[TN-Bird] Natchez Trace Birding

Meriwether Lewis Site

Natchez Trace Parkway

Lewis County, TN

 

 

Since 2009 is the bicentennial of Meriwether Lewis' death along the Natchez
Trace, I decided to combine some history with some birding. Technically, I
would have to wait until October for the right bicentennial month; spring
birding trumped history.

 

My First Of Season singing SUMMER TANAGER met me in the tree overlooking the
Lewis gravesite. Once I was on the Little Swan Creek Trail, the action got
interesting. While my warbler species numbers were not terribly high (7),
the numbers of birds for species observed was substantial. It seems every 50
feet or so I had a singing OVERNBIRD, many were up on open branches, giving
me great views. There were also a good number of singing KENTUCKY WARBLERS.
Hearing the two almost simultaneously was a good audio lesson in
distinguishing between them. WORM-EATING WARBLERS were also vocalizing in
large numbers and there were enough of them that I got several good
spottings. In fact, three of them were in a tussle on or near the ground and
a fourth bird came in to investigate-a NORTHERN PARULA. I had never seen a
PARULA on or near the ground before. I had several ACADIAN FLYCATCHERS,
which I also had not heard yet this year and one lone silent SWAINSON'S
THRUSH.

 

I did not hear a single Chip-brrr call of the SCARLET TANAGER; instead, I
must have heard 8 or 9 singing along the way, some out in the open. But
perhaps the most interesting observation was a WILD TURKEY in the middle of
the creek pecking at a large-and I do mean large--black snake. This poor
snake was doing all it could do to escape the attentions of the aggressive
TURKEY, and finally it did seem to slither into a crevasse in rocks lining
the creek. But the TURKEY would not give up, grabbing at sticks and other
debris in hopes that might just be the snake. Suddenly, the TURKEY spied me
and went racing up the bank and hill, putting as much distance between me
and itself as possible.

 

Here's a rundown of my 34 species:

 

Wild Turkey

Great Blue Heron

Black Vulture

Turkey Vulture

Broad-winged Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Chimney Swift

Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker

Acadian Flycatcher

Great Crested Flycatcher

Yellow-throated Vireo

Red-Eyed Vireo

Blue Jay

American Crow

Carolina Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

White-breasted Nuthatch

Carolina Wren

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher

Swainson's Thrush

Wood Thrush

Northern Parula

Yellow-throated Warbler

Cerulean Warbler

Worm-eating Warbler

Ovenbird

Kentucky Warbler

Summer Tanager

Scarlet Tanager

Brown-headed Cowbird

 

 

Kevin Bowden

Nashville, TN

 

 

 

 



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