FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Elizabethton Spring Count

["Richard Knight" <rknight8@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The 64th consecutive Elizabethton Spring Bird Count was held on 28 April 2007
by members and friends of the Lee & Lois Herndon Chapter of TOS.  The area 
of coverage consisted of Carter Co. and parts of adjacent Johnson, Sullivan,
Unicoi, & Washington Cos. in northeast Tennessee.  

36 observers in 8 parties, plus 2 feeder watchers, participtated.  They found 
9746 
birds of 159 species plus 1 hybrid.  The species total is well above the 
average 
of 145.6 species for the previous 20 years and just shy of the all-time high of 
161 
species found in 2005.  

highlights:
11 species of diurnal raptors (including Bald Eagle, Harrier, Merlin, & 
Peregrine).
29 species of warblers (including Swainson's & Wilson's, plus Lawrence's).

Great Blue Heron:  2 small rookeries in Unicoi Co. are first nesting records 
there.
Osprey:  14 ties the count high.
Bald Eagle:  4th record on this count.
Merlin:  4th record on this count.
Eur. Collared-Dove:  new to count.
N. Saw-whet Owl:  always a good find.
Yellow-thr. Vireo:  tally of 14 has been exceeded only once.
Tree Swallow:  tally of 578 more than doubled previous high.
N. Rough-wg. Swallow:  tally of 300 has been exceeded only twice.
Cliff Swallow:  tally of 262 has been exceeded only once.
Eastern Bluebird:  tally of 147 has been exceeded only once.
Wood Thrush:  tally of 102 was the most since 1979.
Yellow-thr. Warbler:  tally of 20 is a new high for count.
Lawrence's Warbler:  new to count.   
Fox Sparrow:  5th record on count (& getting quite late, to boot).

notable misses:
N. Bobwhite  (4th straight year missed)
no cuckoos
Barn Owl
E. Wood-Pewee
Warbling Vireo
Brown Creeper
Golden-wg. Warbler
Cerulean Warbler  (5th straight year missed)
Prothonotary Warbler
(Some of these were likely missed due to the delayed migration following the
Great Easter Freeze this year.)

Parties & participants:
1)  Gary Wallace, Bryan Stevens, David Thometz, Reece Jamerson, Tess Cumbie,
Brookie & Jean Potter, Josh Ferry, Caleb Bollman, Beth Toner, Travis Young, &
Grayson Patton.     (107 species)

2)  Fred Alsop, Jim & Darla Anderson, Paul Haynes.     (84 species)

3)  Tom McNeil, Rob Biller, Nora Schubert.     (91 species)

4)  Joe McGuiness, Kim Stroud, Dianne Draper, Don Holt.     (102 species)

5)  Rick Knight, Gil Derouen, Jacki Hinshaw, Barney Keffer.     (97 species)

6)  Rack Cross, Richard Lewis.     (107 species)

7)  Larry McDaniel, Rudy Morales, Chris O'Bryan, Charlie Parker.     (88 
species)

8)  David Kirschke, Jerry Nagel, Brad Jones.     (? species)

Feeder watchers:  Brenda Wallace, Peggy Stevens.

Thanks to all who participated.
Rick Knight  (compiler)
Johnson City, TN