[TN-Bird] Western Meadowlark & Lapland Longspur in Putnam Co.; Greater Scaup at Dale Hollow Lake

This morning (Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009) Steve Stedman and I found the Western 
Meadowlark in southwestern Putnam County that Steve thought he had heard 8 
days previously (heard once loudly and then once more in the distance on 
Feb. 14). This morning the bird was near a horse barn along Hickey Ridge Rd. 
(not labeled on the Delorme Atlas) approx. 1/2 mile east of Old Mill Rd., in 
turn off Cookeville Boatdock Rd. (in the DeLorme Atlas on the extreme lower 
right of page 55 and lower left of page 56). The bird sang (bubbly flutelike 
song) when we got there, and it sang occasionally for the 10 minutes or so 
that we were there. It was notably paler than the nearby Eastern 
Meadowlarks, some of which were also singing. I was able to get a little 
video/audio of it, and Steve was glad to confirm his finding of Feb. 14.

Nearby along Hickey Ridge Rd. (1/4 mile from Old Mill Rd. near some hay 
bales) we heard and saw a very cooperative Lapland Longspur in a stubble 
field, giving us looks from as close as 30 feet for several minutes. It was 
loosely associated with a group of Savannah Sparrows feeding along the road. 
It gave a soft rattle call several times during the 5 minutes or so that we 
watched it.

Later in the day we went to Obey River Recreation Area on Dale Hollow Lake 
near Sunset Marina in Pickett County where we found 2 male Greater Scaup. 
They were with a flock of 80 Lesser Scaup, 25 Canvasbacks, 15 Redheads, and 
2 Ring-necked Ducks. Other birds of note there were Ruddy Duck (30), Common 
Loon (2), Pied-billed Grebe (8), American Coot (25), and Ring-billed Gull 
(18). Field marks noted on the Greater Scaup compared with the adjacent 
Lesser Scaup were the rounded head (with greener sheen), larger size, and 
larger bill.

Ed LeGrand
Cumberland County 

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