:03:25 +0000 I haven't made any formal effort to look for bobwhites, nor do have any baseline knowledge of what their numbers were historically, so you can take this with a grain of salt. But they certainly seem to be doing quite well in Rutherford County. There are clearly large numbers at Stones River National Battlefield, and I hear them singing all the time in roadside fields south and east of Murfreesboro. Daniel ________________________________________ From: tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org [tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org] on behalf of Bill Pulliam [littlezz AT gmail.com] Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2013 1:50 PM To: pandion AT embarqmail.com Cc: TN-bird AT freelists.org; bristol-birds AT freelists.org; butternuts AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: Northern Bobwhite on Greene County Breeding Bird Survey--additional info I have not yet finished tallying my own 2013 BBS data, but my impression is that on the three routes where I have still recorded Bobwhites in the last couple of years, they were present in good numbers in 2013, possibly higher than the previous few years. The one route from which they have been missed entirely the last few years continued to yield none this year. The one route that I ran for the first time this year also yielded Bobwhites on several stops. My unofficial BBS-style routes in Lewis County also have given suggestions that Bobwhite numbers have flattened or even bounced back a bit in the last couple of years. So maybe hints of a bottom, and hopes for rebound? Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER==================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Northern Bobwhite on Greene County Breeding Bird Survey--additional info From: Bill Pulliam <littlezz AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:50:58 -0500 I have not yet finished tallying my own 2013 BBS data, but my impression is that on the three routes where I have still recorded Bobwhites in the last couple of years, they were present in good numbers in 2013, possibly higher than the previous few years. The one route from which they have been missed entirely the last few years continued to yield none this year. The one route that I ran for the first time this year also yielded Bobwhites on several stops. My unofficial BBS-style routes in Lewis County also have given suggestions that Bobwhite numbers have flattened or even bounced back a bit in the last couple of years. So maybe hints of a bottom, and hopes for rebound? Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: Northern Bobwhite on Greene County Breeding Bird Survey--additional info From: "Alice Loftin / Don Miller " <pandion AT embarqmail.com> Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:19:33 -0400 (EDT) June 16, 2013   After my post of June 9, I received several questions about Northern Bobwhites along the BBS route in Greene County.  Here's additional information, which I hope will help create a better understanding of the species along the portion of Greene County represented by the survey route.  I have run the route since 2001, so I have thirteen years of data on which to draw.    Year, followed by number of stops where bobwhites were found, followed by stop numbers themselves   2001 (22): 3-5, 7-11, 13-15, 19-20, 22, 24, 26-29, 33, 44, 49 2002 (21): 1, 3-5, 7-9, 11, 13, 15, 18-20, 22, 24, 27-29, 32-33, 50 2003 (12): 7, 9-11, 13-14, 18, 20, 25-26, 28, 36 2004 (14): 5-6, 8-10, 13-14, 16-18, 26, 30, 45-46 2005 (10): 10, 22, 25-27, 29-30, 45-46, 50 2006 (16): 4-5, 10-11, 13-14, 16, 20, 26-29, 35-36, 39, 46 2007 (8): 5, 10, 14-15, 20, 22, 30, 36 2008 (5): 5, 21-22, 35, 49 2009 (3): 3, 27, 29 2010 (4): 20, 27-29 2011 (6): 6, 8-9, 11, 26, 30 2012 (3): 7, 28, 36 2013 (14): 4-5, 13-14, 16, 18-19, 24-25, 29, 35, 37, 45-46   Stop numbers where bobwhites were found, followed by number of years   # 1 (1) # 3 (3) # 4 (4) # 5 (7) # 6 (2) # 7 (4) # 8 (4) # 9 (5) # 10 (6) # 11 (5) # 13 (6) # 14 (6) # 15 (3) # 16 (3) # 17 (1) # 18 (4) # 19 (3) # 20 (6) # 21 (1) # 22 (5) # 24 (3) # 25 (3) # 26 (6) # 27 (6) # 28 (6) # 29 (7) # 30 (4) # 32 (1) # 33 (2) # 35 (3) # 36 (4) # 37 (1) # 39 (1) # 44 (1) # 45 (3) # 46 (4) # 49 (2) # 50 (2)   Over the survey period, bobwhites have been found at 38 stops.  The habitat along these stops consists primarily of hay fields or grazed pastures bordered by overgrown fencerows, vegetated creek banks, fields reverting to forest, and/or mature woodlots.  Houses and other human structures occur in close proximity to most of the spots where bobwhites have been found.  The survey route as a whole can be described primarily as rural pasture and woodlots (some rather large) slowly being replaced by houses and occasional small subdivisions, with some of the pastures reverting to overgrown fields.  Tobacco fields are present at a small number of stops. A few farm ponds also occur at the assigned stops.   As the summary above indicates, bobwhites took a sharp dip in numbers beginning in 2007, and the total for 2013 represents a surprising increase over the recent past.  I am unable to offer meaningful speculation to explain this . Given the steady decline in habitat, I would expect the opposite.  Perhaps this year's numbers are merely an anomalous spike in a continuing downward trend.   Don Miller Greeneville, Greene Co., TN  Subject: Injured night-heron From: "Daniel B. Estabrooks" <dbe2g AT mtmail.mtsu.edu> Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 14:34:43 +0000 Hey guys, Not sure if this is the best place to post this, but a friend of mine just sent me a picture of an adult Black-crowned Night-Heron she found in her yard in Murfreesboro this morning. It looks like one or both of its legs might be broken. She left a message with Walden's Puddle. (They probably won't believe her when she swears she has a night-heron. LOL.) But anyway... I have very little experience with this sort of thing. What's the best thing to do for it in the meantime before they can get it to Walden's? Daniel Subject: Baltimore orioles - Long Hunter State Park, Davidson Co. From: Barbara Harris <HarrBarbara AT bellsouth.net> Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 15:22:39 -0500 6/15/2013 This morning I saw 3 Baltimore Orioles at Long Hunter State Park, Davidson Co. There were 2 male adults and one immature (first-year) male. One of the males was near the parking lot/trail head around Couchville Lake and the other 2 were on the opposite side of the lake. Barbara Harris Nashville, Davidson Co., TN =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: Flat Rock Nightjars From: "Daniel B. Estabrooks" <dbe2g AT mtmail.mtsu.edu> Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 18:05:38 +0000 Flat Rock Cedar Glades & Barrens SNA 6/14/2013 Rutherford County Ryan Johnston called me last night to tell me he had 12 Chuck-will's-widows and 6 Eastern Whip-poor-wills at Flat Rock (including a few individuals singing on the other side of Factory Rd.). Those are the best numbers I know of from Rutherford County. (At the very least, I know my trips to Long Hunter SP haven't been that productive.) Daniel Estabrooks Subject: Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard From: Bill Pulliam <littlezz AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:29:12 -0400 Thanks, that puts the issue to bed. Even if the recent flurry of KY Lake area birds are descended from the releases, 13 years since the last release is long enough for the birds in that area to be considered wild for pretty much all practical purposes, including ABA-style listing games ("Birdie Bingo"). Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 2:11 PM, wrote: > No, as I said in an earlier email, 2000 was the final year that kites were > released in Henry County. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Bill Pulliam > To: tn-bird AT freelists org > Cc: knoxmartin2 > Sent: Fri, Jun 14, 2013 10:47 am > Subject: Re: [TN-Bird] Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard > > Thanks for this information, it is very helpful. Your website mentions > some birds released as recently as 2008: > > http://www.midsouthraptorcenter.com/pdf/kite.pdf > > These were not Henry County releases? They were the ones I was most > concerned about being potential sources for recent sightings. Of course > they would have migrated intercontinentally 5 times since then. > > Bill Pulliam > Hohenwald TN > > On Jun 14, 2013, at 10:25 AM, knoxmartin2 AT aol.com wrote: > > While the Mississippi Kite reintroduction program started in the > mid-1980's and continued for almost 25 years, the birds were released at > Paris Landing State Park in the years 1990-1996, 1998, and finally in 2000. > I seriously doubt that any of the original birds are still alive as the > first groups would be from 17 to 23 years old, and the last group would be > 13. All the birds were first year hatches. The studies I have found have a > variety of ages, but considering the two migrations each year plus any > number of other problems I doubt any of these original released kites are > still living. I would hope that some of the recent sightings are their > offspring, but that is only a guess (or hope!). With global warming a > factor it would seem probable that the western range of the kite is > expanding east, and the Mississippi River breeding areas could also be > expanding north along the river and tributaries in west Tennessee. Over 350 > kites were banded and released during the 25 years of the program as well > as almost 50 local kites that were either raised from chicks or rehabbed at > the Memphis Zoo, and after 2002 at the Mid-South Raptor Center in > Memphis.To date only a single band has been recovered and that band was > actually found by a gentleman in West Memphis, AR, who was raking leaves > and found the unattached band. > > Knox Martin > Mid-South Raptor Center > Memphis, Shelby County > > > Subject: Breeding Ovenbirds - Cedars of Lebanon SF From: "Daniel B. Estabrooks" <dbe2g AT mtmail.mtsu.edu> Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:06:23 +0000 Cedars of Lebanon State Forest, East Unit June 14, 2013 Wilson Co. Ryan Johnston and I found two Ovenbirds singing in very close proximity to each other in a patch of mature broadleaf forest on one of the old four-wheeler trails coming off Cedar Forest Rd. between Cluck Trail and Norene Rd. One of the birds immediately flew at us and started giving agitated calls when I did a little Ovenbird song playback, so I don't think it'd be too big of a stretch to suggest there might be some breeding going on. Does anyone know the history of Ovenbirds breeding in Wilson County? Ours was the first eBird record. Daniel Estabrooks Subject: Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard From: knoxmartin2 AT aol.com Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:11:25 -0400 (EDT) No, as I said in an earlier email, 2000 was the final year that kites were released in Henry County. -----Original Message----- From: Bill Pulliam To: tn-bird AT freelists org Cc: knoxmartin2 Sent: Fri, Jun 14, 2013 10:47 am Subject: Re: [TN-Bird] Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard Thanks for this information, it is very helpful. Your website mentions some birds released as recently as 2008: http://www.midsouthraptorcenter.com/pdf/kite.pdf These were not Henry County releases? They were the ones I was most concerned about being potential sources for recent sightings. Of course they would have migrated intercontinentally 5 times since then. Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN On Jun 14, 2013, at 10:25 AM, knoxmartin2 AT aol.com wrote: While the Mississippi Kite reintroduction program started in the mid-1980's and continued for almost 25 years, the birds were released at Paris Landing State Park in the years 1990-1996, 1998, and finally in 2000. I seriously doubt that any of the original birds are still alive as the first groups would be from 17 to 23 years old, and the last group would be 13. All the birds were first year hatches. The studies I have found have a variety of ages, but considering the two migrations each year plus any number of other problems I doubt any of these original released kites are still living. I would hope that some of the recent sightings are their offspring, but that is only a guess (or hope!). With global warming a factor it would seem probable that the western range of the kite is expanding east, and the Mississippi River breeding areas could also be expanding north along the river and tributaries in west Tennessee. Over 350 kites were banded and released during the 25 years of the program as well as almost 50 local kites that were either raised from chicks or rehabbed at the Memphis Zoo, and after 2002 at the Mid-South Raptor Center in Memphis.To date only a single band has been recovered and that band was actually found by a gentleman in West Memphis, AR, who was raking leaves and found the unattached band. Knox Martin Mid-South Raptor Center Memphis, Shelby County Subject: Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard From: Bill Pulliam <littlezz AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:11:16 -0500 Thanks for this information, it is very helpful. Your website mentions some birds released as recently as 2008: http://www.midsouthraptorcenter.com/pdf/kite.pdf These were not Henry County releases? They were the ones I was most concerned about being potential sources for recent sightings. Of course they would have migrated intercontinentally 5 times since then. Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN > On Jun 14, 2013, at 10:25 AM, knoxmartin2 AT aol.com wrote: > > While the Mississippi Kite reintroduction program started in the > mid-1980's and continued for almost 25 years, the birds were > released at Paris Landing State Park in the years 1990-1996, 1998, > and finally in 2000. I seriously doubt that any of the original > birds are still alive as the first groups would be from 17 to 23 > years old, and the last group would be 13. All the birds were first > year hatches. The studies I have found have a variety of ages, but > considering the two migrations each year plus any number of other > problems I doubt any of these original released kites are still > living. I would hope that some of the recent sightings are their > offspring, but that is only a guess (or hope!). With global warming > a factor it would seem probable that the western range of the kite > is expanding east, and the Mississippi River breeding areas could > also be expanding north along the river and tributaries in west > Tennessee. Over 350 kites were banded and released during the 25 > years of the program as well as almost 50 local kites that were > either raised from chicks or rehabbed at the Memphis Zoo, and after > 2002 at the Mid-South Raptor Center in Memphis.To date only a > single band has been recovered and that band was actually found by > a gentleman in West Memphis, AR, who was raking leaves and found > the unattached band. > > Knox Martin > Mid-South Raptor Center > Memphis, Shelby County Subject: Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard From: knoxmartin2 AT aol.com Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:25:00 -0400 (EDT) While the Mississippi Kite reintroduction program started in the mid-1980's and continued for almost 25 years, the birds were released at Paris Landing State Park in the years 1990-1996, 1998, and finally in 2000. I seriously doubt that any of the original birds are still alive as the first groups would be from 17 to 23 years old, and the last group would be 13. All the birds were first year hatches. The studies I have found have a variety of ages, but considering the two migrations each year plus any number of other problems I doubt any of these original released kites are still living. I would hope that some of the recent sightings are their offspring, but that is only a guess (or hope!). With global warming a factor it would seem probable that the western range of the kite is expanding east, and the Mississippi River breeding areas could also be expanding north along the river and tributaries in west Tennessee. Over 350 kites were banded and released during the 25 years of the program as well as almost 50 local kites that were either raised from chicks or rehabbed at the Memphis Zoo, and after 2002 at the Mid-South Raptor Center in Memphis.To date only a single band has been recovered and that band was actually found by a gentleman in West Memphis, AR, who was raking leaves and found the unattached band. Knox Martin Mid-South Raptor Center Memphis, Shelby County -----Original Message----- From: Mark Greene To: tn-bird AT freelists org Sent: Thu, Jun 13, 2013 10:18 pm Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard From: Mark Greene ; To: littlezz AT gmail.com ; Subject: Re: [TN-Bird] Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard Sent: Fri, Jun 14, 2013 3:16:05 AM Splitting hairs if you ask me. I would not hesitate to count a MS Kite in Henry County. I work all over West TN and have Kites regularly in all the following counties - Obion, Lake, Gibson, Dyer, Weakley, Crockett, Lauderdale, Haywood, and Madison. Some of those counties are along the MS River and some are far away so where do you draw the line? No doubt in my mind that MS Kites are expanding their range in West TN. Did hacking help their numbers? I would expect so but trying to decide if you can count them in one county and 1 or 2 counties over you can't is crazy, in my opinion. Good birding, Mark Greene Trenton, TN Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android From: Bill Pulliam ; To: tn-bird AT freelists.org Birds ; Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard Sent: Fri, Jun 14, 2013 12:11:50 AM It would (at a minimum) be a matter of probabilities. If the offspring do not greatly outnumber the releases, then the odds an individual bird is a release remain non-trivial. It seems the general practice is that the birds don't "count" until the population would clearly supporting itself without releases, and consists mostly of descendents, not releases. This is fuzzy with species like Pock Pigeon and Trumpeter Swan now; I would think the kite program would need at least a decade since its inception and evidence of substantial successful wild reproduction. Memphis is a different issue; there were already lots of kites along the Mississippi before the releases began, they just augmented the population a bit. This also makes me wonder about the Mississippi Kite that was in Nashville this spring... Where there historically Mississippi Kites in the present-day location of Kentucky Lake? eBird shows next to nothing, and thanks to Memphis TOS it has west TN data going back to the 1920s. Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN > > > On Jun 13, 2013, at 6:18 PM, wodu1440 tds.net wrote: > > Bill, > > Even if they are offspring of said releases? No way of knowing > that they aren't nor that they have not moved in from out of > state. Unless of course one can see a band on them. > > Clayton Ferrell > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE withfirst and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation.You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birdsyou report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION shouldappear in the first paragraph._____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org._____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC__________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCESTenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gifAerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com_____________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard From: Bill Pulliam <littlezz AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 22:29:28 -0500 Competitive listing games (which is all I was talking about) are always about splitting hairs, and arguing at great length over which hairs to split which way! Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN > On Jun 13, 2013, at 10:18 PM, Mark Greene wrote: > > > From: Mark Greene ; > To: littlezz AT gmail.com ; > Subject: Re: [TN-Bird] Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our > yard > Sent: Fri, Jun 14, 2013 3:16:05 AM > > Splitting hairs if you ask me. I would not hesitate to count a MS > Kite in Henry County. I work all over West TN and have Kites > regularly in all the following counties - Obion, Lake, Gibson, > Dyer, Weakley, Crockett, Lauderdale, Haywood, and Madison. Some of > those counties are along the MS River and some are far away so > where do you draw the line? No doubt in my mind that MS Kites are > expanding their range in West TN. Did hacking help their numbers? I > would expect so but trying to decide if you can count them in one > county and 1 or 2 counties over you can't is crazy, in my opinion. > > Good birding, > > Mark Greene > Trenton, TN > Subject: Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard From: Mark Greene <greenesnake AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:18:14 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Dry Tortugas photos From: Michael Todd <birder1 AT bellsouth.net> Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:36:52 -0700 (PDT) For anyone interested, I've finished the galleries from my recent trip to south FL. I have a gallery now for the Tortugas portion of the trip. I did a tour with Florida Nature Tours which allowed us to have 3 days to bird the area via staying on a boat, vs doing a day trip or camping at the Fort. I've included a number of scenery pix to give those that haven't been an idea of the beauty and significance of the area. Birding was great, though we just missed a large fallout, and were a few days ahead of my main target, a Black Noddy which started being seen shortly after we left. We also missed the on-again off-again White-tailed Tropicbird. � The gallery is in chronological (or random basically...:") order, and starts here: http://www.pbase.com/mctodd/image/150517883/original � Good Birding!! � Mike Todd McKenzie, TN birder1 AT bellsouth.net www.pbase.com/mctodd Subject: Dry Tortugas photos From: Michael Todd <birder1 AT bellsouth.net> Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:36:52 -0700 (PDT) For anyone interested, I've finished the galleries from my recent trip to south FL. I have a gallery now for the Tortugas portion of the trip. I did a tour with Florida Nature Tours which allowed us to have 3 days to bird the area via staying on a boat, vs doing a day trip or camping at the Fort. I've included a number of scenery pix to give those that haven't been an idea of the beauty and significance of the area. Birding was great, though we just missed a large fallout, and were a few days ahead of my main target, a Black Noddy which started being seen shortly after we left. We also missed the on-again off-again White-tailed Tropicbird. � The gallery is in chronological (or random basically...:") order, and starts here: http://www.pbase.com/mctodd/image/150517883/original � Good Birding!! � Mike Todd McKenzie, TN birder1 AT bellsouth.net www.pbase.com/mctodd ================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS============== When posting on BIRDKY, please close posts with your first and last name and your address (city or county). * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To post on BIRDKY, send e-mail to: birdky AT freelists.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the KOS website at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos/default.htm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the KOS Photo Page to view photos of birds recently sighted in Kentucky: http://www.flickr.com/groups/kentucky_ornithological_society/pool * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: birdky-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison. E-mail: gary.ritchison AT eku.edu Subject: Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard From: Michael Todd <birder1 AT bellsouth.net> Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:02:52 -0700 (PDT) I don't have anything concrete to add here either, other than MS Kites are regular spring visitors to the bottoms in northeast Carroll Co; I say spring because I don't bird these areas much in the summer.�I don't really suspect these birds coming from the hacking program. In the late 70's Don and Gina Manning had a MS�Kite on a breeding bird survey route in extreme southeast Weakley Co in the Obion River bottoms.�Interesting discussion. � Mike Todd McKenzie, TN birder1 AT bellsouth.net www.pbase.com/mctodd � ________________________________ From: "tnbarredowl AT aol.com" To: tn-bird AT freelists.org Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2013 8:32 PM Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard Let's make matters more confusing/interesting.� Mississippi Kits have historically nested along the Tombigbee River as far north as Tupelo, MS and even into Marion County, AL along the Buttahatchie River.� We have had stray birds in Colbert and Lauderdale County, AL irregularly over the past 20+ years, including late spring, early summer birds.� We have no confirmed breeding, however, except in Marion County.� A few years ago, Mississippi Kites began appearing in the Savannah, TN area and have successfully nested at several locations from Pickwick Dam to Coffee Landing/White Oak Creek.� Are these birds moving north along the TennTom Waterway (ala Brown-headed�Nuthatches)�or south from Henry County releases?!?� It's hard to compare historical with current records due to drastic changes in habitat in the past 50+ years, as well as non-comparitive levels of effort.� In birder history, the Tennessee River bottoms in western Tennessee were heavily cleared and converted to farmland.� Kentucky Dam was completed in 1944 and many upland areas became waterfront properties.� Also, many bottomland areas, such as along the Big Sandy River, Duck River and Beech River were reforested and reconverted to bottomland hardwoods.� Big Sandy and Camden dewatering units were created to protect these bottomland forests from summer inundation from the dam.� How much Mississippi Kite habitat was in the area during the past 50+ years.� Interesting would be whether Audubon, Wilson, etc. had Mississippi Kites in the region during their travels. Damien SImbeck Killen, AL -----Original Message----- From: Bill Pulliam To: tn-bird AT freelists.org Birds Sent: Thu, Jun 13, 2013 7:12 pm Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard It would (at a minimum) be a matter of probabilities. If the offspring do not greatly outnumber the releases, then the odds an individual bird is a release remain non-trivial. It seems the general practice is that the birds don't "count" until the population would clearly supporting itself without releases, and consists mostly of descendents, not releases. This is fuzzy with species like Pock Pigeon and Trumpeter Swan now; I would think the kite program would need at least a decade since its inception and evidence of substantial successful wild reproduction. Memphis is a different issue; there were already lots of kites along the Mississippi before the releases began, they just augmented the population a bit. This also makes me wonder about the Mississippi Kite that was in Nashville this spring... Where there historically Mississippi Kites in the present-day location of Kentucky Lake? eBird shows next to nothing, and thanks to Memphis TOS it has west TN data going back to the 1920s. Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN > > > On Jun 13, 2013, at 6:18 PM, wodu1440 tds.net wrote: > > Bill, > > Even if they are offspring of said releases? No way of knowing > that they aren't nor that they have not moved in from out of > state. Unless of course one can see a band on them. > > Clayton Ferrell > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard From: tnbarredowl AT aol.com Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:32:28 -0400 (EDT) Let's make matters more confusing/interesting. Mississippi Kits have historically nested along the Tombigbee River as far north as Tupelo, MS and even into Marion County, AL along the Buttahatchie River. We have had stray birds in Colbert and Lauderdale County, AL irregularly over the past 20+ years, including late spring, early summer birds. We have no confirmed breeding, however, except in Marion County. A few years ago, Mississippi Kites began appearing in the Savannah, TN area and have successfully nested at several locations from Pickwick Dam to Coffee Landing/White Oak Creek. Are these birds moving north along the TennTom Waterway (ala Brown-headed Nuthatches) or south from Henry County releases?!? It's hard to compare historical with current records due to drastic changes in habitat in the past 50+ years, as well as non-comparitive levels of effort. In birder history, the Tennessee River bottoms in western Tennessee were heavily cleared and converted to farmland. Kentucky Dam was completed in 1944 and many upland areas became waterfront properties. Also, many bottomland areas, such as along the Big Sandy River, Duck River and Beech River were reforested and reconverted to bottomland hardwoods. Big Sandy and Camden dewatering units were created to protect these bottomland forests from summer inundation from the dam. How much Mississippi Kite habitat was in the area during the past 50+ years. Interesting would be whether Audubon, Wilson, etc. had Mississippi Kites in the region during their travels. Damien SImbeck Killen, AL -----Original Message----- From: Bill Pulliam To: tn-bird AT freelists.org Birds Sent: Thu, Jun 13, 2013 7:12 pm Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard It would (at a minimum) be a matter of probabilities. If the ffspring do not greatly outnumber the releases, then the odds an ndividual bird is a release remain non-trivial. It seems the eneral practice is that the birds don't "count" until the population ould clearly supporting itself without releases, and consists mostly f descendents, not releases. This is fuzzy with species like Pock igeon and Trumpeter Swan now; I would think the kite program would eed at least a decade since its inception and evidence of ubstantial successful wild reproduction. Memphis is a different issue; there were already lots of kites along he Mississippi before the releases began, they just augmented the opulation a bit. This also makes me wonder about the Mississippi Kite that was in ashville this spring... Where there historically Mississippi Kites in the present-day ocation of Kentucky Lake? eBird shows next to nothing, and thanks o Memphis TOS it has west TN data going back to the 1920s. Bill Pulliam ohenwald TN On Jun 13, 2013, at 6:18 PM, wodu1440 tds.net wrote: Bill, Even if they are offspring of said releases? No way of knowing that they aren't nor that they have not moved in from out of state. Unless of course one can see a band on them. Clayton Ferrell ================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with irst and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. ou are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds ou report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should ppear in the first paragraph. ____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. ____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. _____________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC _________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES enn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif erial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard From: Bill Pulliam <littlezz AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:11:50 -0500 It would (at a minimum) be a matter of probabilities. If the offspring do not greatly outnumber the releases, then the odds an individual bird is a release remain non-trivial. It seems the general practice is that the birds don't "count" until the population would clearly supporting itself without releases, and consists mostly of descendents, not releases. This is fuzzy with species like Pock Pigeon and Trumpeter Swan now; I would think the kite program would need at least a decade since its inception and evidence of substantial successful wild reproduction. Memphis is a different issue; there were already lots of kites along the Mississippi before the releases began, they just augmented the population a bit. This also makes me wonder about the Mississippi Kite that was in Nashville this spring... Where there historically Mississippi Kites in the present-day location of Kentucky Lake? eBird shows next to nothing, and thanks to Memphis TOS it has west TN data going back to the 1920s. Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN > > > On Jun 13, 2013, at 6:18 PM, wodu1440 tds.net wrote: > > Bill, > > Even if they are offspring of said releases? No way of knowing > that they aren't nor that they have not moved in from out of > state. Unless of course one can see a band on them. > > Clayton Ferrell > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard From: "wodu1440 tds.net" <wodu1440 AT tds.net> Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:18:19 -0500 Bill, Even if they are offspring of said releases? No way of knowing that they aren't nor that they have not moved in from out of state. Unless of course one can see a band on them. Clayton Ferrell On Thu, Jun 13, 2013 at 4:36 PM, Bill Pulliam wrote: > I managed to miss this bit of news until today, when I was dealing with an > eBird report of 7 Mississippi Kites in Henry County. I'm not sure I > understand why these birds have been released in an area where they have > not occurred on their own regularly (at least in recent decades -- I don't > know about the ancient past). But I also should note that these releases > pretty much render all Mississippi Kites in the Kentucky Lake - Clarksville > etc. area "uncountable" under ABA rules. I would think that they should be > considered "uncountable" under most listing game rules, even personal ones, > as they are likely to have arrived in Tennessee in a truck or airplane, not > under their own power. > > eBird submissions of these birds are always welcome, of course! > > Bill Pulliam > Hohenwald TN > > > On May 13, 2013, at 4:46 PM, knoxmartin2 AT aol.com wrote: > > > This is good news. Over the years we have released almost 75 Mississippi > Kites in the Henry County area, mainly in the Paris Landing State Park > area. These birds were some of the over 350 kites that came from Kansas > Wildlife & Parks as young birds to be released in the general area of the > Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers between Henry/Stewart/ Lake Counties and > Shelby/Tipton/ Fayette Counties. Hopefully this bird is one of those > released or possibly an offspring. > > Knox Martin > Mid-South Raptor Center > Memphis, Shelby County > > > > Subject: Re: Henry County: Mississippi Kite over our yard From: Bill Pulliam <littlezz AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:36:36 -0500 I managed to miss this bit of news until today, when I was dealing with an eBird report of 7 Mississippi Kites in Henry County. I'm not sure I understand why these birds have been released in an area where they have not occurred on their own regularly (at least in recent decades -- I don't know about the ancient past). But I also should note that these releases pretty much render all Mississippi Kites in the Kentucky Lake - Clarksville etc. area "uncountable" under ABA rules. I would think that they should be considered "uncountable" under most listing game rules, even personal ones, as they are likely to have arrived in Tennessee in a truck or airplane, not under their own power. eBird submissions of these birds are always welcome, of course! Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN On May 13, 2013, at 4:46 PM, knoxmartin2 AT aol.com wrote: > > This is good news. Over the years we have released almost 75 > Mississippi Kites in the Henry County area, mainly in the Paris > Landing State Park area. These birds were some of the over 350 > kites that came from Kansas Wildlife & Parks as young birds to be > released in the general area of the Mississippi and Tennessee > Rivers between Henry/Stewart/ Lake Counties and Shelby/Tipton/ > Fayette Counties. Hopefully this bird is one of those released or > possibly an offspring. > > Knox Martin > Mid-South Raptor Center > Memphis, Shelby County > > Subject: Golden Wing Warbler From: "J.N. & Ella Howard" <birders3 AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:24:31 -0500 Friends, I thought some might be interested in an update after I reported seeing a Golden Wing Warbler on May 29th. It seemed to me to have nesting material in its beak. However, two top-notch birders came in the next two days and did not see it and I tried again as well and did not. Kevin Calhoun came one day and Tommie Rodgers the next and, while they saw or heard several "good" birds, the Golden Wing was not among them. I feel pretty good about the identification because my wife, Ella and I lived for 12 years in SW Virginia in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains and there was a route we took several times each spring for Warblers and other migrants and always had Golden Wings in a certain area. They seemed to prefer scrub brush settings, but we looked forward to their buzzing "song" and seeing them regularly. At our place here the bird I saw was in trees along the edge of a long field on our property. Just beyond that row of trees is a branch of Fiery Gizzard creek so birds often show up on our field side, but then may go back across the creek and us not seem to locate them again. The only other time we have had a Golden Wing here was about 10 years ago in migration time - a definate sighting, but brief. Wish we could have seen this one again and can't be sure it was nesting material it had in its mouth, but it had something that did not seem to be an insect, etc. I appreciate Kevin and Tommie coming and wish we could report a solid find. J. N. Howard, Fiery Gizzard Cove, Marion County. Subject: Loggerhead Shrikes and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers From: Barbara Wilbur <8wi18ur AT charter.net> Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:44:54 -0500 What a red-letter day!!! Eleven Loggerhead Shrikes; 4 adults, 7 fledglings!!! Tony Lance met my grandson, Miles, and me this morning and we did the Robertson County Shrike route, then stopped by the Highland Crest Campus for Miles to see his first Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. Great views!!! So inspiring to see the Loggerheads making a bit of a comeback; wonderful to observe the Scissor-tails expanding their range. Barbara Wilbur Clarksville Subject: Lark Sparrows nest building in Gibson Co. From: Mark Greene <greenesnake AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 08:32:21 -0700 (PDT) Thursday, June 13, 2013 Southwest of Trenton, Gibson County � This morning I was walking around in the yard and I saw a sparrow land on a taller weed stalk in the field behind the house. With my naked eye I could tell that it was too big for one of the Grasshopper Sparrows and although it was close to the same size as a Dickcissel, something didn't look right. I ran got my binoculars and looked at a nice adult Lark Sparrow! The bird sat for a minute or so and then flew. As it flew, I saw another bird fly with it. I lost them as they flew behind a shed. Several minutes later the two birds flew over me and landed in another field but this time they were much closer than before. I saw that they were both Lark Sparrows and as I watched them I could tell that they acted like a mated pair. They would walk around in the grass a few moments and then flush a short distance, always landing within a few feet of each other. Then I saw one of the birds gathering grass in its bill! I watched them fly to the same spot in the field with nesting materials several times so they are obviously attempting to nest in this field! The sad part is that this is a grassy agricultural field that will be planted with soybeans or cotton soon. It has already been sprayed with herbicide so most of the grass and vegetation is already dead and brown. � This is the 2nd time that I've had Lark Sparrows on my property and the 4th time that I have had them on the road that I live on! That makes three species of sparrows in the yard with the Chipping Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows. Unfortunately I'm afraid the Grasshopper Sparrows may be in for the same fate as the Lark Sparrows as they are in the same fields that will be cultivated and planted soon. � Good birding, � Mark Greene Trenton, TN Gibson County Subject: Re: Ants in birdhouses From: Jesse <fernj1 AT charter.net> Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:28:02 -0500 Heavy axle grease has worked for me since my houses are on steel pipe. I just wipe a film of it on the pipe and voila! no more ants or snakes either for that matter. > > Rotenone is bad stuff despite its "organic" classification. Very toxic > to fish, and mildly toxic to birds. > > Diatomaceous earth seems to be relatively harmless, I have used it > successfully for ants and slugs in garden settings, but have not tried > it in bird houses. Here is a link you might with to peruse: > > http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html > > "There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot." > --- Aldo Leopold > > > Carol Reese > > Ornamental Horticulture Specialist -Western District > > University of Tennessee Extension Service > > 605 Airways Blvd. > > Jackson TN 38301 > > 731 425 4767 email jreese5 AT utk.edu > > *From:*tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org > [mailto:tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org] *On Behalf Of *Lynne Davis > *Sent:* Wednesday, June 12, 2013 7:19 AM > *To:* tn-bird AT freelists.org > *Subject:* [TN-Bird] Ants in birdhouses > > We have ants in nearly all our bird boxes. An older book we have > recommends putting a thin layer of rotenone in the bottom of the > boxes. I went to the "big box" home improvement store yesterday > looking for it, and they didn't know what I was talking about. They > suggested diatomaceous earth. Does anyone know if this is safe and > effective for bird boxes? If not, do you know where to look for rotenone? > > One bird box contained a very pretty and docile black rat snake, > probably less than two years old, still showing the remnants of his > baby stripes. He was encouraged to "roost" elsewhere. > > Thanks, > > Lynne Davis > > Seymour, Sevier County > Subject: MartinFest 2013 From: Mark Greene <greenesnake AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:57:52 -0700 (PDT) MartinFest 2013 will be held back on the Stoll Farm in Finger, TN, on June 14th and 15th. For more information visit�their website: � http://www.purplemartinbook.com/ � Click on MartinFest on left side for detailed information. The Stoll family would like to extend a warm invitation to all Purple Martin enthusiasts. This will be the fifteenth annual MartinFest. � Good birding, � Mark Greene Trenton, TN Subject: Re: Ants in birdhouses From: Mark Greene <greenesnake AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:49:04 -0700 (PDT) I've seen Diatomaceous earth recommended for use in birdhouses before. Here's a link from the Purple Martin Conservation Association on the use of DE:   http://purplemartin.org/forumarchives/archive/DE.htm   Good birding,   Mark Greene Trenton, TN ________________________________ From: "Reese, Carol" To: "ldavis AT thetrust.com" Cc: "tn-bird AT freelists.org" Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 3:31 PM Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: Ants in birdhouses Rotenone is bad stuff despite its “organic” classification. Very toxic to fish, and mildly toxic to birds.   Diatomaceous earth seems to be relatively harmless, I have used it successfully for ants and slugs in garden settings, but have not tried it in bird houses. Here is a link you might with to peruse: http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html     "There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot." — Aldo Leopold   Carol Reese Ornamental Horticulture Specialist -Western District University of Tennessee Extension Service 605 Airways Blvd. Jackson TN 38301 731 425 4767 email  jreese5 AT utk.edu   From:tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org [mailto:tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org] On Behalf Of Lynne Davis Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 7:19 AM To: tn-bird AT freelists.org Subject: [TN-Bird] Ants in birdhouses   We have ants in nearly all our bird boxes.  An older book we have recommends putting a thin layer of rotenone in the bottom of the boxes.  I went to the “big box” home improvement store yesterday looking for it, and they didn’t know what I was talking about.  They suggested diatomaceous earth.  Does anyone know if this is safe and effective for bird boxes?  If not, do you know where to look for rotenone?   One bird box contained a very pretty and docile black rat snake, probably less than two years old, still showing the remnants of his baby stripes.  He was encouraged to “roost” elsewhere.   