Despite a foggy morning, birds on my property in Birchwood (Hamilton County)
were quite active. In about 3 hours of birding, 60 birds from 20 species were
identified. My main focus today was on identifying migrant species. A few of
these are just arriving in Birchwood for the late fall and winter seasons while
others will likely leave any day now to travel south. I saw two Yellow-bellied
Sapsuckers today. The first of these woodpeckers I noted this fall just arrived
on my property from the north a few days ago. This species should be found here
through the winter. A house wren was noted on my property today for only the
second time ever, and it is headed south. Three Gray Catbirds were heard and/or
seen today, but they will also go south soon. Three warbler species were
identified, but they will soon migrate south. The warblers I counted today
were: Black-and-white – 1, Tennessee – 6, and Magnolia -2. One Ruby-throated
Hummingbird remained early this morning, but it was not seen later in the day.
It was “flagged” by eBird as “rare” for still being here this late in the
season.
Charles Murray
Birchwood, TN
