[TN-Bird] Kyker Bottoms, Blount County, east Tenn

  • From: "Trently, David J" <dtrently@xxxxxxx>
  • To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 10:06:55 -0500

Jerry Ledbetter, Mike Nelson and I were at Kyker Bottoms
(http://tnbirds.org/birdfinding/KykerBottoms.htm) on Sunday, November 8,
apparently at the same time the Robert Gofreed was there (see his report
on TN-Birds), though we went to the "back side" entrance which is off of
Lanier Road. This was the first time we had ever gone there early in the
morning. Every previous time had been after birding for a few hours on
the 'usual' side of the refuge off Garland Road.
Going in the back side allows a much easier chance to carefully walk up
to where many of the ducks are found. It is also a great place to search
for sparrows, just like the other side. On cold mornings, there are
places near the entrance that get the first light of the sun, so you can
expect a lot more activity there, whereas the place near the viewing
blind (off Big Gully Road) stays shaded a bit longer.
 
From Kyker, we went to Whites Mill Refuge, also in Blount County. I had
searched online for a while, trying to find out if this refuge was still
open - but it was not. It was our first time there and we look forward
to returning in February when it re-opens. Looks like some good birding
potential.
 
We ended up the day at the Laurel Lake area near Townsend, also in
Blount County. I don't know what the plans are for this site, but a lot
of the vegetation had been cut and some of the area was now bare ground.
Still worth a birding stop, though we didn't find anything unsual in
mid-afternoon.
 
Here is our list from KYKER BOTOMS:
 
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Ring-necked Duck
Hooded Merganser
Northern Bobwhite - about a dozen of these flushed as I walked through a
field, hoping for some rare sparrows
American Bittern - at least one was seen very well as it flew around us
out of the corner of one of the impoundments.
Great Blue Heron
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Coot
Eastern Screech-Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow - this was a bit late to see one of these birds. It
was photographed.
Fox Sparrow - some of these were even singing!!
Song Sparrow - while there are many of these present, one stood out.
Mike got some photos of a leucistic bird. When it first flushed, we
hoped maybe it was a Snow Bunting, but not so :-)
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird - 3
American Goldfinch
 
Number of Species: 51
 
David Trently 
Avian Pursuits Nature Tours 
...come see the real world!
Knoxville, TN 
http://avianpursuits.com/
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  • » [TN-Bird] Kyker Bottoms, Blount County, east Tenn - Trently, David J