I went out to Bells Bend - Old Hickory Blvd in Davidson County late this
afternoon in fairly stifling 85 degree heat and full sun to check the
Harris's sparrow stakeout location for Grasshopper Sparrow previously
reported by Mike Smith and the Bobolinks reported this morning by Frank
Fekel.
On pulling up at 3:30pm, multiple birds were singing, including Eastern
Meadowlark, Dickcissel, Indigo Bunting, and Northern Bobwhite. The Bobwhite
were quite close and seemed to be in the shade of the nearby trees at the
end of the row of hay bales. And those trees must have been crawling with
insect food sources. One tree alone contained an Eastern Kingbird, a 2nd
year male Summer Tanager, a male Orchard Oriole, two Palm Warblers, a
Black-throated Green Warbler, a Red-bellied, and a Downy Woodpecker!
As I set up my scope to scan the grass, the GRASSHOPPER SPARROW began
singing. It sang it's 2-3 second buzzy trill between 8 - 10 times over
several minutes and then stopped. I was there 45 minutes and it did not
sing again. I could not locate it visually. I guess I got lucky with
timing, but it appears to still be there for the moment. It sure would be
cool if that bird were to find a mate. Second new county bird for the day
for me.
The Bobolinks were also still there in the tall grass out beyond the orange
cone. I was able to count 8 of them, mostly females. Or maybe females and
2nd year males? - I actually do not know if male Bobolinks achieve adult
plumage the first winter / Spring. I only saw 2 adult males.
As I was scoping the Bobolinks, the Bobwhite calls were getting much
louder, and when I looked up from the scope and checked in my binoculars,
three Bobwhite were actually on top of a hay bale in the shade! In my
surprise and haste to get a photo, I moved too fast and they flew in a
ruckus towards the grass. Minutes later, as I pulled out in my vehicle, a
large, arrogant gray cat strolled out from under the very same hay bale,
which likely explains what the quail were doing up there, and why they were
calling so loudly. I had not realized they were distressed. I gunned my car
in a sad attempt to at least make the cat think I would run it down for its
crimes.
I then checked the Sora pond, and just as Frank had reported earlier, I was
able to get a glimpse of a SORA in the reeds. As I was watching it in my
camera viewfinder, a second Sora whinnied to my left. Unquestionably a
second bird. I also found one of Frank's reported LEAST SANDPIPERS.
Graham Gerdeman
Nashville
