FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Halloween Eve birds at Kyker; KTOS meeting

[Charlie <cmmbirds@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi folks,

Chris Welsh's post about his FOS (first of season) Purple Finch
reminded me that I never posted some birds from Thursday, October 30.
 Jean Alexander and I started the day looking at that beautiful male
CALIOPE HUMMINGBIRD that Harold has been letting everyone know about
in northwest Blount County.

Then we moved on to Kyker Bottoms in southern Blount County.  While
we didn't see most of the birds we were hoping for, it was a
beautiful day and what was lacking in species was made up for with
good looks, great weather and butterflies.

One of the first birds we saw was a female PURPLE FINCH.  We also had
many SONG, SWAMP and WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS.  While walking along
the easternmost dike (which is now closed to the public until late
winter) we found a shorebird that was a bit too distant for us to ID
with binoculars.  But it looked good, so I went back to the car to
grab a scope.  Upon better looks, it still fooled us for a little
while, before we finally decided it was a slightly unusual LESSER
YELLOWLEGS.  One of the things that baffled us was it's habitual
bobbing, ala Solitary Sandpiper.  But it was also doing the more
Lesser Yellowlegs running back and forth.  The legs were slightly
less bright than usual, and the back was a bit more spotted than I'm
accustomed to.

As we walked in the heat (83 degrees!?!) we enjoyed many MONARCH,
VICEROY, BUCKEYE and PEARLY CRESCENT butterflies.  

Ducks of the day included WOOD and MALLARD.  A single AMERICAN COOT
tried to pass itself off as a duck.

Raptors were scarce but diverse.  One each of RED-TAILED,
RED-SHOULDERED, COOPERS and SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS as well as one
AMERICAL KESTREL.  Several EASTERN TOWHEES, several FIELD  and one
lone adult WHITE-CROWNED completed our disappointing sparrow count of
the day.  

Tonight's meeting of Knoxville Chapter of TOS is at 7pm in the vet
school at UT.  Coming off Neyland drive, turn onto Joe Johnson and
it's the first building on the right, in the ground floor meeting
room.  Kris Johnson of Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be
there to tell us about the native plant restoration work being done
in the park.  All are, of course, welcome.  Light refreshments will
be served.

Good birding,
charlie



=====
**************************************************
Charlie Muise, Senior Naturalist
Now living in Maryville, TN
Still working in Great Smoky Mountains 
National Park

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm"
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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