Thanks, Lynne Davis Seymour, Sevier County Subject: Re: Ants in birdhouses From: "Reese, Carol" <jreese5 AT utk.edu> Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:31:13 +0000 Rotenone is bad stuff despite its "organic" classification. Very toxic to fish, and mildly toxic to birds. Diatomaceous earth seems to be relatively harmless, I have used it successfully for ants and slugs in garden settings, but have not tried it in bird houses. Here is a link you might with to peruse: http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html "There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot." - Aldo Leopold Carol Reese Ornamental Horticulture Specialist -Western District University of Tennessee Extension Service 605 Airways Blvd. Jackson TN 38301 731 425 4767 email jreese5 AT utk.edu From: tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org [mailto:tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org] On Behalf Of Lynne Davis Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2013 7:19 AM To: tn-bird AT freelists.org Subject: [TN-Bird] Ants in birdhouses We have ants in nearly all our bird boxes. An older book we have recommends putting a thin layer of rotenone in the bottom of the boxes. I went to the "big box" home improvement store yesterday looking for it, and they didn't know what I was talking about. They suggested diatomaceous earth. Does anyone know if this is safe and effective for bird boxes? If not, do you know where to look for rotenone? One bird box contained a very pretty and docile black rat snake, probably less than two years old, still showing the remnants of his baby stripes. He was encouraged to "roost" elsewhere. Thanks, Lynne Davis Seymour, Sevier County Subject: Ants in birdhouses From: Lynne Davis <ldavis AT thetrust.com> Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:18:44 +0000 We have ants in nearly all our bird boxes. An older book we have recommends putting a thin layer of rotenone in the bottom of the boxes. I went to the "big box" home improvement store yesterday looking for it, and they didn't know what I was talking about. They suggested diatomaceous earth. Does anyone know if this is safe and effective for bird boxes? If not, do you know where to look for rotenone? One bird box contained a very pretty and docile black rat snake, probably less than two years old, still showing the remnants of his baby stripes. He was encouraged to "roost" elsewhere. Thanks, Lynne Davis Seymour, Sevier County Subject: Barred Owl Question From: Ann Shapiro <azshapiro AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:43:34 -0500 We had three Barred Owl babies earlier this season but have only seen two of them the last couple of weeks. They nested in my neighbor's yard (same place the pair nested last year) but now that they are older and can fly short distances they are coming over to my yard and the woods behind me. We have all commented that we have only seen and heard two babies but tonight my neighbor reported hearing three again. Do the parents ever make the same sound that the babies do? Could we be hearing two babies and one adult? One of the baby owls was much smaller than the other two and we thought maybe it didn't make it. But maybe he/she has gotten stronger and bigger (the smaller one was the last to leave the nest) and we are hearing him/her. We just find it weird that we haven't heard all three of them until just now. Sure hope we have three babies - they are fun to watch. -- Ann Wilson County, TN Old Hickory Lake "Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain." Subject: Re: Grasshopper Sparrow, Anderson Co. From: Charles Nicholson <cpnicholson53 AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:47:26 -0400 I've found Grasshopper Sparrows at this location for several years. The most I've ever found at one time is 3. I've also occasionally found Savannah Sparrows there during the winter and early spring - usually by parking near the back end of the access road that parallels the interstate and walking around the more sparsely vegetated areas. Chuck Nicholson Norris, TN On Fri, Jun 7, 2013 at 11:21 AM, Angela Hoffman wrote: > After visiting friends for lunch in Clinton (Anderson Co.) yesterday, I > stopped by the grassy fields next to Fox Toyota just off I-75 (exit 122). > Just as Ron Hoff and Dollyann Myers reported in May, this is a great > location for grassland species, and I heard three Grasshopper Sparrows in > the mere 5 - 7 minutes I stood outside of my car listening for them. I did > not hear any Bobolinks, as they had reported earlier, but the other usual > suspects were present (Northern Mockingbird, Song Sparrow, Red-winged > Blackbird). I was there in the heat of the day (~14:30 on 06 June 2013), so > the area might be more productive in the morning or late afternoon. > > Good birding, > > Angela Hoffman > > Angela M. Hoffman > Knoxville, TN > ahoffman07 AT bellsouth.net > > Subject: TN NWR - kite From: "wodu1440 tds.net" <wodu1440 AT tds.net> Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 19:43:07 -0500 TN NWR Duck River Unit Pool 9 Humphreys County 06/11/13 Spotted a single adult Mississippi kite circling over a farm field in the very upper bottoms adjacent to the Waverly pump station. We go a good long look at it as it circled overhead. This was only my second siting for the refuge. Clayton Ferrell Subject: Yuchi Wildlife Refuge From: Charles Murray <dro_1945 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:21:42 -0700 (PDT) I arrived later than I wanted to at Yuchi Wildlife Refuge in Rhea County today but still observed 27 species of birds. Adding other species seen at home in Birchwood (Hamilton County) and on the way to and from Yuchi, I have a total of 42 species so far for the day. At Yuchi, I really didn't get into any of the woodland habitats, so the totals could have been higher. � Highlights are from Yuchi, unless otherwise noted, and include: * Green heron * Yellow-breasted chats (several heard, 1 seen) * Orchard oriole (1 male was seen; I couldn't get on another bird with the male, which might have been a female." * Red-headed woodpeckers at Yuchi; hairy, red-bellied, downy, and 1 red-headed woodpecker at home * Blue grosbeak and several indigo buntings * Common yellowthroat * Red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks * Ospreys * Blue-gray gnatcatcher * Wood duck * Several killdeer * 4 species of swallows: tree, purple martin, cliff, and rough-winged (only the rough-winged was inside Yuchi) * 1 cattle egret, which flew across Highway 302 near Hilltop Church Road. Charles Murray Birchwood, TN Subject: Unaka Mtn crossbills, etc. From: "Richard Knight" <rknight8 AT earthlink.net> Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:51:59 -0400 11 June 2013 Unaka Mtn, Unicoi Co., TN highlights from the summit: Red-br. Nuthatch - 4 Brown Creeper - 1 Winter Wren - 2 Golden-cr. Kinglet - 4 Veery - 12 Hermit Thrush - 2 Magnolia Warbler - 3 Canada Warbler - 8 Red Crossbill - 40+ - - some were picking up grit in the road & others were bathing in fresh rainwater in ditch. Also: Swainson's Warbler - 1, at Red Fork Falls pull-out Rick Knight Johnson City, TN Subject: Bald Eagle in Perry County From: knoxmartin2 AT aol.com Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:35:38 -0400 (EDT) I received a call from a park ranger at Mousetail Landing State Park near Linden, Tennessee in Perry County on Sunday, 09 June concerning an injured juvenile Bald Eagle. The bird was brought to the Mid-South Raptor Center in Memphis, Shelby County, the next day, but unfortunately it died while in transit. The bird was probably one of two juveniles recently fledged from the active eagle nest on the grounds of the park. It had a badly broken right leg and had probably been grounded for some time as it was quite thin and very dirty. I had the body x-rayed to be sure it had not been shot, and the X-ray found no evidence of lead in the body. The bird could have been hit by a car, or since it was just fledged it could have made a hard landing while learning to fly. The bird will be sent to the USF & WS Eagle Repository in Colorado later in the week. Knox Martin, Director Mid-South Raptor Center Memphis, Shelby County Subject: TN NWR From: "wodu1440 tds.net" <wodu1440 AT tds.net> Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:50:10 -0500 TN NWR Duck River Unit Humphreys County 06/10/13 Flushed two pairs of blue-winged teal in breeding plumage on a mudflat in Pool 1. Clayton Ferrell Subject: Carter Co. Summer Count From: "Richard Knight" <rknight8 AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:39:36 -0400 The Carter Co. Summer Bird Count was conducted for the 20th time on 8 June 2013. Nineteen observers in 5 parties reported a total of 121 species. This establishes a new high for this count, eclipsing 118 species found in 2008. The average of the previous 19 years was 112 species. Over the 20 year run of this count 149 species have been found; 81 species occurred every year while 16 occurred in just one year. Unexpected finds this year were Black-crowned Night-Heron and White- throated Sparrow. The only notable miss this year was Great Horned Owl. The list for this year: Canada Goose 137 Wood Duck 6 Mallard 68 N. Bobwhite 1 Ruffed Grouse 7 Wild Turkey 12 Great Blue Heron 14 Green Heron 4 Black-cr. Night-Heron 2 Yellow-cr. Night-Heron 3 Black Vulture 6 Turkey Vulture 51 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Cooper's Hawk 2 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Broad-winged Hawk 9 Red-tailed Hawk 9 Am. Kestrel 2 Killdeer 4 Am. Woodcock 2 Rock Pigeon 66 Eur. Collared-Dove 2 Mourning Dove 73 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 E. Screech-Owl 5 Barred Owl 1 Com. Nighthawk 1 Chuck-will's-widow 2 E. Whip-poor-will 10 Chimney Swift 52 Ruby-thr. Hummingbird 28 Belted Kingfisher 14 Red-bellied Woodpecker 17 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2 Downy Woodpecker 7 Hairy Woodpecker 1 N. Flicker 14 Pileated Woodpecker 17 E. Wood-Pewee 19 Acadian Flycatcher 30 Alder Flycatcher 5 Willow Flycatcher 1 Least Flycatcher 2 E. Phoebe 39 Great Crested Flycatcher 5 E. Kingbird 12 White-eyed Vireo 4 Yellow-thr. Vireo 2 Blue-headed Vireo 36 Red-eyed Vireo 119 Blue Jay 42 Am. Crow 118 Com. Raven 4 Purple Martin 22 Tree Swallow 96 N. Rough-wg. Swallow 71 Cliff Swallow 97 Barn Swallow 157 Carolina Chickadee 57 Tufted Titmouse 44 Red-br. Nuthatch 8 White-br. Nuthatch 11 Brown Creeper 3 Carolina Wren 49 House Wren 46 Winter Wren 6 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 21 Golden-cr. Kinglet 12 E. Bluebird 37 Veery 26 Hermit Thrush 2 Wood Thrush 37 Am. Robin 282 Gray Catbird 25 N. Mockingbird 35 Brown Thrasher 28 Eur. Starling 389 Cedar Waxwing 76 Ovenbird 80 Worm-eating Warbler 6 La. Waterthrush 5 Golden-wg. Warbler 3 Black-and-white Warbler 30 Kentucky Warbler 1 Com. Yellowthroat 16 Hooded Warbler 100 Am. Redstart 6 N. Parula 6 Magnolia Warbler 3 Blackburnian Warbler 8 Yellow Warbler 2 Chestnut-sd. Warbler 31 Black-thr. Blue Warbler 21 Pine Warbler 2 Yellow-thr. Warbler 13 Black-thr. Green Warbler 28 Canada Warbler 26 Yellow-br. Chat 3 E. Towhee 93 Chipping Sparrow 99 Field Sparrow 37 Vesper Sparrow 1 Song Sparrow 138 White-thr. Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco 92 Scarlet Tanager 32 N. Cardinal 65 Rose-br. Grosbeak 5 Blue Grosbeak 4 Indigo Bunting 130 Red-wg. Blackbird 80 E. Meadowlark 17 Com. Grackle 30 Brown-hd. Cowbird 39 Orchard Oriole 12 Baltimore Oriole 5 House Finch 28 Red Crossbill 6 Pine Siskin 2 Am. Goldfinch 83 House Sparrow 31 #################################### Rick Knight Johnson City, TN Subject: Re: Bird Identification From: CWESI AT aol.com Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:55:58 -0400 (EDT) It's unanimous, it's a Carolina Wren....thank you everyone for your help. In a message dated 6/9/2013 2:43:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, CWESI AT aol.com writes: Can anyone identify this bird. It perches this way on a carport at night. Thank you, Carol Subject: Re: Loudon County Brown Pelican From: Sharon Monett <sbm4him AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:45:34 -0400 Oh, wow! That's so cool! So, could the juvenile I spotted originally be the offspring of this one--meaning there IS a family of brown pelicans? That would be really cool! My oldest son used to work at Camp Buck Toms on Watts Bar--this is the first year in many that he can't be there, but he'll be up there as a volunteer as often as he can. I'll have to tell him to keep an eye out for a brown pelican! Sharon Monett Knoxville, TN On Mon, Jun 10, 2013 at 1:34 PM, wrote: > > Extra nice! > > Carole forwarded me a photo from Marge Krampe of the Brown Pelican she > reported from Watts Bar Lake. This is a DIFFERENT bird than the one that > was seen last month at Fort Loudoun Dam. > > The bird Marge photographed is an adult in breeding plumage with a white > head and chestnut brown nape and hindneck. The bird at Fort Loudoun Dam > was an immature, 1st-year bird with an all drab greyish brown head. > > Dean Edwards > Knoxville, TN > > > > > On Mon, 10 Jun 2013, kde AT angst.engr.utk.edu wrote: > > > > > Nice. > > > > Just for the record, Thief Neck Island is in Roane Co, TN near Rockwood > > and is 47 miles downstream of Ft Loudoun Dam. It would be nice to see > the > > photos, especially if she has any of the bird in flight. The Ft Loudoun > > bird was in heavy moult and it might be possible to determine if this is > > likely to be the same bird or a different one. > > > > Watchable Wildlife link... > > > http://www.tnwatchablewildlife.org/watchareadetails.cfm?uid=09072713535414466®ion=Watts_Bar_WMA_-_Thief_Neck_Island_Unit&statearea=East_Tennessee > > > > Dean Edwards > > Knoxville, TN > > > > > > On Sun, 9 Jun 2013, Carole Gobert wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > It seems that Dean Edwards was right when he said he thought the Brown > > > Pelican would stick around for a while. I received a message dated > June > > > 5 from Marge Krampe who lives on Watts Bar Lake. I was out of town for > > > a week and have been tardy in going through my messages and didn't come > > > across this one until yesterday evening. Marge is not on TN-bird and > > > has asked that I post the sighting for her: > > > > > > "I am a birder who lives on Watts Bar Lake. I always read the ABA list > for > > > TN, but I have no idea how to post a sighting.... I just spotted > > > the Brown Pelican on Watts Bar. My house looks out over the lake with > Thiefneck > > > Island being across the lake from me. I am so excited to have spotted > it. I saw > > > on the blog that it had been on Ft. Loudon, so I figure it?s the same > bird. He > > > was hanging out, flew around a little, dove a few times and then moved > on > > > southward down the lake. I got a few pictures." > > > > > > She has not seen the pelican since June 5 but it may still be in the > area. > > > > > > Carole Gobert, Knoxville > > > > > > > > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== > > > > The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with > > first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. > > You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds > > you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should > > appear in the first paragraph. > > _____________________________________________________________ > > To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: > > tn-bird AT freelists.org. > > _____________________________________________________________ > > To unsubscribe, send email to: > > tn-bird-request AT freelists.org > > with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. > > ______________________________________________________________ > > TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society > > Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) > > endorse the views or opinions expressed > > by the members of this discussion group. > > > > Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN > > wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org > > ------------------------------ > > Assistant Moderator Andy Jones > > Cleveland, OH > > ------------------------------- > > Assistant Moderator Dave Worley > > Rosedale, VA > > -------------------------------- > > Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan > > Clemson, SC > > __________________________________________________________ > > > > Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society > > web site at http://www.tnbirds.org > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > > > ARCHIVES > > TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ > > > > MAP RESOURCES > > Tenn.Counties Map at > http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif > > Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com > > > > _____________________________________________________________ > > > > > > > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== > > The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with > first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. > You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds > you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should > appear in the first paragraph. > _____________________________________________________________ > To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: > tn-bird AT freelists.org. > _____________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, send email to: > tn-bird-request AT freelists.org > with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. > ______________________________________________________________ > TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society > Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) > endorse the views or opinions expressed > by the members of this discussion group. > > Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN > wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org > ------------------------------ > Assistant Moderator Andy Jones > Cleveland, OH > ------------------------------- > Assistant Moderator Dave Worley > Rosedale, VA > -------------------------------- > Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan > Clemson, SC > __________________________________________________________ > > Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society > web site at http://www.tnbirds.org > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > ARCHIVES > TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ > > MAP RESOURCES > Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif > Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com > > _____________________________________________________________ > > > Subject: Re: Loudon County Brown Pelican From: kde AT angst.engr.utk.edu Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:34:13 -0400 (EDT) Extra nice! Carole forwarded me a photo from Marge Krampe of the Brown Pelican she reported from Watts Bar Lake. This is a DIFFERENT bird than the one that was seen last month at Fort Loudoun Dam. The bird Marge photographed is an adult in breeding plumage with a white head and chestnut brown nape and hindneck. The bird at Fort Loudoun Dam was an immature, 1st-year bird with an all drab greyish brown head. Dean Edwards Knoxville, TN On Mon, 10 Jun 2013, kde AT angst.engr.utk.edu wrote: > > Nice. > > Just for the record, Thief Neck Island is in Roane Co, TN near Rockwood > and is 47 miles downstream of Ft Loudoun Dam. It would be nice to see the > photos, especially if she has any of the bird in flight. The Ft Loudoun > bird was in heavy moult and it might be possible to determine if this is > likely to be the same bird or a different one. > > Watchable Wildlife link... > http://www.tnwatchablewildlife.org/watchareadetails.cfm?uid=09072713535414466®ion=Watts_Bar_WMA_-_Thief_Neck_Island_Unit&statearea=East_Tennessee > > Dean Edwards > Knoxville, TN > > > On Sun, 9 Jun 2013, Carole Gobert wrote: > > > > > > > > > It seems that Dean Edwards was right when he said he thought the Brown > > Pelican would stick around for a while. I received a message dated June > > 5 from Marge Krampe who lives on Watts Bar Lake. I was out of town for > > a week and have been tardy in going through my messages and didn't come > > across this one until yesterday evening. Marge is not on TN-bird and > > has asked that I post the sighting for her: > > > > "I am a birder who lives on Watts Bar Lake. I always read the ABA list for > > TN, but I have no idea how to post a sighting.... I just spotted > > the Brown Pelican on Watts Bar. My house looks out over the lake with Thiefneck > > Island being across the lake from me. I am so excited to have spotted it. I saw > > on the blog that it had been on Ft. Loudon, so I figure it?s the same bird. He > > was hanging out, flew around a little, dove a few times and then moved on > > southward down the lake. I got a few pictures." > > > > She has not seen the pelican since June 5 but it may still be in the area. > > > > Carole Gobert, Knoxville > > > > > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== > > The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with > first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. > You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds > you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should > appear in the first paragraph. > _____________________________________________________________ > To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: > tn-bird AT freelists.org. > _____________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, send email to: > tn-bird-request AT freelists.org > with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. > ______________________________________________________________ > TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society > Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) > endorse the views or opinions expressed > by the members of this discussion group. > > Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN > wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org > ------------------------------ > Assistant Moderator Andy Jones > Cleveland, OH > ------------------------------- > Assistant Moderator Dave Worley > Rosedale, VA > -------------------------------- > Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan > Clemson, SC > __________________________________________________________ > > Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society > web site at http://www.tnbirds.org > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > ARCHIVES > TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ > > MAP RESOURCES > Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif > Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com > > _____________________________________________________________ > > > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: orchard orioles and flowers From: "Reese, Carol" <jreese5 AT utk.edu> Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:39:51 +0000 I had a nesting pair stay with me for a couple of years when I had a reblooming form of our native coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) on my fence. I am wondering if having lots of flowers in the red color range might help to attract and keep them around. I do like that red flowering yucca, (Hesperaloe parviflora) and they hummingbirds do too. I just bought a few to plant at my new home and this spring planted two of the reblooming honeysuckles (there are three forms, Alabama Crimson, Major Wheeler and Blanche Sandman), so maybe I will attract them again. cr "There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot." - Aldo Leopold Carol Reese Ornamental Horticulture Specialist -Western District University of Tennessee Extension Service 605 Airways Blvd. Jackson TN 38301 731 425 4767 email jreese5 AT utk.edu Subject: Mountain Trip: ID, WY & MT, NV, UT & IL, IN, KY From: kbreault <kbreault AT bellsouth.net> Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 08:54:03 -0700 (PDT) TN Birders: Just back from my "Mountain Trip" so this is the trip report (somewhat abbreviated as my academic editing gig waits). Enjoy. Mountain Trip: ID & WY, with side trips to MT, NV, UT and eastern visits to IL, IN & KY The main reason for the trip was Idaho and Wyoming, places I had few birds (each state less than 50). Ordinarily, I would include western ID and eastern WY in the trip, but a more efficient route allowed me to focus on eastern ID and western WY. This more unusual plan let me take side trips to MT, NV & UT. Of course, the downside of the plan is that you will not be able to add birds regularly found in western ID and eastern WY. Not a small problem. For example, more than 35 regular WY birds are not found in the west, including three species of geese, four shorebirds, both cuckcoos, two warblers, six sparrows, and Flammulated Owl (but not likely), Cassin's Kingbird, Pygmy Nuthatch, and Lesser Goldfinch. The easiest way to get to this area is to fly into Salt Lake City, UT, but I remembered that Amtrak goes there and that if I got on the train in Illinois I would also be able to bird in KY, IN and IL, both coming and going. I also knew that I was close to 100,000 miles on trains (yes, I keep track of that too), and I wanted to make progress toward that milestone (I ended up with 93,900). So I left my home in Brentwood, TN, and got on the train in Galesburg, IL, the "California Zephyr," birding my way first through western KY,, western IN (perhaps the best area for this part of the trip is Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area, which recently had a Spotted Redshank--a code 4 bird), and finally north-central IL. Galesburg is northwest of Peoria, about 40 miles east of Iowa. The infuriating thing about train travel is that you can't hear bird vocalizations, and the second most frustrating thing is that you can't get off the train when you see new or productive habitat. Of course, you won't see many good birds from the train but occasionally you will get lucky. Among other birds, I had a Swainson's Hawk in CO, two pairs of Bald Eagles on nests on the Colorado River in CO, and a Williamson Sapsucker also in CO--my favorite western woodpecker, at least when flying.) And now, before you think this particular train trip is not for you, the view from Denver to eastern Utah is quite extraordinary (especially from Grand Junction, CO west to Price Canyon at Helper, UT--you must see the Book Cliffs). While you won't get a large bird list you will see a quite unique, often wonderfully stark and severe but beautiful part of the country. Perhaps the most interesting is east-central Utah, a place that looks like the Moon (although Mars comes closer now that I think about it), with very few birds even if you were able to get off the train and go birding (there is a stop at Green River, UT). Interstate 70 also follows the route from Grand Junction, CO to Green River, UT, and UT Route 6 will take you from Green River to Helper, UT and Price Canyon. The northern area of Utah, where Salt Lake City is located, has the best birding in UT (Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Antelope Island State Park, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, and the Wasatch-Cache National Forest), and while I had birded in southeast and southwest UT (arguably, the second best place in UT, and absolutely critical for state birders and total tickers alike), I had not yet been to the north. Using Salt Lake City as the jumping-off and end point for the trip also means that you will have two trips (at somewhat different times–useful in migration) to the area. There is now much online information for UT, and you may also want to see Birding Utah by D.E. McIvor, and if you get to southwest UT pick up an older but very nice book by Ro Wauer, Birds of Zion National Park and Vicinity (includes illustrations and photographs). From Salt Lake City a great side trip is to Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, and the Ruby Mountains in NV, famed for the Himalayan Snowcock (but summer is the best time to see the bird, although I gave it a shot). You will remember the helicopter scene in the movie, “The Big Year”? Ruby Lake has something in the vicinity of 130 birds at this time of year (late May). Backtracking to the Salt Lake City area, you will want to go next to southwestern Wyoming. The major attractions here are Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, the Seedskodee National Wildlife Refuge and what is known as the Fontenell Trap (that once trapped a CT Warbler). Also, on the way to Flaming Gorge take exit 34 on I-80 for Fort Bridger and a large number of the common birds of the area. Because of the possibilities for rarities many birders in WY think the southwest is the best place to bird, but for total tickers the southwest is important for the 175 regular birds that can be found. And note that birds found only in the extreme SW corner of WY include: Western Screech-Owl, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Scrub-Jay, Juniper Titmouse, Bewick’s Wren, Virginia’s Warbler, some people think Lucy’s Warbler (no luck for me), Black-throated Sparrow, Great-tailed Grackle and Scott’s Oriole (similarly no soap). Depending on your experience you will want to spend at least two-four days in southwestern WY. Information is available online but I also used Oliver Scott’s, A Birders Guide to Wyoming, somewhat out-of-date but extremely useful nevertheless. Finally, while it may seem obvious, don’t be too quick to leave the desert southwestern as you are not likely to see many SW birds in the mountains of the northwest. Seedskadee NWR is also a place worth extra time. Note that the best birds will be in the Hawley Wetlands near the headquarters, and somewhat north of that you will find a nest platform that had a Golden Eagle on it (but not a nest). We saw Golden Eagles in every western state visited with the exception of MT. Before getting to Jackson be sure to visit the Pinedale area and especially the Green River Lakes, one of the most beautiful vistas in all of North America, and your first chance for some of the mountain birds you will see in Jackson Hole, including woodpeckers, flycatchers, jays and sparrows. Next stop is Jackson Hole in northwest WY. Note that Jackson Hole is the name of the general area (essentially valley) while Jackson is the city at the southernmost part of the valley. If you are thinking that you can miss Jackson Hole and spend your time at Yellowstone to the north you will be making a mistake. You will generally do better in a shorter amount of time in the Jackson Hole area (National Elk Refuge and Grand Teton National Park). You should not miss Yellowstone for other reasons (try to avoid it when the supervolcano blows, or during July and August when the tourists descend like mosquitoes), but almost all of what you find there will be in Jackson Hole. For example, I saw only a few new birds in Yellowstone having gone first to Jackson Hole (Great Gray Owl are generally more common in Yellowstone, if somewhat more time consuming to see, and Dippers are easy to see near bridges south of Madison on the road to Old Faithful. And speaking of Old Faithful, there were more people watching the eruption (doesn’t really seem like the right word given the eruption that is eventually going to happen), than there were in all the lodges at the Grand Teton National Park. In general, Grand Teton gets considerably fewer visits than Yellowstone. This is not to say I would consider spending much time in Grand Teton in July or August! One thing birders don’t often consider is the aerial tram from Jackson to