FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] McKenzie area; 5/2/06

[<birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

5/2/06
McKenzie area
Henry & Carroll Co.

Don Manning and I got out this morning, spending about 4 hours dodging rain 
showers while we birded the general McKenzie area of extreme northcentral 
Carroll and southwest Henry Counties. We had another good morning, with 102 
species, of these only a paltry 2 shorebird (Solitary and Snipe) and 1 
waterfowl (Wood Duck) species. Passerine migration was once again 
productive. Some of the highlights are as follows:

Warblers: 22 species

Tennessee (10+, many singing and good looks at a couple)
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler (3)
Cape May Warbler (1)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler (1): One of the highlights was having gorgeous 
male Black-throated Green, Bay-breasted, Yellow, and Tennessee Warblers all 
in the same oak tree.
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler (gobs)
Palm Warbler (10+)
Bay-breasted Warbler (2)
Black-and-white Warbler (2)
American Redstart (1)
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler (1; on territory)
Swainson's Warbler (3; two of these in new locations for me and in 
upland-type habitat more typical of the species in east TN, not the 
canebrakes we usually associate this species with in west TN)
Northern Waterthrush (1)
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat

Acadian Flycatchers and Pewee's are definitely in big-time now. We went to 
the bottom that has been productive for Willow Flycatcher for several years, 
but they evidently aren't in yet. We saw probably 30 Eastern Kingbirds on 
the day. Vireos were well-represented, with both Warbling and Philadelphia 
in addition to the 3 common breeding species of this area. A single 
Loggerhead Shrike was a scarce bird this time of the year locally, this one 
in Carroll Co.

Thrushes were represented by several Swainson's and a singing Veery, in 
addition to numerous Wood Thrushes. One Ruby-crowned Kinglet was still 
hanging around.

Lark Sparrows were seen in two locations, both in Henry Co. The pair near 
Don's house seem look to be the one's this year that will be reliable, we 
also had a singing male in a new location. It is still amazing how scarce 
these birds are in west TN, away from this general area. A singing 
Grasshopper Sparrow was my 1st local bird, after having several last week 
near Reelfoot Lake.

As has been said on several forums today, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are really 
coming through right now. We had at least a dozen today. The 'sneaker on a 
gym floor' callnote was heard many times today, as well as good looks at 
several. Blue Grosbeaks were also a little more numerous than usual. 
Dickcissels are local in this area, but were heard in several suitable 
fields. Unusual was a single male Bobolink seen flying up out of a field.

Other than passerines, the only bird of any note was my 1st Mississippi Kite 
of the year, in a location I've seen them for the last 3 springs. This is in 
Carroll Co. in the South Fork Obion River bottoms along Hwy 436. This is 
also where Willow Flycatchers have been regular, and is one of the only 
local spots for nesting Cliff Swallows.

Good Birding!!

Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
Carroll Co.
birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.pbase.com/mctodd



 

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