An estimate 5,000 Ring-billed Gulls swarmed over South Holston Lake in Sullivan Co., TN, Saturday evening. They sometimes seemed like a great, white, insect hatch. Birds stretched across areas a mile wide. The density was unusually high and consistent along perhaps 10 river miles from the dam to the stateline near Musick's Campground. There, numbers declined to about 300 birds. It's likely a spring flight arrived to rest. I was in the area a few hours earlier and saw many less. This is the largest flight I have observed in the region. They were so numerous large groups not only sat on points but many settled on covered boat slips near US 421 bridge. In every, visible and adjacent cove, gull groups swirled. The Northeast Tennessee record of 1,850 at Boone Lake in Feb 2003 left with the wind. It was entertaining to watch fishermen, casting from slow-drifting boats, who seemed almost stranded in a feather storm, looking over their shoulder for Hitchcock. I wondered if this flight had suddenly descended because the anglers were constantly looking up into the swirl with amazement (or maybe looking for a break from droppings :-) It doesn't go without note that a dominant, high pressure system is pushing north and east against our region. It tracks behind a winter storm which was kind. Prevailing southwest and westerly winds, are flowing thru the upper Tennessee River Valley at a steady speed between 10-15 mph. A constant during Saturday's daylight hours. We have been under its influence now, for more than 24 hours. This a classic weather pattern which favors and stimulates northern migratory flights. Over the southern states, birders are appropriately finding scoters, not to be denied by our live reports. One state list announced a flock of 50 Fox Sparrows. Ah! One for someone's record book ! A second state record caracara was seen yesterday by David Plumb south of Magnolia Springs in Baldwin County, AL. Thousands of Sandhill Cranes are winging north over the landscape. If you look up in what you might consider non-traditional Red-shouldered Hawk habitat of hillside pastures throughout the region, you may find more than one Red-shouldered flying low over the landscape. They are migrating. If you didn't say "I get it! Well, yes, spring migration is underway. I wonder if we have many Hooded Mergansers hanging around the Bristol impoundments ? Someone go find a woodcock or two singing and flying on their mating grounds. It may seem early but not with this weather. Great Horned Owl nests have eggs. So will a few Red-tailed Hawks in a week or two. Sunday should be another great day to be birding ! Don't stumble over the fields full of male American Robins, feeding almost anywhere. The girls are mostly still packing for the spring return. As the mariner says, "smooth sailing ahead" with temperatures constantly soaring towards spring-like, 70-degree days next weekend. Let's go birding . . . . Wallace Coffey Bristol, TN