the top of Rendezvous Mountain (4,139 vertical feet in 13 min), the trails at the top, and the extraordinary view. You should have no trouble finding Black Rosy-Finches (although they can often be seen on the floor of the valley; we had them at Jackson Lake Lodge), and look for Gray Jay, Clark’s Nutcracker, Mountain Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Red Crossbills (White-winged is possible but rare), Pine Grosbeak, and Pine Siskins. Birds found only in the extreme NW corner area of the state: Harlequin Duck, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Great Gray Owl, Boreal Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker, Pacific Wren, Black Rosy-Finch, White-winged Crossbill, Pine Grosbeak. Perhaps the best birding experience of the trip was in Jackson Hole where we saw (within five feet and for an extended amount of time) a male Dusky Grouse (a life bird for me) at the terminal parking lot at the top of Signal Mountain (7,700 ft.). (I will put a picture of the bird using the inexpensive Walgreen's cameras I take on these trips on my webpage.) By hiking around the summit we also found three Dusky females. Many of the iconic photographs of the Tetons where taken from the top of Signal Mountain, a take-your-breath-away view of the numerous peaks of the Tetons, including Mount Moran (12,605 ft), Mount Owen (12,928 ft), and Grand Teton (13,770). My wife was so impressed will the photogenic nature of the trip that she is suggesting I get a good camera, so I may be asking the community for recommendations in the coming weeks. At least 3-4 four days in the northwest, but it is easy (perhaps too easy), to spend more time in Jackson Hole. A few words on bears. Bears (Grizzly and Black) are common in the Tetons and Yellowstone (hundreds of them if not always easy to find, and Black is much more common). Before you go it makes sense to learn about them and what to do if you are charged. For example, Grizzlies will generally run away when they encounter humans while Blacks may consider you lunch, thankfully a very rare possibility. Recommended is bear spray that has been shown to be effective (we used “Counter Assault” available at REI). Everyone we saw on the trails had the spray (perhaps I should buy the stock). If you are flying get the spray in Jackson or at the park as the TSA won’t let you on the plane with the spray (note, the bears on planes are drunk adult males and incessantly noisy juveniles). For other non-avian animals you are guaranteed to see elk, pronghorn antelope, mule deer, and bison (more common in Yellowstone), and unless you are unlikely you should see my favorite, Bullwinkle, or as some people say, moose. (Alas, no Rocky, or flying squirrel). Of course, I should say that if provoked, Bullwinkle will stomp you into a pancake and bison will bludgeon you and your car silly, and yet there is no spray for those critters. Moreover, they are generally more common and considerably more likely than bears to put you in the ER. Otters can also be seen in the Snake River, and coyotes are fairly common (we had one at our lodge). (In the past five years or so coyotes have become quite regular on my small mountain in Williamson, County, TN, and signs for lost pets have also increased.) The bears will be more difficult to see and wolves are rare at this time of year (winter is best). Clearly, the very best way to see the most sought after mammals is to run into a bear or moose jam on the roads. Lots of parked cars mean people are viewing wildlife. And if you stop your car it is likely that someone behind you will also stop thinking you have found something of note. I was slowly winding my way down Signal Mountain at dusk when I heard a Northern Pygmy-Owl. I stopped to listen and a car came up beside us to ask what we had seen. I said we were listening to an owl. The passenger laughed derisively and the driver quickly took off, perhaps to look for bears in the diminishing light. Northern Pygmy-Owl as a trash bird. So a few words about owls in the northwest corner of WY. Owls are some of the most difficult birds to get on total ticking trips and Jackson Hole/Yellowstone is no different. Most common is Great Horned, followed, perhaps surprisingly, by the Great Gray Owl (uncommon but with decidedly uncommon interest shown to the bird by many). Less common is Northern Saw-whet, while Boreal and Northern Pygmy are rare (Boreal is probably more common in more remote areas). Exactly how rare is not entirely known. You should be able to get Great Horned, and by asking around (of course, ask local birders, and park personnel can be helpful, differentially speaking), also find Great Gray. Try the park people at the Moose Junction Visitor Center. Also try the roving bands of wildlife photographers. To get to ID you go first through southwest MT beginning with the tourist town of West Yellowstone, MT at the western border of Yellowstone (as we drove through it I kept thinking that West Yellowstone is what Yellowstone would look like if it were not a national park--not an attractive sight especially after seeing the park). While you may be tempted to immediately take route 20 south to ID consider a day or two at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and the surrounding area, a short trip from West Yellowstone and very productive (best at the NWR is the area near the Upper Lake Campground and Upper Red Rock Lake). Regular birds at Red Rock at this time, late May-early June, number about 120. of year Once in ID your main focus should be Camas NWR, Market Lake Wildlife Management Area, and Caribou National Forest, but you will want to bird several other areas to get the birds you need (online sites are very good for ID, see below). In the northern part of the area be sure you spend time at Henry’s Lake State Park and Harriman State Park (we had an astounding six species of grebe here, beating my record of five in winter at a location in south Texas; I believe it was Barbara & John Ribble who showed me my first Least Grebe as a youth at this place), and take the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway (reportedly, the canyon area is good for Peregrine Falcon and N. Pygmy-Owl, and the falls are something to see). At this point let me suggest a place to stay. For various reasons I have not made such recommendations in the past but I would strongly suggest the Blue Heron Inn (unfortunately, not inexpensive), just south of Rexburg within feet of the Snake River (perhaps I should say my only investments in ID are avian). You may get more than a few birds (ducks, shorebirds, perching birds, Great Horned Owl), as well as Bullwinkle and marmots, reclining comfortably on your private balcony (the “suite” has the best one). In the same area as Camas and Market I would also recommend Mud Lake WMA, just off ID Route 33 (mile markers 44-53 or so). Market WMA is especially productive at this time of year. The hundreds of gulls, terns and ibis were mesmerizing and stopped this early morning and already tired observer cold. In the southern part after you are finished with Camas, Market, and Mud Lake, Kinney Creek Canyon, Cherry Spring Natural Area, and areas on Scout Mountains in Caribou National Forest, Hawkins and Daniels Reservoirs (and the general areas adjacent to water, especially flowing creeks), and Curlew National Grasslands are the best places. (Note that online birding material for southeast ID has 45 birding sites, annotated by birds and habitat: begin with www.seidaho.org). Six-seven days in ID should be enough, and note that spending too much time in Camas/Market/Mud Lake may leave you with less time in the more difficult mountains. For lodging in the southern part of the state there are several good options in Pocatello, but a better bet I think is to go further south and be able not only to be close to Curlew Grasslands and other places in southern ID, but you will have a centrally located spot for visits to the Caribou National Forest near Pocatello to the north, and Northern Utah to the south (Bear River and Willard Bay State Park in UT are relatively close on the west side of I-15, with Cutler Marsh, Green Canyon and other good sites on the east side). I ended up finding only one place to stay in this area, another Bed & Breakfast, called Abigail’s B & B in Malad Summit. This is a terribly comfortable and attractive place (generally, I find B & B’s to be stuffy and smothering–perhaps the worst I had was a small room with little light in eastern Canada (I won't say more), which was populated by antique dolls on virtually every available surface), with several hummingbird feeders and only a few miles away from mountain birds. I will say that this is not an easy place to find (Mapquest and GPS did not work), so if you are interested and are having problems call the owners or contact me. Get rooms at the back of the house where you can see (and hear) the hummers. This was a great trip well worth the time with lots of birds and gorgeous scenery. If you haven’t been to the mountains this is the trip for you. If you’re thinking of another nocuous trip to the Pitts in Memphis, consider birding in a place like Grand Teton National Park that has not be despoiled. For me, frankly, I don’t know where I’ll go for my big trip next year but AK and western Canada are painfully wanting. And what’s up with PA, now my only lower 48 state with less than 100 birds? Now that I think of it: how about a flight to Philadelphia (where I can see my publisher–always a good thing), a rental car to bird PA, OH, and IN, turning the car in at Chicago, getting on the “Empire Builder” in Chicago for the train to Portland or Seattle (different train cars; perhaps the Portland cars offer pot--“Keep Portland Weird” they say--and the Seattle cars will serve espresso while blasting Nirvana), birding for coastal birds, a trip on the “Amtrak Cascades” to Vancouver, BC, a rental car for birding in BC and AB, and the trip home (again birding through IL, IN & KY): pushing my total to around 100,000 train miles and lots of similarly salubrious birding? AK the year after? We’ll see how this old body holds up. Don’t hesitate to email if you have any questions. If I don't have the answer I can have one of my studious assistants find out. Note that this report (soon), recent trip reports (most), and volumes of “TN Birders by the Numbers” (I think all but the most recent one), can be found at my university webpage; http://www.mtsu.edu/~kbreault. Good birding and good totaling! Kevin Breault Brentwood, TN Subject: Re: Saturday visitor From: knoxmartin2 AT aol.com Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:21:48 -0400 (EDT) Yes, it is a Barred Owl, and yes, Barred Owls will eat fish. Sorry, but it will probably return if there are more fish in your pool. Knox Martin Mid-South Raptor Center Memphis, Shelby County -----Original Message----- From: Lynne Davis To: tn-bird Sent: Mon, Jun 10, 2013 10:15 am Subject: [TN-Bird] Saturday visitor I received this email and picture from my brother in Conyers, Georgia. Do Barred Owls eat fish? Lynne Davis Seymour, Sevier County This guy was in my backyard Saturday morning. I think it is a barred owl. Two of my fish are missing. Subject: Saturday visitor From: Lynne Davis <ldavis AT thetrust.com> Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:13:53 +0000 I received this email and picture from my brother in Conyers, Georgia. Do Barred Owls eat fish? Lynne Davis Seymour, Sevier County This guy was in my backyard Saturday morning. I think it is a barred owl. Two of my fish are missing. Subject: Re: Loudon County Brown Pelican From: kde AT angst.engr.utk.edu Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:47:58 -0400 (EDT) Nice. Just for the record, Thief Neck Island is in Roane Co, TN near Rockwood and is 47 miles downstream of Ft Loudoun Dam. It would be nice to see the photos, especially if she has any of the bird in flight. The Ft Loudoun bird was in heavy moult and it might be possible to determine if this is likely to be the same bird or a different one. Watchable Wildlife link... http://www.tnwatchablewildlife.org/watchareadetails.cfm?uid=09072713535414466®ion=Watts_Bar_WMA_-_Thief_Neck_Island_Unit&statearea=East_Tennessee Dean Edwards Knoxville, TN On Sun, 9 Jun 2013, Carole Gobert wrote: > > > > It seems that Dean Edwards was right when he said he thought the Brown > Pelican would stick around for a while. I received a message dated June > 5 from Marge Krampe who lives on Watts Bar Lake. I was out of town for > a week and have been tardy in going through my messages and didn't come > across this one until yesterday evening. Marge is not on TN-bird and > has asked that I post the sighting for her: > > "I am a birder who lives on Watts Bar Lake. I always read the ABA list for > TN, but I have no idea how to post a sighting.... I just spotted > the Brown Pelican on Watts Bar. My house looks out over the lake with Thiefneck > Island being across the lake from me. I am so excited to have spotted it. I saw > on the blog that it had been on Ft. Loudon, so I figure it?s the same bird. He > was hanging out, flew around a little, dove a few times and then moved on > southward down the lake. I got a few pictures." > > She has not seen the pelican since June 5 but it may still be in the area. > > Carole Gobert, Knoxville > > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: Loudon County Brown Pelican From: Carole Gobert <cpgobert AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2013 19:15:16 -0400 It seems that Dean Edwards was right when he said he thought the Brown Pelican would stick around for a while. I received a message dated June 5 from Marge Krampe who lives on Watts Bar Lake. I was out of town for a week and have been tardy in going through my messages and didn't come across this one until yesterday evening. Marge is not on TN-bird and has asked that I post the sighting for her: "I am a birder who lives on Watts Bar Lake. I always read the ABA list for TN, but I have no idea how to post a sighting.... I just spotted the Brown Pelican on Watts Bar. My house looks out over the lake with Thiefneck Island being across the lake from me. I am so excited to have spotted it. I saw on the blog that it had been on Ft. Loudon, so I figure it�s the same bird. He was hanging out, flew around a little, dove a few times and then moved on southward down the lake. I got a few pictures." She has not seen the pelican since June 5 but it may still be in the area. Carole Gobert, Knoxville Subject: Northern Bobwhite, etc. (Greene Co., TN) From: "Alice Loftin / Don Miller " <pandion AT embarqmail.com> Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2013 19:03:41 -0400 (EDT) June 9, 2013   Greene County Breeding Bird Survey, etc.; Cutshaw's Bog (adjacent to Greene Mountain)   While running the Allen's Bridge survey route this morning, I recorded a surprising 18 singing male Northern Bobwhites--17 at 14 of the assigned stops and 1 between stops.  The first appeared at stop 4 and the last at stop 46, indicating a range of a little over 20 miles.  Given the decline of the species in recent decades, this seems remarkable.   Also observed today:   Great Blue Heron (3 adults and 8 young on nests, Nolichucky River along Belle Arden Drive in Tusculum) Red-shouldered Hawk (adult, Cutshaw's Bog) Yellow-billed Cuckoo (8) Red-headed Woodpecker (St. James Rd 0.4 mi. north of W. Allen's Bridge Rd.) Kentucky Warbler (singing male, Cutshaw's Bog) Grasshopper Sparrow (16) Summer Tanager (4) Baltimore Oriole (2)   Don Holt assisted on the survey route and was also present at Cutshaw's Bog.   