I birded parts of Northeast TN with Fred Alsop and a bird ID refresher = course over the last 3 days. All things considered, we did pretty well in = terms of species (130+) and good finds. Here's a few highlights: Tues, May 13:=20 Alder Flycatcher - 1 calling at Sycamore Shoals State Park in Elizabethton Black-billed Cuckoo - at least 5, probably 6 individuals seen and/or heard = (2 pairs flying around together) at Hampton Creek Cove Blue-winged Warbler - 1 (seen and photographed) at Hampton Creek Cove, = among the Golden-winged Warbler territories (where we saw a few males) Northern Saw-Whet Owl - 1 at Roan Mountain, Carver's Gap, bird was called = up by Fred about 4pm and after a bit of searching (~20min) it was finally = spotted (by Fred again). Provided nice looks. Pine siskens - bunches, at the feeders at a house on the way up to = carver's gap, where they have nested recently. Wed, May 14: 2 Mississippi Kites just off highway 107 in southeastern Washington County = in the valley by the Nolichucky River on what Delorme shows as Charlie = Carson Rd. We were along the Nolichucky river by what I wrote down as = "Jackson Island Bridge".=20 Swainson's Warbler - 1 at Rock Creek Park east of Erwin on highway 395 in = Unicoi County. Known breeding area for the species, but nice to find in = the mountains. A singing Louisiana Waterthrush at the same spot provided = a wonderful comparison of songs for everyone. Thurs, May 15: Connecticut Warbler - 1 heard singing at Winged Deer Park in Johnson City A few scattered images from the trip are here: http://www.pbase.com/shoeman/image/97081255 Upon returning to middle Tennessee, I checked up on the Lark Sparrow I = found a couple weeks ago at highway 840 and Mona Rd. The bird was still = present in the same tree singing away. I drove around the rural roads around the Nashville Superspeedway and = found: 2 blackpolls in cedar hedgerows mixed with some deciduous trees (weird = place for them) several grasshooper sparrows 2 bobwhite=20 a new pair of LARK SPARROW's about 2 miles north of the speedway (in = Wilson County). I saw one on a powerline and immediately found a second = individual. They were really interested in a small cedar tree, in which a = newly completed (I guess), yet empty, nest was found. The male of this = pair did no singing in 15 min or so. I guess the other male (who sings = constantly) is unmated?? I posted a pict here (followed by an eastern kingbird) if interested: http://www.pbase.com/shoeman/image/97122889 Good birding! Scott Somershoe State Ornithologist Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency P.O. Box 40747 Nashville, TN 37204 615-781-6653 (o) 601-868-0101 (cell) 615-781-6654 (fax) "Keeping the rubber side down." -SGS =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at //www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________