[TN-Bird] Blount County birding Thursday 3/24

Following is the notes that I have been trying to send since Thursday -  
sorry for the delay.  Happy Easter to all.
 
Warren
 
   
Jean Alexander and I were in the field from 7:30-4pm today and saw 54  
species.  Our first stop was the Maryville College Woods where we continue  to 
look 
for the Great-horned owl nest we believe to be in the area.  We did  find a 
single bird in an area where Jean had observed it hunting on Wednesday,  but 
alas no nest yet.  Also no fox sparrow like Jean had seen on Wednesday  either. 
 
We did have an immature Northern harrier fly over that really had  us stumped 
for a bit.  It looked like a dark headed Osprey and made for  some lively 
discussion. We had 3 Yellow-bellied sapsuckers, a Hairy and several  Downy and 
Red-bellied woodpeckers.
 
Next stop was Heritage High School looking for the nesting Horned  larks.  On 
US 321 before the high school we had a Raven sitting in a  tree.  That is the 
closest one we have seen to Maryville since they are  usually in the higher 
elevations of Great Smoky Mountain NP.  Near the  HS parking lot we found the 
female Horned lark along with numerous  Killdeer, some Savannah sparrows and 2 
Vesper sparrows which got me a kiss from  Jean as she thought she wouldn't see 
one until fall.  
 
At the River Road bridge near the Tattoo shop we had our first N.  
Rough-winged swallows of the year.  As the Foothills Parkway was still  closed 
because 
of a rock slide, we walked up the unfinished section.  We  had numerous 
Golden-crowned kinglets, Tufted titmice and Carolina chickadees  along with 2 
Black-capped chickadees, my first for the year.  We also had  an Osprey flying 
high 
overhead and our first Pileated woodpecker.
 
At the Townsend we had Mockingbird, Song and Field sparrow while enjoying  
lunch.  At the Visitor Center the Tree swallows were flying and we found a  
female Eastern meadowlark.  We searched long and hard in and around Cades  Cove 
for a Barred owl but missed them again.  We a nice group with  Red-breasted 
nuthatches, Pine and Yellow-rumped warblers, Golden-crowned kinglet  and a 
single 
Pine siskin that I saw but Jean didn't.  She was upset that  while birding 
together I managed to get a county bird that she missed!  
 
All in all it was a great day to be out and I'm looking forward to my next  
outing with Jean as we try keeping up with Charlie Muise's ever expanding  
Blount County list.  Stay tuned.
 
Warren Bielenberg
Maryville, TN
 


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