[TN-Bird] Birding along the Cumberland--Cheatham Co.

On Friday, March 28, Tarcila Fox and I spent the day birding along 
Chapmansboro Road and up at Cheatham Park & Dam along the Cumberland River.  
For me, the highlight of the day was FINALLY seeing a FLOCK of 14 turkeys 
across from a park on C'boro Rd.  Although I have seen individual turkeys and 
a pair before, this was my very first FLOCK in my 55+ years of birding.  One 
big old gobbler was proudly strutting his stuff and proclaiming ownership of 
his "harem" of 13 hens, and we watched them for quite a while.  Later, on the 
road to the dam, we saw a solitary male feeding on a grassy slope.

Previously, on our way to Ashland City, we found a rock cut on Highway 12 
where it appears that a colony of rough-winged swallows may be setting up 
headquarters.  It is on the river side of the road between the two entrances 
to River Trail which runs off Highway 12.

On C'boro Road, we found a flock of black vultures and a couple of t.v.s  
dining on a very dead mixed-shepard breed dog which was lying only about 30 
feet away from another equally dead dog which had the appearance of a pit 
bull.  It occurred to us that both dogs had perhaps been killed and dumped 
there.  All along the river, there was a fairly strong odor of dead animals, 
possibly due to the recent flooding which may have drowned some fish and 
animals.

Other lovely highlights of the day included one (possibly two) prothonotary 
warblers loudly proclaiming its (their) presence near the river off C'boro 
Road where we also found a couple of palm warblers and later on a fine pine 
warbler.  At one house where there were ample feeders, we found several 
chipping sparrows which were definitely in the mood for romance.  In the same 
yard were a pair of pewees, one which perched and stayed, and stayed and 
stayed!  

At Cheatham Park, we sighted something on the "porch" of a martin house near 
the offices which we decided was a dead female martin.  As we were leaving 
the park, a red shouldered hawk, which had been calling previously, came out 
from hiding and circled around over the car giving us a grand visual display.

On the way back, we did the loop around C'boro Road again where we found a 
sparrow working its way along the riverbank.  Tarcila was able to get down 
the embankment for a good look at what turned out to be a song sparrow.

Other sightings included several bluebirds, a pileated woodpecker, several 
red-bellies, a red-tailed hawk, a couple of brown thrashers (one perched 
momentarily for us bathed in brilliant light when we swung through Bell's 
Bend on the way back) and all the usual suspects expected to be seen during 
an outing at this time of year.

It was a fine day to be out birding, and, if I have left out anything 
important, perhaps Tarcila will post it.  My old memory just "ain't what it 
usta be"!

Dee Thompson
Nashville, TN
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