The 72nd consecutive Elizabethton spring bird count was held on 9 May 2015.
This was 1-2 weeks later than usual, thus altering the occurrence or numbers of
some species. There were fewer wintering ducks and sparrows, but more of the
late-arriving migrants (cuckoos, Empids, certain warblers, etc.).
43 observers in 10 parties covered Carter County and parts of adjacent Johnson,
Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties.
150 species were tallied, slightly above the average of 147 over the last 30
years.
The all time high count was 161 species in 2005.
150 species or more has been reached 10 of last 12 years.
Notable misses:
Osprey - 2nd miss since 1964; Ruby-cr. Kinglet - 3rd miss since1981;
Savannah Sparrow - 1st miss since 1970; Swamp Sparrow - 4th miss since 1965.
Species list - - with some comments pertaining to this count.
Canada Goose 322
Wood Duck 51
Am. Wigeon 3
Mallard 128
Blue-wg. Teal 4
Bufflehead 3
Ruffed Grouse 3
Wild Turkey 27
Com. Loon 2
Dbl-cr. Cormorant 97
Great Blue Heron 87 - most ever on this count
Green Heron 17
Yellow-cr. Night-Heron 6
Black Vulture 77 - most ever
Turkey Vulture 109
Sharp-sh. Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Bald Eagle 12, including nestlings - 3rd straight year with double-digit count.
Broad-wg. Hawk 17
Red-tailed Hawk 18
Virginia Rail 1
Sora 2
Am. Coot 1
Semipalmated Plover 2 - first since 1994
Killdeer 41
Spotted Sandpiper 55
Solitary Sandpiper 17
Least Sandpiper 5
Ring-billed Gull 3
Black Tern 1 - only 3rd time on count
Rock Pigeon 88
Eur. Collared-Dove 3 - tallied for 9th straight year
Mourning Dove 221
Yellow-b. Cuckoo 12 - most since 1988
Black-b. Cuckoo 1 - recorded 10 times since 1970
Barn Owl 1 - 1st since 2006
E. Screech-Owl 9
Gr. Horned Owl 2
Barred Owl 4
N. Saw-whet Owl 1 - found 13 of last 17 years on count
Com. Nighthawk 2
Chuck-will's-widow 16 - most ever on count
E. Whip-poor-will 32
Chimney Swift 179
Ruby-thr. Hummingbird 22
Belted Kingfisher 10
Red-headed Woodpecker 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 69
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 5 - found 8 of last 10 years
Downy Woodpecker 22
Hairy Woodpecker 15
N. Flicker 18
Pileated Woodpecker 29
Am. Kestrel 7
E. Wood-Pewee 36 - most since 1950 (due to late date)
Acadian Flycatcher 48 - most ever (also due to late date)
Willow Flycatcher 5
Least Flycatcher 6
E. Phoebe 54
Gr. Crested Flycatcher 23 - ties highest count
E. Kingbird 72
Loggerhead Shrike 2
White-eyed Vireo 10
Yellow-thr. Vireo 12
Blue-headed Vireo 45
Warbling Vireo 18 - most ever on count
Red-eyed Vireo 168
Blue Jay 134
Am. Crow 307
Com. Raven 12
N. Rough-wg. Swallow 84
Purple Martin 49
Tree Swallow 174
Barn Swallow 141
Cliff Swallow 1016 - numbers have exploded in last decade
Carolina Chickadee 81
Tufted Titmouse 103
Red-br. Nuthatch 5
White-br. Nuthatch 21
Brown Creeper 7
House Wren 42
Winter Wren 2
Carolina Wren 92
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 69
Golden-cr. Kinglet 9
E. Bluebird 112
Veery 22
Gray-cheeked Thrush 1
Swainson's Thrush 2
Hermit Thrush 2
Wood Thrush 102
Am. Robin 688
Gray Catbird 65
N. Mockingbird 100
Brown Thrasher 49
Eur. Starling 774
Am. Pipit 1
Cedar Waxwing 302
Ovenbird 135
Worm-eating Warbler 31
Louisiana Waterthrush 16
N. Waterthrush 2
Golden-wg. Warbler 3
Black-and-white Warbler 63
Swainson's Warbler 6
Kentucky Warbler 2
Com. Yellowthroat 31
Hooded Warbler 100
Am. Redstart 13
Cape May Warbler 3
N. Parula 29
Magnolia Warbler 4
Blackburnian Warbler 5
Yellow Warbler 14
Chestnut-sd. Warbler 41
Blackpoll Warbler 2
Black-thr. Blue Warbler 59
Palm Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 8
Yellow-rumped Warbler 3 - fewest since 1958 (due to late date)
Yellow-thr. Warbler 31
Prairie Warbler 5
Black-thr. Green Warbler 54
Canada Warbler 48
Yellow-br. Chat 7
E. Towhee 169
Chipping Sparrow 96
Field Sparrow 50
Grasshopper Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 220
White-thr. Sparrow 1 - lowest since 1990, when missed
White-cr. Sparrow 2 - lowest since 1991
Dark-eyed Junco 51
Summer Tanager 1
Scarlet Tanager 71
N. Cardinal 203
Rose-br. Grosbeak 15
Blue Grosbeak 7
Indigo Bunting 174
Dickcissel 1 - first since 1988
Red-wg. Blackbird 269
E. Meadowlark 120
Com. Grackle 233
Brown-hd. Cowbird 81
Orchard Oriole 42 - most ever on count (late date)
Baltimore Oriole 28 - also most ever on count
House Finch 36
Pine Siskin 14 - found 29 of last 34 years on count
Am. Goldfinch 155
House Sparrow 61
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Rick Knight
Johnson City, TN
