[TN-Bird] Roan Mtn. Naturalist Rally

From: Dnldhlt@xxxxxxx
To: bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,butternuts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 10 May 2004 23:12:26 -0400
Sat. - Sun., 08-09 MAY 2004
Roan Mtn., Carter Co., TN
D. Holt

     We had a great weekend at the Roan Mtn. Naturalist Rally.  The birding was 
quite enjoyable, and I wanted to share some notes on  a few interesting 
sightings, including an American Redstart building a nest, a Least Flycatcher 
nest, a Black-billed Cuckoo, and a Lincoln's Sparrow.  Also, I was lucky enough 
to experience a trio of sightings that as a group was a first for me, a 
Blue-winged, Golden-winged, and Brewster's Warbler all on the same day.  At 
this location, Brewster's Warblers might be more commonly seen than Blue-winged 
Warblers.
     The Blue-winged Warbler was seen Saturday morning May 08 on the road that 
goes up Roan Mtn. on the sharp left curve a little ways before the top end of 
Burbank Rd.  (This is the usual spot where Golden-winged Warblers are sought 
out each spring by local birders.  We also heard Golden-winged Warblers there 
that morning, Saturday, and a Golden-winged Warbler was seen there again on 
Sunday.)  Unfortunately, no one else saw the Blue-winged Warbler.  I am quite 
certain it was not a Brewster's.  It had a solid deep yellow breast and belly, 
greenish back and nape, two whitish wingbars, and a small black eye-line.
     Saturday afternoon a Brewster's Warbler and a Golden-winged Warbler were 
seen at Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area by myself and several other 
observers, including Allan Trently.  The Brewster's Warbler was seen where the 
two roads on each side of the creek re-join just below the horse barn (or where 
the horse barn was before it recently burned down).  It was in the shrubs on 
the right as you walk uphill.  The Golden-winged Warbler was at the right edge 
of the field as you walk farther up past the old house chimney.  This is near 
the Golden-winged Warbler nest that Linda and Dexter Newman and Mike Poe 
recently found.
     A Lincoln's Sparrow was found by Allan Trently at Hampton Creek Cove State 
Natural Area Saturday afternoon.  I saw it as well.  A Black-billed Cuckoo was 
heard there also.
     A Least Flycatcher nest was found Sunday morning beside the parking lot at 
Twin Springs picnic area.  It was high in a (Yellow Birch?) tree and didn't 
seem to be completed.  The two Least Flycatchers were both active around it, 
occasionally entering it, but I didn't observe any actual nest building while 
we were there.
     The American Redstart nest was at the "Golden-winged Warbler Curve" on the 
road up Roan Mtn.  The female was observed Saturday morning gathering silk from 
a Tent Caterpiller nest and taking it back to add to her own nest.  The whole 
outside of the Redstart nest was white with silk, in the crotch of a young 
Yellow Buckeye tree.  Males were seen and heard singing nearby, but did not 
seem to be involved with nest building.  Sunday I observed the caterpiller tent 
again.  It had a large hole maybe 5 or 6 inches wide in the outer layer on one 
side, a smaller hole in the next layer, and a still smaller hole in the next.  
It was a distinctive bullseye pattern that when found might be a clue to nearby 
bird nest building activity.

Don Holt
Johnson City, TN
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[TN-Bird] Roan Mtn. Naturalist Rally

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