Area Birders, Many of you may be rather astonished at the number of Rusty Blackbirds estimated in the vicinity of Paddle Creek Ponds on Monday. The post should have acknowledge the rarity of such a number and other details. The discover was made when a "cloud" of what I estimated was nearly a thousand blackbirds were being chased up into a tight, swirling, flock by a Cooper's Hawk. Amazingly, there were no apparent grackles or red-wings. As the flock spread out, the numbers of cowbirds were noted by their flight pattern. I had my binoculars in hand and my scope already setup and had been using it to check the shoreline and some waterfowl. When the flock alighted, the characteristic feeding posture of cowbirds was quickly evident with their tails point up at steep angles and brown heads and females could be easily checked out. Most of the flocks was a slightly larger blackbird with some showing a yellow eye. The windy conditions made it difficult to check the eyes very carefully. Several times the flock would spook or flush and fly about the field and then settled down. There was an upright posture and not little exaggerated tilting when the majority of the non-cowbird individuals were feeding. I could not find any individual that appeared to be a grackle. At one point, the entire flock flew out over the pond and to the most shallow upper end. As they flew in to land, perhaps a hundred of the non-cowbird individuals dropped directly into the water and landed in what was maybe belly deep or less water. There was no attempt to bathe but they appeared to casually drink or probe at the surface. The cowbirds separated and landed more up slope on the bank and began feeding. Some of the blackbirds did also but those not feeding were on the mudflat and shoreline close to the water. They did not all drink or probe the water. The birds remained at the water for as much as a minute before they flew again. I checked carefully to see if the Cooper's had returned to the area and maybe some unusual behavior was being witnessed as they took a defensive position in the water. They were not alarmed. I found no raptor or predator present. The Cooper's had gone into a stand of nearby evergreens and did not return. The flock returned to the hillside field and again fed as a nervous flocks. The Brewer's Blackbird is a more western species that should not occur in any notable numbers this far east. It is a more unusual species in the region. Some of the non-cowbirds had varying degrees of brownish plumage but I did not detect the light line which would be above the eyes. After reading the literature and searching online, I decided to call Dr. Andy Jones to bounce it all off him. I caught him just arriving home for the evening and he had not yet seen my post to Bristol Birds Net. He has seen the Rusty Blackbirds drop into water similar to what I noted and also feed in open fields rather than their usual woodland haunts and to wade in water in such fields. Andy feels confident that the blackbirds settling in the water is a notable Rusty Blackbird behavior. Absence of red-wings and grackles, leaves almost nothing else to expect in this situation. I do not take lightly the fact that this large number of Rusties is probably very, very rare in early fall and might be more likely seen in spring migration. It is a rare number in this region at any season. Nor do I fail to acknowledge that the trend estimates for this species and the annual decline since the 1960s is consistently estimated at 85 to 95 percent. Such a large estimated decline is alarming, and portrays a species whose decline has accelerated to a free fall. This data comes from internet searches and also the suggested North American population at maybe 1.7 million when in the past their numbers were believed to be an estimated 70 million. I also have been aware, for the past few years, that efforts to learn more about their habits and habitats have been a new endeavor and emphasis for birders. So there you have something that probably should have been written in the first place. I fully realized that most birders of significant experience do not risk such discussions. They either don't want to be second guessed or believe their reputation and skills stands for themselves. I deserve no shelter. Let's go birding.... Wallace Coffey Bristol, TN Paddle Creek Ponds Sullivan Co, TN: Dunlin 1 Rusty Blackbirds ~500 Brown-headed Cowbirds ~300 Eastern Meadowlark 10 Hooded Merganser 3 Killdeer 9 Great Blue Heron 3 Mallard 2 Cooper's Hawk 1 Gadwall 4 Musick's Campground South Holston Lake Sullivan Co., TN Just a few minutes behind Rick Knight's observations. The only thing different was: Common Loon - 2 Did see two birds at rest well downstream with the wind blowing too hard and waves creating too much movement for my scope. Felt the birds might be scoters but could not get a positive ID on that, let alone the species. Was fascinated at the reports of Surf Scoters seen today. Rooty Branch Wetlands near Bristol TN Water Treatment Plan, eastern Sullivan Co: Wood Ducks 4 Mallards 2 Holston Mountain (3,500 ft. to 4,400 ft.) was white with snow near the top. Let's go birding. . . . . Wallace Coffey Bristol, TN