Rob Lane and I decided to travel from Nashville to try our luck on East Tennessee birding Sunday/Monday. Unfortunately, the weather seems to have kept the bird numbers way down. Even though we didn't have the success we had hoped for, we did add five lifers (two at Roan Mountain, three at Kingston), and are now more familiar with some of the areas we read about in TN-Bird postings. Areas visited: Sunday Roan Mountain -- great looks at Pine Warblers and Red-breasted Nuthatches, two birds that we had previously only heard on the Cloudland Trail to Roan High Bluff, and on the AT to Roan High Knob. Had hoped to see Red Crossbills, but no luck. Musick Campground - no shorebirds, just a few mallards and vultures. Some terns across the lake, but too far to positively ID. South Holston Dam - nothing! Monday We had hoped to visit Mendota FT, but the rain stopped that idea. North Shore Boone Lake - quiet, not much around. Douglas Lake/Rankin WMA - again, the steady rain seems to have kept the birds away. 30-40 Vultures, a few DC Cormorants, a Yellow-throated Warbler, many Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons. Kingston Steam Plant - finally, the rain stopped! 2 immature Black-crowned Night Herons in the recreation area, 6 Wood Ducks in the water. The soccer field was productive, yielding: 1 Wilson's Snipe (new TN Bird) in the field - took to the air, circled high for a few minutes, then landed. Later heard calling from the area between the parking lot and the high berm. ~20 Killdeer - Conveniently interspirsed with the other shorebirds, made a handy size reference. 9 Least Sandpipers (new TN Bird) - in the field and along the gravel road. 5 Sanderlings (new Life Bird) - flew in later in the afternoon. 1 Pectoral Sandpiper (new Life Bird) 1 Solitary Sandpiper (new TN Bird) 2 Western Sandpipers (new Life Bird). We were not sure what areas beyond the soccer fields were open - there were trucks and cranes working, so we did not venture beyond there - what is open for birding? Jon Mann Nashville, TN =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 =========================================================