[TN-Bird] Long Hunter State park, 2nd Day

On Tuesday May 23, 2006 my grandson again wanted to go back to Long Hunter 
State Park's Couchville Lake, near Mt. juliet, TN, Southeastern Davidson 
County, Off of Hobson Pike.  This trip did not disappoint but even exceeded the 
previous day's trip for me.  Highlight of the day was an Anhinga, a Lifebird 
for me.  The Anhinga was on the other side of the lake from the Fishing Pier at 
Couchville Lake in front of and slightly to the right of the Fishing Shelter in 
a cove.  Using high-powered binoculars I could see the dark back, long 
buff-colored snake like neck, and the very long sharply-pointed bright yellow 
bill.  As I watched, the Anhunga would slowly sink into the water until just 
its neck and head showed.  Then it would do a little hop and dive under water 
to emerge a short while later a little further down the shore.  It did this 
over and over again giving me good views from the distance I was at.  Also new 
at Couchville Lake from the previous day were, a Barred Owl Callin
 g at the Southern end of the lake, A Ruby-Throated Hummingbird on the west 
side of the lake near Wooden Foot Bridge that crosses the lake,  And 
Whip-Poor_wills calling near the parking lot at dusk.  These were the FIRST 
Whip-Poor-Wills I have heard since I became a birder 18 years ago, although 
brefore I was a birder I heard them ALL the time.  A two Mile walking trail 
around Couchville Lake yielded tons of Prothonotary Warblers, Yellow-Billed 
Cuckoos, and Summer Tanagers.  On the south side of the lake My 4-year-old 
grandson said, "Look!  There's some kind of animal!"  
     I thought, "Yeah, squirrel" and walked up to see.  I nearly fainted when I 
saw six deer ten feet from us looking at us calmly and almost unafraid.  There 
were does, spotted young, and young bucks with velvet covered antler standing 
almost within touching distance.  I managed to get several photos.  My grandson 
said, "I like those goats!"  I also manged to get wet feet from a 100 foot 
stretch of the paved trail that had flooded ankle deep from high lake levels.  
Here is a list of what we heard and/or saw on May 23, 2006.

American Crow   20
American Goldfinch      1
Anhinga 1- Opposite side of lake from boat house and slightly south; Lifebird
Barn Swallow    10
Barred Owl      1 heard being harassed by crows
Blue Jay        5
Brown-headed Cowbird    2
Canada Goose    3- one chick
Carolina Chickadee      100
Carolina Wren   3
Downy Woodpecker        3
Eastern Bluebird        2
Eastern Kingbird        1
Eastern Wood-Pewee      1 singing
Indigo Bunting  3 singing
Mallard 3
Northern Cardinal       3
Pileated Woodpecker     1 calling
Prothonotary Warbler    8 on two mile walk around Couchville Lake
Purple Martin   40
Red-bellied Woodpecker  5
Ruby-throated Hummingbird       1 in honeysuckle
Summer Tanagers        7
Tufted Titmouse             3
Whip-poor-will  2
White-Tailed Deer         6    On trail at South end of Couchville Lake
Yellow-billed Cuckoo    10

Number of Species: 26

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