This week in Northwest Tennessee has had many highlights with Great-tailed
Grackles being at the top of the list, of course!:
Monday, April 25, Bluff Road, western Gibson County
Virginia Rail - 1, calling from a small, marshy areaSora - 1, heard in same
areaLark Sparrow - 1, they've been everywhere this spring!
Tuesday, April 26, Mt. Orange, Gibson County
Dickcissel - 1 in field behind the house, FOSBaltimore Oriole - 1, singing from
a Tulip Poplar tree in the yard, FOS
Tuesday, April 26, Gibson County Lake
Forster's Tern - 9
Wednesday, April 27, Thorny Cypress WMA Pool T1, Dyer County
Common Yellowthroat - 8Palm Warbler - 22Yellow-breasted Chat - 4Savannah
sparrow - 8Blue Grosbeak - 2Indigo Bunting - 28Dickcissel - 40, they're
back!Bobolink - 16, they're back too!
Wednesday, April 27, Thorny Cypress WMA Pools T2 & T3, Dyer County
Grasshopper Sparrow - 1, singing from the adjacent field on the south side of
the road.HENSLOW'S SPARROW - 1, didn't expect this but one was singing from the
broom sedge field. Recording made.Dickcissel - 50Bobolink -45, singing all over
the place!
Wednesday, April 27, Mississippi River--Linwood Bend Boat Ramp Area
(Boothspoint), Dyer County
Black-billed Cuckoo - 1, heard and then seen briefly, FOSWarbling Vireo -
6Philadelphia Vireo - 1, FOSCliff Swallow - 500+ feeding over the riverCape May
Warbler - 1, FOSYellow Warbler - 8Blackpoll Warbler - 5GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE -
2, a male and female were seen feeding in the water at the edge of the MS River
with a small group of Common Grackles. They flushed when I approached and flew
down the river towards the I-155 bridge. The female and a couple of the Common
Grackles landed in a dead snag on the bank of the river and I was able to get a
picture before she flushed and went the same direction as the male. The photo
and more details are on eBird. The female was seen the following day by Dick
Preston under the I-155 bridge!Baltimore Oriole - 15, conservative count,
singing all over the place!Orchard Oriole - 7
Wednesday, April 27, Dyersburg, Dyer County
Bonaparte's Gull - 1, a full breeding plumaged individual was flying in the
rain over a plowed field.
Thursday, April 28, Hwy 79W, Lake County
Wilson's Warbler - 1Magnolia Warbler -1, FOS
Thursday, April 28, Tiptonville Landing/Bar, Lake County
Ring-billed Gull - 3Caspian Tern - 2
Thursday, April 28, Phillipy Pits, Lake County
Willet - 1, different individual than the one that was there recently. Habitat
here is drying fast (hopefully it got some rain today) amd shorebird numbers
were WAY down.
Thursday, April 28, Buckelew Slough, Obion County
Black-necked Stilt - PairGreater Yellowlegs - 3
Friday, April 29, Gooch WMA, Old Turnpike Road, Obion County
Osprey - 1Mississippi Kite - 3, FOS. I heard them before I saw them - very
vocal.BROWN CREEPER - 1 heard singing from Tupelo-Cypress Swamp. Recording of
song made.
Friday, April 29,Reelfoot-Indian Creek Watershed Lake #1, Obion County
Double-crested Cormorant - 3Osprey - 1, dropped in during rain stormAmerican
Redstart - 4Magnolia Warbler - 1Bay-breasted Warbler - 2Blackpoll Warbler -
5Palm Warbler - 122, including one "Yellow" Palm among all the "Western"
Palms!Yellow-rumped Warbler - 155!Lincoln's Sparrow - 1, FOS
Friday, April 29, Kingdom Road, Obion County
Blue-headed Vireo - 1Veery - 3, FOSGray-cheeked Thrush - 5, FOSSwainson's
Thrush - 8, FOSWood Thrush - 2Gray Catbird - 1, FOSOvenbird - 1Louisiana
Waterthrush - 2Black and White Warbler - 1Kentucky Warbler-1Hooded Warbler -
1Blackburnian Warbler -1BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER - 1, male. Only my 2nd ever
in West TN! Recording of song made during rain storm.
Get out and bird!!!! Great numbers and birds are coming through now!
Good birding!
Mark GreeneTrenton, TNGibson County