Don Miller Greeneville, Greene Co., TN Subject: Bird Identification From: CWESI AT aol.com Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2013 14:43:18 -0400 (EDT) Can anyone identify this bird. It perches this way on a carport at night. Thank you, Carol Subject: Re: Brown-headed Nuthatch, southern Lawrence County From: Chris Sloan <csloan1973 AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2013 11:33:01 -0500 Don't forget that they have been regular in the pines around Pickwick Dam just to the S/SW of you. To me this looks consistent with expansion up the Tennessee River, which is exactly what has been happening in e. Tennessee. Chris Sloan Nashville, TN http://www.chrissloanphotography.com On Sun, Jun 9, 2013 at 11:30 AM, Bill Pulliam wrote: > I was extremely surprised this morning when I heard the unmistakable calls > of a Brown-headed Nuthatch on stop 41 of the Collinwood Breeding Bird > Survey. I never spotted the bird (BBS protocol doesn't leave much room for > chasing birds down), but it vocalized repeatedly from a stand of mixed pine > and hardwood so there's not much room for doubt. This location is a few > miles northeast of Loretto (far southern Lawrence County a few miles from > the Alabama line), just off highway 43 on Glendale Road. I can send > detailed location info to anyone who is interested. So is this a random > wanderer? Or the vanguard of a range expansion? This spot has been > surveyed annually for nearly 50 years, so it's not likely that this bird is > from any local population that has been hiding undetected in this vicinity > for any significant amount of time. > > Bill Pulliam > Hohenwald TN > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER====================**= > > The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with > first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. > You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds > you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should > appear in the first paragraph. > ______________________________**______________________________**_ > To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: > tn-bird AT freelists.org. > ______________________________**______________________________**_ > To unsubscribe, send email to: > tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with > 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. > ______________________________**______________________________**__ > TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither > the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) > endorse the views or opinions expressed > by the members of this discussion group. > > Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN > wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org > ------------------------------ > Assistant Moderator Andy Jones > Cleveland, OH > ------------------------------**- > Assistant Moderator Dave Worley > Rosedale, VA > ------------------------------**-- > Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan > Clemson, SC > ______________________________**____________________________ > Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society > web site at http://www.tnbirds.org > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > ARCHIVES > TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/**archives/tn-bird/ > > MAP RESOURCES > Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/** > maps/states/tennessee3.gif > Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com > > ______________________________**______________________________**_ > > > Subject: Brown-headed Nuthatch, southern Lawrence County From: Bill Pulliam <littlezz AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2013 11:30:46 -0500 I was extremely surprised this morning when I heard the unmistakable calls of a Brown-headed Nuthatch on stop 41 of the Collinwood Breeding Bird Survey. I never spotted the bird (BBS protocol doesn't leave much room for chasing birds down), but it vocalized repeatedly from a stand of mixed pine and hardwood so there's not much room for doubt. This location is a few miles northeast of Loretto (far southern Lawrence County a few miles from the Alabama line), just off highway 43 on Glendale Road. I can send detailed location info to anyone who is interested. So is this a random wanderer? Or the vanguard of a range expansion? This spot has been surveyed annually for nearly 50 years, so it's not likely that this bird is from any local population that has been hiding undetected in this vicinity for any significant amount of time. Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: 14 Loggerhead Shrikes (Robertson Co.) From: Tony Lance <tonylance AT mac.com> Date: Sun, 09 Jun 2013 10:02:39 -0500 I did my shrike route this morning in the Cross Plains and Cedar Hill areas of Robertson County and had my most successful outing to date. I tallied 14 shrikes including three family groups (one with an adult and two juveniles; two with an adult and three juveniles). I also found birds at three locations where I had not previously seen them. Tony Lance Springfield, TN =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER==================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: Orchard Orioles From: "Stacey Adair" <tvhdoc AT chartertn.net> Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2013 07:25:27 -0400 We have had a pair of Orchard Orioles visiting our red hot poker blooms and our bird bath for about 2 � weeks. A funny thing happened with the male a couple of evenings ago. My husband took a pair of scissors to the flower bed to dead-head some of the blooms and the male oriole swooped down at him and started an alarm call. Was the funniest thing I have seen! Knew Mockingbirds would defend feeding areas, but never thought an Oriole would! Thought I would share, and would be happy to share our deck to anyone who needs an Orchard Oriole for their bird list. Steve and Stacey Adair Maryville, TN Blount County Subject: Possible Shelby Co. Sandhill Crane From: kings4birds AT aol.com Date: Sat, 8 Jun 2013 19:03:42 -0400 (EDT) A friend reports seeing a Sandhill Crane a "few days" ago, in the power line easement behind her house in the Kirby Ave/Park Ave area, east Memphis near I-240 and Poplar. She said she first thought it was a goose, with a "long neck but small head", then realized it had long legs, was 3-4 feet tall, all gray. I asked if it might be a heron, she said no, the "folded wings look different"; when I suggested a crane, she responded that the picture she saw in a google search looked "just like it", but there was no red on the bird's head. Her house borders a power line easement along its rear property line, and the area is mowed regularly. I'm going to visit and see if I can relocate the bird. Gail King 5595 Asley Sq. N. Memphis, TN 38120 901-268-0035 "What is this feathered thing that lifts my heart to the heavens?" Jeff Wilson Sent from my iPad Subject: NTOS Harpeth River Greenway results From: "fekel" <fekel AT evans.tsuniv.edu> Date: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 12:58:48 -0500 On Satuday, June 8, 16 birders came out to the Harpeth River Greenway next to Morton Mill Road in Bellevue. The walk began in relatively dense fog that slowly dissipated. Highlights included numerous CLIFF SWALLOWs that coursed low over the man-made lake, two male ORCHARD ORIOLEs, a GREEN HERON that was patiently waiting for breakfast, and a GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER. In all 40 species were seen or heard. Species found: Mallard 4--female with 3 teenagers Great Blue Heron 1 Green Heron 1 Killdeer 2 Rock Pigeon 2 Mourning Dove 3 Chimney Swift 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 3 Downy Woodpecker 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Eastern Kingbird 2 White-eyed Vireo 1 Blue Jay 3 American Crow 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2 Purple Martin 2 Barn Swallow 1 Cliff Swallow 9 Carolina Chickadee 6 Tufted Titmouse 3 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Carolina Wren 3 Eastern Bluebird 3 American Robin 4 Northern Mockingbird 4 Brown Thrasher 3 European Starling 3 Common Yellowthroat 1 Eastern Towhee 2 Field Sparrow 2 Song Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 5 Indigo Bunting 8 Red-winged Blackbird 4 Common Grackle 9 Brown-headed Cowbird 2 Orchard Oriole 2 House Finch 2 American Goldfinch 6 Frank Fekel NTOS Field Trip Leader Bellevue, TN =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: Aberant bird song of a Bachman's Sparrow From: James Campbell <jmcbrcwarbler AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2013 23:01:43 -0400 Back in the late 1970s I was birding on Genesis Rd. just south of Catoosa Wildlife Mgmt. Area in Cumberland County, TN and heard a Bachman's Sparrow sing as I was driving. Got out of my car and saw it on a wire. It sang a perfect field sparrow song and I gave it a better look and it was in fact a Bachman's. It then sang a perfect Common yellowthroat song. It alternated its own song with the songs of the other two many times. A week later I took Dr. Joe Howell, UT ornithology prof and Gary Muffley and the bird was at the same spot and repeated the same three songs many times. We could clearly see its bill move as it sang which proved we were not hearing the songs of a very close Yellowthroat or Field Sparrow. Of course there are several species known to be very good mimics but we had not read that about Bachman's. Muffley, after much research, found an obscure reference to that behavior. I agree with another of today's posters who said that it is really fun when we hear aberrant songs or perfect mimicry. I have heard many strange songs over the years and have greatly enjoyed the challenge of trying to ID them. I have heard and seen a few Blue-winged warblers sing the song of a Golden- winged warbler and vice versa. Jim Campbell KTOS Oak Ridge, TN Subject: More interesting birds! From: "Ron Hoff" <aves7000 AT bellsouth.net> Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2013 21:58:20 -0400 TN-birders, This morning Mike Nelson joined Dollyann and me on a trip up to the top of Cross Mountain in Campbell Co. to look for a recently reported Black-billed Cuckoo. We went to Caryville, just off I-75 N, and took the only road through town and up the mountain, going past the “bench” on the left where we normally look for Golden-winged Warbler (GWWA). We got to the top of the road (the road actually starts going down in elevation here) and turned right onto a gravel road. We went out this road about 1-2 miles to a place where there is an obvious sign saying it’s the Cross Mountain Trailhead for the Cumberland Trail. There is a small parking lot here and this is where we were told the Black-billed Cuckoo was spotted and acted territorial a couple of weeks ago. Mike played a tape for the cuckoo a few times but nothing responded. We then drove further out the road about a mile and stopped to see what was calling, when Mike heard a Veery. Veery has been recorded here in migration but we have never heard that they were breeders in the area, as the elevation is only 3176 ft. Apparently that is enough, as we heard 2 different Veeries calling and saw one. The Breeding Bird Atlas of TN (Nicholson) states that Veeries nest in the Cumberland Mtns. above 854 m (2818 ft.). The elevation here is above that. After some more trying for the cuckoo, we returned to the original stop by the sign for the Cumberland Trail and tried one final time for the cuckoo. No cuckoo but Mike heard what he thought was a Blue-winged Warbler (BWWA), but when the bird showed itself, it turned out to be a GWWA instead, singing a BWWA song. Refer to an email on TN-bird earlier this afternoon. A link to Mike’s recording is here: http://www.xeno-canto.org/137639. Although we haven’t birded this area all that much, we have been up here a few times over the years and this was the first time we have ever had a GWWA up on top. In addition to that, I managed to find a gorgeous male Blackburnian Warbler that eluded Dollyann and Mike. While we have had Blackburnian Warbler at about this elevation over at Fork Mountain in Anderson Co., we have never had them at this location. So 3 interesting sightings on top of old Smoke.....oops, Cross Mountain, where in the past we have not seen them. Great birding, Ron Hoff & Dollyann Myers Clinton, TN Subject: Re: Smokies birding - 6/6 From: Marcus Simpson <mbsmjw63 AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2013 21:41:26 -0400 Shane, Interesting report. The Hermit Thrush continues to increase its numbers and breeding season range in the southern Blue Ridge. Over the past eight years, the species has become a regular late spring and summer resident as far south as Tanasee Bald at Courthouse Valley Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway (mile 423.5). The spring count team this year recorded more than 20 singing birds along this section of the Parkway and adjacent portions of Middle Prong Wilderness and Shining Rock Wilderness. Mark Simpson and Marilyn Westphal Hendersonville, NC On Fri, Jun 7, 2013 at 4:36 PM, Shane H. Williams < shanehwilliams AT comcast.net> wrote: > ** > > > > I did some high elevation birding along Clingman's Dome Road (GSMNP) again > Thursday with Stan Wallace. We hiked about 1.5 miles into the Noland Divide > Trail (with rain in the beginning) and heard 2 Hermit Thrushes to my > surprise. Are these getting more common this far south?Clingman's Dome > parking lot was socked in with fog/mist but still saw 2 Pine Siskins here. > > Noland Divide Trail (~1-4pm): h = heard only > > Hermit Thrush - 2 h > Veery - 1-2 h > Black-thr. Blue Warbler - 1 h > Black-thr. Green Warbler - 5 h > Blue-headed Vireo - 1 h > Black-capped Chickadee - 1 > Golden-crowned Kinglet - ~10 > Winter Wren - 3 h > Red-breasted Nuthatch - 7 h > Dark-eyed Junco - ~5 > American Robin - 3 > > Spruce-Fir Nature Trail 9 (~4:30 - 5:15pm): > > Veery - 2-3 > Black-thr. Blue Warbler - 1 > Black-thr. Green Warbler - 1 > Canada Warbler - 1 h > Northern Parula - 1 h > Red-breasted Nuthatch - 1+ h > Winter Wren - 1 h > Golden-crowned Kinglet - 1 h > Dark-eyed Junco > > We added 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler and a Broad-winged Hawk (h) to our > species list at a pulloff between the Spruce-Fir trail and Indian Gap. > There was also a wierd song heard here that sounded to me like a truncated > Indigo Bunting song with a different beginning. Still not sure about that > one. A Wild Turkey with 8 or 10 chicks following crossed the road in front > of us near the Wears Valley entrance to the park on our way out. > > Shane Williams > Knoxville, TN > > > Subject: Re: Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC From: "Ron Hoff" <aves7000 AT bellsouth.net> Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2013 17:00:25 -0400 TN-birders, This morning Mike Nelson, Dollyann Myers, and I went up on the top of Cross Mountain (going through Caryville, next to I-75 N), Campbell County, looking for evidence of a recently spotted Black-billed Cuckoo. We did NOT find the cuckoo, but during the visit Mike heard what he thought was a Blue-winged Warbler (BWWA) singing. When he found the bird, it was a male Golden-winged Warbler singing a perfectly phrased BWWA song. He made several recordings and took a few photos. Try as we might, we did not see a second bird. So who knows where this GWWA learned this song. Or is this song part of its normal song package??? A bit farther down the mountain, on what we call the "Golden-winged Warbler" bench, there was a Brewster's Warbler spotted earlier this year. This location is probably only a mile or two from the site we were at this morning. Ain't birdin' always interesting? Great birding, Ron Hoff Clinton, TN -----Original Message----- From: Bill Pulliam Sent: Friday, June 07, 2013 1:05 PM To: Scott Somershoe Cc: tn-bird AT freelists.org Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC I was not aware that this was an abberant song for the Prairie Warbler, I thought this was its normal alternate song. It is ubiquitous in this region. It also lacks the "slurring" of the notes in the typical Field Sparrow song, consisting of an accelerating series of even-toned whistles terminated by a fast buzzy up-slur. Typical Field Sparrow notes are down-slurred, more noticeable in the longer introductory notes. Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN On Jun 7, 2013, at 11:51 AM, Scott Somershoe wrote: > As I may have mentioned here before, about half of the Prairie Warblers > at Bridgestone Firestone WMA sing a perfect Field Sparrow song with a > buzzy up slurred note on the end. I've seen and heard a Prairie do this > at Catoosa WMA as well. This particular species mix up is widespread > across the eastern US. A new publication in Journal of Field Ornithology > discusses this in Massachusetts. > > There is a lot to learn about bird song. Annoyingly, the more I listen > and closer I listen to bird songs, the more variation I hear and more > fascinated (sometimes confused) I get! > > Scott Somershoe =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: Smokies birding - 6/6 From: "Shane H. Williams" <shanehwilliams AT comcast.net> Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2013 16:36:07 -0400 I did some high elevation birding along Clingman's Dome Road (GSMNP) again Thursday with Stan Wallace. We hiked about 1.5 miles into the Noland Divide Trail (with rain in the beginning) and heard 2 Hermit Thrushes to my surprise. Are these getting more common this far south?Clingman's Dome parking lot was socked in with fog/mist but still saw 2 Pine Siskins here. Noland Divide Trail (~1-4pm): h = heard only Hermit Thrush - 2 h Veery - 1-2 h Black-thr. Blue Warbler - 1 h Black-thr. Green Warbler - 5 h Blue-headed Vireo - 1 h Black-capped Chickadee - 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet - ~10 Winter Wren - 3 h Red-breasted Nuthatch - 7 h Dark-eyed Junco - ~5 American Robin - 3 Spruce-Fir Nature Trail 9 (~4:30 - 5:15pm): Veery - 2-3 Black-thr. Blue Warbler - 1 Black-thr. Green Warbler - 1 Canada Warbler - 1 h Northern Parula - 1 h Red-breasted Nuthatch - 1+ h Winter Wren - 1 h Golden-crowned Kinglet - 1 h Dark-eyed Junco We added 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler and a Broad-winged Hawk (h) to our species list at a pulloff between the Spruce-Fir trail and Indian Gap. There was also a wierd song heard here that sounded to me like a truncated Indigo Bunting song with a different beginning. Still not sure about that one. A Wild Turkey with 8 or 10 chicks following crossed the road in front of us near the Wears Valley entrance to the park on our way out. Shane Williams Knoxville, TN Subject: Willow Flycatcher-7Jun13-Bradley Co From: David Chaffin <davchaffin AT aol.com> Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2013 13:19:38 -0400 (EDT) TN birders, At the northern terminus of the Cleveland Greenway, from the parking lot accessed from Mohawk Drive, and beside the Home Depot parking drive on the east side of the store, at 7:15 am today was the familiar fitz-bew call. This is county species 151 for the year. I need 1 to tie and 2 to break my all time year record. David Chaffin Cleveland TN Bradley Co Subject: Re: Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC From: Bill Pulliam <littlezz AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2013 12:05:49 -0500 I was not aware that this was an abberant song for the Prairie Warbler, I thought this was its normal alternate song. It is ubiquitous in this region. It also lacks the "slurring" of the notes in the typical Field Sparrow song, consisting of an accelerating series of even-toned whistles terminated by a fast buzzy up-slur. Typical Field Sparrow notes are down-slurred, more noticeable in the longer introductory notes. Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN On Jun 7, 2013, at 11:51 AM, Scott Somershoe wrote: > As I may have mentioned here before, about half of the Prairie > Warblers at Bridgestone Firestone WMA sing a perfect Field Sparrow > song with a buzzy up slurred note on the end. I've seen and heard > a Prairie do this at Catoosa WMA as well. This particular species > mix up is widespread across the eastern US. A new publication in > Journal of Field Ornithology discusses this in Massachusetts. > > There is a lot to learn about bird song. Annoyingly, the more I > listen and closer I listen to bird songs, the more variation I hear > and more fascinated (sometimes confused) I get! > > Scott Somershoe =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clemson, SC __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC From: Scott Somershoe <ssomershoe AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2013 11:51:21 -0500 As I may have mentioned here before, about half of the Prairie Warblers at Bridgestone Firestone WMA sing a perfect Field Sparrow song with a buzzy up slurred note on the end. I've seen and heard a Prairie do this at Catoosa WMA as well. This particular species mix up is widespread across the eastern US. A new publication in Journal of Field Ornithology discusses this in Massachusetts. There is a lot to learn about bird song. Annoyingly, the more I listen and closer I listen to bird songs, the more variation I hear and more fascinated (sometimes confused) I get! Scott Somershoe On Fri, Jun 7, 2013 at 11:31 AM, Bill Pulliam wrote: > Primary songs are learned in passerines, and occasional males will learn > the wrong song or a distorted song. Back in the 1970s there was a famous > towhee in Atlanta who sang a flawless Carolina Wren song. > > Bill Pulliam > Hohenwald TN > > On Jun 7, 2013, at 11:24 AM, Daniel B. Estabrooks wrote: > > Earlier in the year I observed a Common Yellowthroat on the greenway in > Murfreesboro singing a textbook Canada Warbler song. I think there's a lot > of poorly understood weirdness in bird vocalizations that's deserving of > further study. > > Daniel Estabrooks > > ------------------------------ > *From:* tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org [tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org] on > behalf of Nora Schubert [nora_schubert1 AT hotmail.com] > *Sent:* Friday, June 07, 2013 8:05 AM > *To:* bristol-birds AT freelists.org; TN-bird AT freelists.org > *Subject:* [TN-Bird] Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - > eastern TN and western NC > > > > This year, male Golden-winged Warbler(s) (phenotype) was observed singing > a modified version of a Northern Parula song in both eastern TN and western > NC. > > This individual established a territory at Hampton Creek Cove State > Natural Area, located in eastern TN on the Roan Mountain Massif where I > have studied GWWAs for the last 9 years. I would not have thought to track > down the bird to get a visual if it were not for the fact that N. Parulas > do not occur at this state natural area during the breeding season and the > song was very much Parula like but not an exact Parula song. I was able to > capture the bird and place color bands on it. > > Also, this year, a similar observation was made in western North Carolina > by Chris Kelly (NCWRC biologist) who was conducting general surveys for > Golden-wings. The observation in NC was made prior to the individual being > detected at the state natural area. The NC site where the Parula singing > Golden-wing was detected is not monitored throughout the season. > > We both captured the bird behavior on video and hope to compare audio > files. There is a possibility that this could be the same individual. > Regardless, this is one of the more recent anomalies I have observed while > studying Golden-wings. > > Nora Schubert > Wildlife Biologist > Johnson City, TN > > > > > Subject: Re: Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC From: Bill Pulliam <littlezz AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2013 11:31:14 -0500 Primary songs are learned in passerines, and occasional males will learn the wrong song or a distorted song. Back in the 1970s there was a famous towhee in Atlanta who sang a flawless Carolina Wren song. Bill Pulliam Hohenwald TN On Jun 7, 2013, at 11:24 AM, Daniel B. Estabrooks wrote: > Earlier in the year I observed a Common Yellowthroat on the > greenway in Murfreesboro singing a textbook Canada Warbler song. I > think there's a lot of poorly understood weirdness in bird > vocalizations that's deserving of further study. > > Daniel Estabrooks > > From: tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org [tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org] > on behalf of Nora Schubert [nora_schubert1 AT hotmail.com] > Sent: Friday, June 07, 2013 8:05 AM > To: bristol-birds AT freelists.org; TN-bird AT freelists.org > Subject: [TN-Bird] Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - > eastern TN and western NC > > > > This year, male Golden-winged Warbler(s) (phenotype) was observed > singing a modified version of a Northern Parula song in both > eastern TN and western NC. > > This individual established a territory at Hampton Creek Cove State > Natural Area, located in eastern TN on the Roan Mountain Massif > where I have studied GWWAs for the last 9 years. I would not have > thought to track down the bird to get a visual if it were not for > the fact that N. Parulas do not occur at this state natural area > during the breeding season and the song was very much Parula like > but not an exact Parula song. I was able to capture the bird and > place color bands on it. > > Also, this year, a similar observation was made in western North > Carolina by Chris Kelly (NCWRC biologist) who was conducting > general surveys for Golden-wings. The observation in NC was made > prior to the individual being detected at the state natural area. > The NC site where the Parula singing Golden-wing was detected is > not monitored throughout the season. > > We both captured the bird behavior on video and hope to compare > audio files. There is a possibility that this could be the same > individual. Regardless, this is one of the more recent anomalies I > have observed while studying Golden-wings. > > Nora Schubert > Wildlife Biologist > Johnson City, TN > Subject: Re: Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC From: "Daniel B. Estabrooks" <dbe2g AT mtmail.mtsu.edu> Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2013 16:24:17 +0000 Earlier in the year I observed a Common Yellowthroat on the greenway in Murfreesboro singing a textbook Canada Warbler song. I think there's a lot of poorly understood weirdness in bird vocalizations that's deserving of further study. Daniel Estabrooks ________________________________ From: tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org [tn-bird-bounce AT freelists.org] on behalf of Nora Schubert [nora_schubert1 AT hotmail.com] Sent: Friday, June 07, 2013 8:05 AM To: bristol-birds AT freelists.org; TN-bird AT freelists.org Subject: [TN-Bird] Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC This year, male Golden-winged Warbler(s) (phenotype) was observed singing a modified version of a Northern Parula song in both eastern TN and western NC. This individual established a territory at Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area, located in eastern TN on the Roan Mountain Massif where I have studied GWWAs for the last 9 years. I would not have thought to track down the bird to get a visual if it were not for the fact that N. Parulas do not occur at this state natural area during the breeding season and the song was very much Parula like but not an exact Parula song. I was able to capture the bird and place color bands on it. Also, this year, a similar observation was made in western North Carolina by Chris Kelly (NCWRC biologist) who was conducting general surveys for Golden-wings. The observation in NC was made prior to the individual being detected at the state natural area. The NC site where the Parula singing Golden-wing was detected is not monitored throughout the season. We both captured the bird behavior on video and hope to compare audio files. There is a possibility that this could be the same individual. Regardless, this is one of the more recent anomalies I have observed while studying Golden-wings. Nora Schubert Wildlife Biologist Johnson City, TN Subject: Grasshopper Sparrow, Anderson Co. From: Angela Hoffman <ahoffman07 AT bellsouth.net> Date: Fri, 07 Jun 2013 11:21:22 -0400 After visiting friends for lunch in Clinton (Anderson Co.) yesterday, I stopped by the grassy fields next to Fox Toyota just off I-75 (exit 122). Just as Ron Hoff and Dollyann Myers reported in May, this is a great location for grassland species, and I heard three Grasshopper Sparrows in the mere 5 - 7 minutes I stood outside of my car listening for them. I did not hear any Bobolinks, as they had reported earlier, but the other usual suspects were present (Northern Mockingbird, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird). I was there in the heat of the day (~14:30 on 06 June 2013), so the area might be more productive in the morning or late afternoon. Good birding, Angela Hoffman Angela M. Hoffman Knoxville, TN ahoffman07 AT bellsouth.net Subject: Notable Golden-wing Warbler Singing Behavior - eastern TN and western NC From: Nora Schubert <nora_schubert1 AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 7 Jun 2013 09:05:18 -0400 This year, male Golden-winged Warbler(s) (phenotype) was observed singing a modified version of a Northern Parula song in both eastern TN and western NC. This individual established a territory at Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area, located in eastern TN on the Roan Mountain Massif where I have studied GWWAs for the last 9 years. I would not have thought to track down the bird to get a visual if it were not for the fact that N. Parulas do not occur at this state natural area during the breeding season and the song was very much Parula like but not an exact Parula song. I was able to capture the bird and place color bands on it. Also, this year, a similar observation was made in western North Carolina by Chris Kelly (NCWRC biologist) who was conducting general surveys for Golden-wings. The observation in NC was made prior to the individual being detected at the state natural area. The NC site where the Parula singing Golden-wing was detected is not monitored throughout the season. We both captured the bird behavior on video and hope to compare audio files. There is a possibility that this could be the same individual. Regardless, this is one of the more recent anomalies I have observed while studying Golden-wings. Nora Schubert Wildlife Biologist Johnson City, TN