The 9th annual Perry County Spring Count was held on May 9th, 2020 with
clear skies, North winds from 0 to 15 mph, low temperature of 34 degrees
and highs around 70.
A total of 8 observers in 4 parties (Adam Beachy, Evan Beachy, Seth
Beachy, Joseph Byler, Joel Fernandez, Joe Hall, Victor Stoll and myself)
covered 70 miles in 18 hours by car, 19 miles in 19 hours on foot, 4 miles
in 2 hours by ATV and 5 miles in 2 hours owling.
147 species were found, ending the streak of every count seeing more
species than the one before. (Our highest total was 157 in 2019) This was
partly due to lower participation this year and partly due to the groups
all trying for independent higher totals for personal big day rather than
working together for a collective higher total as usual. (The date
coincided with “global big day”).
Species found that were new to the count were two FISH CROWS at Tom’s
Creek and a SWAINSON’S WARBLER singing on territory in Linden TN. 31
species of warblers was also new for the count. (We’ve had 31 twice before
but that was back when we still counted Yellow breasted Chat)
Missed species include these 7 that have usually been found in recent
years: Sora, Black-billed Cuckoo, American Kestrel, Grasshopper, White
crowned and White throated Sparrows and Mourning Warbler.
High counts were had on several warbler, Vireo and flycatcher species
including Tennessee, Magnolia, Bay breasted, Blackburnian, Chestnut sided,
Black throated Green, Canada and Wilson’s Warblers, Least, Willow and Alder
Flycatchers, Eastern Kingbird and Philadelphia and Blue headed Vireos.
Cliff Swallow was not the most numerous species on this this year as it
was in East TN, but it was a close second with 426 individuals counted. And
this is not the first year that BOBOLINK gets that honor with 450 birds
found, mostly in Hardin Bottoms.
Here is a complete species report. Individual checklists are on eBird.
Canada Goose 50
Wood Duck 18
Blue winged Teal 9
Mallard 4
Northern Bobwhite 2
Wild Turkey 11
Rock Pigeon 16
Eurasian Collared Dove 3
Mourning Dove 72
Yellow billed Cuckoo 5
Common Nighthawk 2
Chuck wills widow 2
Whip poor will 7
Chimney Swift 25
Ruby throated Hummingbird 19
Semipalmated Plover 12
Killdeer 9
Least Sandpiper 90
Semipalmated Sandpiper 2
Wilson’s Snipe 1
Spotted Sandpiper 10
Solitary Sandpiper 23
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Double crested Cormorant 16
Great Blue Heron 27
Great Egret 22
Green Heron 3
Black Vulture 37
Turkey Vulture 63
Osprey 2
Northern Harrier 1
Cooper’s Hawk 1
Bald Eagle 8
Red Shouldered Hawk 9
Broad winged Hawk 2
Red tailed Hawk 13
Eastern Screech owl 3
Great Horned owl 2
Barred Owl 17
Belted Kingfisher 3
Red headed Woodpecker 7
Red bellied Woodpecker 25
Downy Woodpecker 30
Hairy Woodpecker 6
Pileated Woodpecker 14
Flicker 1
Merlin 2
Eastern Pewee 52
Acadian Flycatcher 16
Alder Flycatcher 3
Willow Flycatcher 4
Least Flycatcher 4
Eastern Phoebe 42
Great crested Flycatcher 9
Eastern Kingbird 211
White eyed Vireo 72
Yellow throated Vireo 36
Blue headed Vireo 3
Philadelphia Vireo 18
Warbling Vireo 15
Red eyed Vireo 169
Blue Jay 38
American Crow 89
Fish Crow 2
Carolina Chickadee 51
Tufted Titmouse 70
Rough winged Swallow 15
Purple Martin 44
Tree Swallow 4
Bank Swallow 3
Barn Swallow 83
Cliff Swallow 426
Ruby crown Kinglet 1
Blue gray Gnatcatcher 100
White breasted Nuthatch 21
House Wren 1
Sedge Wren 3
Marsh Wren 4
Carolina Wren 53
Eurasian Starling 120
Gray Catbird 9
Brown Thrasher 18
Northern Mockingbird 42
Eastern Bluebird 63
Veery 5
Gray cheeked Thrush 12
Swainson’s Thrush 12
Wood Thrush 36
American Robin 40
Cedar Waxwing 7
House Sparrow 21
House Finch 22
Pine Siskin 1
American Goldfinch 38
Chipping Sparrow 36
Field Sparrow 46
Savannah Sparrow 15
Lincoln’s Sparrow 7
Swamp Sparrow 6
Eastern Towhee 22
Yellow breasted Chat 47
Bobolink 450
Eastern Meadowlark 34
Orchard Oriole 42
Baltimore Oriole 6
Red winged Blackbird 112
Brown headed Cowbird 93
Common Grackle 64
Ovenbird 9
Worm eating Warbler 9
Louisiana Waterthrush 7
Northern Waterthrush 19
Golden winged Warbler 2
Blue winged Warbler 4
Black and white Warbler 24
Prothonotary Warbler 42
Swainson’s Warbler 1
Tennessee Warbler 40
Nashville Warbler 4
Kentucky Warbler 10
Common Yellowthroat 47
Hooded Warbler 28
American Redstart 28
Cerulean Warbler 3
Northern Parula 59
Magnolia Warbler 15
Bay breasted Warbler 55
Blackburnian Warbler 24
Yellow Warbler 28
Chestnut sided Warbler 15
Blackpoll Warbler 19
Palm Warbler 68
Pine Warbler 8
Yellow rumped Warbler 5
Yellow throated Warbler 18
Prairie Warbler 69
Black throated Green 30
Canada Warbler 4
Wilson’s Warbler 3
Summer Tanager 40
Scarlet Tanager 33
Northern Cardinal 139
Rose breasted Grosbeak 28
Blue Grosbeak 12
Indigo Bunting 254
Dickcissel 110
Thanks a lot to everyone who made it out to help on this count! Ruben
Stoll, Centerville Tennessee.
