[TN-Bird] Sparrow field (Rutherford Co) and Percy Priest Lake

From: "Scott Somershoe" <Scott.Somershoe@xxxxxx>
To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:24:58 -0600
So as a follow up to the Ross's Goose post, I've included a summary of 
highlights from a few other spots I birded today.

I recently found a subdivision near Blackmon (west of Murfreesboro) that is 
planned, dozed, and abandoned.  It has grown up and is a big area (~30 acres) 
of sparrow habitat.  I spent 90 min walking through the fields and along the 
couple hedgerows.  Nothing special, but a good diversity and abundance of 
birds.  A harrier was also seen flying around the field.

Field Sparrow     32
Savannah Sparrow     16
Song Sparrow     46
Swamp Sparrow     6
White-throated Sparrow     12
White-crowned Sparrow     12
Northern Cardinal     5
Eastern Meadowlark     5
Common Grackle     8
House Finch     31
American Goldfinch     17


This afternoon I birded around Percy Priest Lake from a few of my favorite 
vantage points.  Very few gulls were present, but waterfowl were in moderate 
numbers (for Percy Priest anyway).  An adult Bald Eagle fly-by at Cooks Public 
Rec area spooked all the ducks in the area, incl a flock of 24 male mallards 
(no females mixed in as usual).  

Common Loons were the highlight of the day.  One scan of the lake at Cooks area 
produced at least 178 individuals.  Having just birded the dam area and some 
other locations, the total for the day likely exceeded 220 common loons.  I 
list totals below from 4 different locations, but am assuming there was some 
double counting from Anderson Rd, Hamilton Creek and Cooks Rec area.  Loons 
were also flying into the roost area from Anderson Rd and Hamilton creek areas. 
 Anyway, 220 is probably conservative.  Good numbers for mid-Nov.

I did not stay until dusk, but the ducks were starting to come in to roost 
south of Cooks Rec area.  Should be fun birding there this winter!

Percy Priest Lake totals:

Ross's Goose     1
Mallard     44 
Gadwall     4
Lesser Scaup    3
Blue-winged Teal     8
Green-winged Teal     20
Ruddy Duck     8
Common Loon     26, 178, 31, 15
Pied-billed Grebe     17
Horned Grebe     1
Great Blue Heron     9
Black Vulture     2
American Coot     611
Bald Eagle     1
Bonaparte's Gull     2
Ring-billed Gull     14


Great birding,
Scott Somershoe


State Ornithologist
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
P.O. Box 40747
Nashville, TN 37204
615-781-6653 (o)
615-781-6654 (fax)

www.tnwatchablewildlife.org
www.pbase.com/shoeman
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[TN-Bird] Sparrow field (Rutherford Co) and Percy Priest Lake

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