I finally found a Brown-headed Nuthatch in Cumberland County this morning
after years of searching. This bird was among scattered 20' Loblolly Pines
in a cutover area along Thomas Springs Road in the southwestern part of the
county. The extensive Loblolly Pines from previous clear-cuts in the
southwestern part of the county are generally too densely planted and too
young, but conditions for the nuthatches are improving (more pines are
getting cones and more groves of large pines). I've found Brown-headed
Nuthatches in many nearby counties (Bledsoe, Van Buren, White, Putnam,
Morgan, and Roane counties), but it's good to finally find them closer to
home.
Ed LeGrand
Cumberland County, TN
