[Bristol-Birds] report on Spring's progress, & upcoming outing

Hey there,
     Sunday afternoon, March 16, I hiked around the Warrior Falls area in 
Warriors Path State Park.  An Upland Chorus Frog sang from the parking area 
puddle.  I could see the three stripes on his back (middle one broken into 
spots), the dark line through his eye, the white upper lip, and his yellowish 
throat sac expanded in song.  In the sunshine two Question Marks were flying 
beats.  One Azure sp. flew up from a blooming Spicebush.  Smooth Rockcress, 
Toothwort, and Spring Beauties were in bud, with an occasional open blossom.  
An Eastern Screech Owl in a stand of evergreens repeatedly called with a 
monotonic trill, perhaps near its nest.  A bat, maybe a Red Bat, was feeding 
well before dusk in a slow, fluttering flight below treetop level.  
     On the way home I stopped near Austin Springs on Hyder Hill Road at 
dusk.  The American Toads were gathering in a large chorus in the large 
puddle in the cow pasture.  It was quite impressive, you could see toads 
piled up in the shallows, and their trilling was loud and melodious.  I think 
American Toads are my favorite Anuran songsters.  A few Spring Peepers in the 
woods played rhythm, and Kildeers added their grace notes flying by in the 
dark.  I was listening for the Woodcock section, but if present they were too 
sotto voce to notice.
     The woodland Whites, Elfins and Duskywings should be active very soon.  
Is anyone interested in going with me this coming Sat. or Sun., March 22 or 
23, to Weavers Bend in Cocke Co. for an early bug/bird/blossom jaunt?  E-mail 
or call me.

Don Holt
Johnson City, TN
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