FreeLists / tn-bird / [tn-bird] east Tenn birding

[Charlie <cmmbirds@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi folks,

Tracey Everson and I were scheduled to do a couple miles of the crane
walk (lots of fun!) this afternoon, so we decided to bird our way
there.  She'd never been to Kyker Bottoms, so we decided that the
report of Henslow's Sparrow was enticing enough to go.  No luck with
it, but there were a lot more sparrows than just a week and a half
ago.  Last time I had no SWAMPIES; this time we had about 15.  Last
time I had about 20 SONG.  This time at least double that.  Each trip
produced 20-25 FIELD, but last time they all seemed heavily in molt,
and this time none of them did (boy, was that fast).  I expect a
report of the first White-throated any day.

We lucked out with raptors.  Though we were lazy and didn't get there
until about 8:20, we heard both GREAT-HORNED and Eastern SCREECH.  As
the fog cleared, the lump on a distant tree, which had sounded like a
RED-SHOULDERED, started to look like one (with all the BLUE JAYS
around, one needs to be careful...) We found my 2nd HARRIER of the
year.  Then, within minutes, we had SHARP-SHINNED, COOPER's, and
RED-TAILED Hawks, and a nice male KESTREL. 

Warblers are still around:  BLACK-THROATED GREEN, ORANGE-CROWNED,
MAGNOLIA, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and, of course, several PALM (all of
which were western - been a couple weeks since I saw a yellow).

For a while we watched about 6 ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS feeding in
some bushes just 3 feet off the ground.  Another sat still on a
branch 15 feet up for at least 15 minutes - never saw one sit still
out in the open before.  Better watch those accipiters!  Still a
number of INDIGO BUNTINGS, each seemingly in it's own version of
dress.  Not so many as last time, but still about 12 in one place.

Around the "front" side with the new viewing blind we had a couple
flyover RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS again (one adult, one juv) and at
least 30 (!) NORTHERN BOBWHITE.  Most I've seen in east Tennessee so
far.  

The only waterfowl we had were MALLARDS and CANADA GEESE.  No rails
or shorebirds, but the grass is wet enough to make me wonder where
the snipe are.  I've only seen 2-3 since the name switched back, and
I didn't know it at the time.  So I've never had the pleasure to
write Wilson's....  Ok, simple mind, simple pleasures, right?

Non-bird interests included an 8 year-old male box turtle.  In the
last month, I've blundered acrose 8 box turtles - roughly equal to
what I'd seen in the previous 2 years.  5 have been less than adult
size, 2 have been under a decade.  Where are all the adults?  I'm
hoping all these young turtles means something good.  Or else it
means that with the devastation TDOT is bringing, they are moving
more to try to find land that isn't paved, and the young'uns are
better able to travel?  I'll be optimisitic and say it's due to good
breeding...time will tell.

A quick swing by a boat launch at the north end of Tellico Lake
produced an OSPREY.  Juiced by the raptors, we kept at least one head
out of the car window as we drove around looking for an eagle, but
none were to be had.  Nor did a quick stop by Kingston Steam Plant
produce a peregrine.  A stop in between, at Fort Loudon Dam did
produce a single BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON and my first flock of
CORMORANTS.  I've been seeing them in ones and twos lately.  And
these guys were in formation, flying low over the water, as if in
migration... except they were headed north.  I haven't missed a
night-heron there too many times.  No gulls or terns, though.  An
attempt at a quick run to the settling ponds was thwarted by the
longest coal train (not Coltrane) I've ever seen, and the fact that
we didn't want to be late to walk the kite.

The best bird we saw walking through the commercial blight of
interstate chains was a Common Yellowthroat.  

Good day!!!

Charlie

=====
**************************************************
Charlie Muise, Senior Naturalist
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
Townsend, TN  lat 35 deg, 38'23"  long 83 deg, 41'22"

"Do something. If it works, do it again. If it does not work, do something 
else. But above all else: Do Something." (Franklin Delano Roosevelt)

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