[TN-Bird] Least Bittern, Virginia Rail, thrushes, etc. (Greene Co., TN)

September 16, 2006
[posting date: September 17, 2006]
Greene Co., TN: Wal-Mart Distribution Center (WMDC), Lick Creek Bottoms 
Wildlife Management Area, Bald Mountain (BM), etc.

The Greeneville Chapter's fall bird count was held yesterday, the 16th.  
Tabulation has not yet been done, but here's a quick post on a few things I 
found:

Northern Pintail (6 WMDC)
Least Bittern (WMDC, just east of the 2nd pond)
Virginia Rail (WMDC, calling in the 3rd pond)
Sora (4 WMDC)
Eurasian Collared-Dove (adjacent to West Greene High School)
Whip-poor-will (BM)
Philadelphia Vireo
Tree Swallow (2602+, mostly at WMDC)
Marsh Wren (WMDC, 3rd pond)
Veery (5 in a nocturnal flock)
Gray-cheeked Thrush (75+ in a nocturnal flock)
Swainson's Thrush (601+--600+ in a nocturnal flock, 1 on the ground in late 
morning)
Northern Waterthrush (WMDC)
Bobolink (WMDC)

I encountered the nocturnal flock from 6:00 until 6:50 on the Lick Creek 
Bottoms Wildlife Management Area property located at the intersection of 
Highway 348, North Mohawk Road, and South Mohawk Road.  To be precise, I was 
standing on the edge of Highway 348 on the eastern shore of Lick Creek about a 
half mile east of the intersection.  Birds poured over me steadily throughout 
the period, with peak numbers occurring from 6:30 until 6:40.

Counting conservatively, I estimated that at least one Swainson's Thrush passed 
over every five seconds.  I detected Gray-cheeked Thrush at least once or twice 
per minute, and sporadically heard a Veery.  Many, many dozens of birds were 
beyond my ability to identify or were heard too imperfectly for me to make the 
call.

I've never experienced anything like this night flight and doubt that I'll ever 
be lucky enough to find myself present for another one.  It was staggeringly 
wonderful.

(Thanks to Fred Alsop, Dean Edwards, and Rick Knight for assistance in making 
sense of what I heard.) 

Don Miller
Greeneville, Greene Co., TN

pandion@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

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