[TN-Bird] Neo-tropical migrants

Tn. Birders,
        Perhaps some of you would not mind responding to our concern with 
information or opinions.  We are experienced birders living near South 
Pittsburg, Tennessee in a cove on the eastern side of Monteagle Mountain.  We 
have been members of TOS for several years.  I was President of the Chattanooga 
chapter of TOS in l989 before we moved to Virginia where we lived until last 
June when we returned to this area.  We continued to be active birders in 
Virginia and traveled to a number of other U. S. sites for birding.  This is 
just to say we are experienced in bird observation and I have kept pretty 
careful records during these years.  
    We live on a fairly large acreage with a long road frontage, a creek beside 
the road, a large and a small field, mountainside woods and bluffs making for a 
good variety of habitat.   Our house is located  on a steep hillside away from 
the road and surrounded by woods.
    We are very concerned about the low number of species and the low number of 
birds in the ones we have seen this year.  During the l2 years we were in 
Virginia we tried to come to our house here near the first of May for several 
days with one of the main purposes to keep up with the birds on our property.  
Ella's mother was living in the house until the last two of those years.
    With fairly careful observation this year several of the ones we could 
always count on have not been seen or heard.  Among these are Common 
Yellowthroat (usually abundant), American Redstart, Bluewinged Warbler, Prairie 
Warbler, Black and White Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler,
Ovenbird, Northern Parula, Cerulean, Black-throated Green,  Louisanna 
Waterthrush, Whippoorwill.  During our years here we have seen almost every 
warbler which can be seen in the Chattanooga area although some were very 
occasional.  The first two years we were here Swainson's Warblers nested in 
thickets at the bottom of our driveway.  Several birders from the Chattanooga 
area came here to see them, some for a life bird.  They have not been back 
since then to our knowledge.  We know about the trouble with the Ceruleans, but 
a few years ago we could sit on our front porch and hear and see them.  Anyway 
the ones I listed above are ones which were always certain, but not so far this 
year.  
    Some have done well for us:  Kentucky and Hooded Warblers, Red-Eyed Vireo, 
White-Eyed Vireo, and Scarlet Tanagers, Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks.  Others are 
present, but down in numbers like Indigo Buntings.  Some of them come to eat 
seed we cast on the ground for ground feeders, but this year the most we have 
seen at one time is three.  I remember counting 22 males on the ground at the 
same time about 5 years ago.  
    I know we need to do more research on where each bird migrates to know what 
may be happening on their wintering grounds.  For instance, if all of our birds 
did as well as the Scarlet Tanagers this year, we would be covered up!  They 
are abundant this year and we have Summers too.
    It was good the other day to stand in one place and see or hear four Vireos 
at the same time - R. E., W. E., Philadelphia, and Yellowl-throated.
    Anyway, we have read reports of several of our missing ones being seen in 
other areas, but how are numbers?  Certainly, we have read a lot of information 
on problems with both ends of migration paths, but this year seems more marked 
for us.  Any comments, observations, etc would be appreciated.  We enjoy 
hearing what goes on across the state.
                                                J. N. and Ella Howard
                                                 South Pittsburg, Tn.
                                                    Marion County
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