[tn-bird] Blount, Hamilton Counties

Hi Folks,

After making plans to head west for 2 days, I saw a weather forecast
:-(

So I decided to stay near home for my 2 days off.  Monday evening
after work I stopped at Kyker Bottoms, southern BLount COunty.  Lots
of sparrows, good numbers of ducks and a couple Snipe.  The best
observation to me, though, was THREE species of frogs singing. 
Cricket, Spring Peeper (early) and Wood (late, and I'm surprised they
were in that habitat).

I saw Fox, Song, Savannah, Vesper (one) White-throated Sparrows, but
somehow I missed Swamp.

Ducks included hoardes of Gadwall and Ring-necked (over 100 of each,
and I didn't even make it to the biggest pond, in the back) and a
good number of Green-winged Teal.  Also had Mallard, Wood,
Bufflehead.

While driving through Blount COunty, I saw a total of 7 Kestrels,
which seems high for this time of year.  Twice I saw apparent pairs
that were perched within 30 yards of one another - virtually
snuggling for this species. 

I'm happy to say that despite the environmental damage done to
Townsend by Sundquiest and other developers, there are still a couple
Meadowlarks hanging on near the new post office - where the beautiful
sparrow field once was.  I've not had Bobwhite there since the
building was built, and of course sparrows are few. 

Yesterday (Tuesday the 19th) I attempted to bird the Amnicola Marsh,
as described in the Bierly book, but found that it has changed a lot.
 The 2 locations he mentions are not accessible now, and a new place
is accessible only with written permission, which I didn't have, so I
didn't really bird the marsh.  Disappointing, as it was my sunrise
location.  Well, I did go onto an property that has recently changed
hands, but since I was technically trespassing, I won't post the
location.  I did have a lot of good land birds there, mostly the 8
species of sparrows.

Next was Brainerd Levy.  Canada Geese, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler,
Green-winged Teal, Wigeon were the waterfowl.  At least 2 pairs of
Brown Thrasher, both with singing males kept me occupied for a while,
as did a second year Red-shouldered Hawk that was laughed at by the
Green-winged Teal it kept trying to take.  There were also several
American Pipits.

A stop at Chickamauga Dam was highlighted by Jack Gentle and Harold
Sharp sharing info about the Peregrines, which I've missed on 3
previous visits there.  They showed me both birds (one of which I'm
sure I wouldn't have seen).  After they left I saw the male bring the
female a rodent.  5 minutes later he returned for his reward - she
was atop the building on the bridge, leaning forward with her head
lower than the level of the roof, tail up.  He landed directly atop
her for about 5 seconds, then flew off - never touched the roof.

While there about 45 minutes, I noted a total of 151 Sandhill Cranes
flyover.  Never heard one of them.  They were heading NNE about 40
degrees.

Gulls were disappointing, with only about 30 Ring-billed and one
second year Herring.  No Bonys at all.  And only 5 loons.

Junior Lake had 18 Lesser Scaup, no Greater, no Ring-necked.

The marina had no Brown-headed Nuthatches, but several singing Pine
Warblers were nice, and there was a very large number of dickey birds
which were nice to watch, even with no unusual species present.

A stop at Frost Park was nice for 3 adult Red-headed Woodpeckers and
a ground hog about 15 feet up in a tree.  Yes, you read that right. 
Tracey, stop laughing!

Saw 3 Purple Finches at a certain residence on Pineville Road this
morning.

Good day!

Charlie

=====
**************************************************
Charlie Muise, Senior Naturalist
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
Townsend, TN  lat 35 deg, 38'23"  long 83 deg, 41'22"

"Do something. If it works, do it again. If it does not work, do something 
else. But above all else: Do Something." (Franklin Delano Roosevelt)

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