[tn-bird] Sunday Report from Chattanooga TOS
- From: JimmWilkerson@xxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 22:14:10 EDT
Hello friends,
This report is a bit lengthy, because I am reporting on three different bird
outings. Actually, I will need to report further when all the numbers are in,
but I will give you what I have. (Please read to the end for the Whooping
Crane report.)
Jimmy and I went early (8:30 am) to the Gunbarrel Marsh where John Henderson
and Daniel Jacobson had seen the Yellow Rail yesterday. We were joined later
in the day by Gloria and David Patterson, and later by Bonnie Johnson, Judy
Newsome, Kevin Calhoon, Clyde Blum, and Marty Paige, four of whom were in
waders. Prior to their arriving we had determined that there were a
multitude of rail type birds calling and had already seen 2 Willet fly out.
By the time they left we had seen or heard 52 species, the highlight of which
were nothing short of breathtaking:
15 Sora
5 American Bittern
4 Virginia Rail
1 Spotted Sandpiper
3 Marsh Wren (close)
1 Blue Grosbeak
Wood Duck, Blue Wing Teal, Pied Billed Grebe
Bank, Barn, N. Roughwing and Tree Swallows
Savannah, Chipping, Song and Swamp Sparrows
Common Yellowthroat and Palm Warbler
And enough Broad Wing Hawks to make us wonder if we didn't need to be at the
Hawk watch.
We followed it with a trip to Brainerd Levee, where we and Judy Newsome met
Daniel Jacobson. We hoped to see the Willets there. No luck with them,
however we did add the following to our list among 41 or so species we saw
there:
Lesser Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
Solitary and Spotted Sandpipers
Green Heron
Osprey, Sharp Shinned Hawks
Northern Shoveler, Blue Winged Teal, Gadwall,
Purple Martin, Barn And N Roughwing Swallows
Savannah Sparrows
And enough Broad Wing Hawks to make us wish we were at the hawk watch,
including one kettle of 11 for a total of 23.
We simply had to go to the Soddy Hawk watch as the clouds broke and we knew
if we were seeing hawks here, there must be some there.
When we arrived Bill Haley had been there and had one period around 1:30 that
he had scarcely been able to keep up with the count alone. Jimmy and I began
seeing hawks right away. From that point on we never went 5 minutes the rest
of the day without seeing a raptor of some kind. We watched a dense but
fleeting rain, pass SE of us through the valley, and the hawks passed one by
one above us riding the outside edge of the storm. But when the rain passed
and the sun peeked through the scattered clouds, the Broad Wings began to
pour through. We saw them by twos, and fives and 10's and at one time after
the normal stopping hour, we saw over 80 BW Hawks scattered across the sky at
one time. The flow never let up and we continued past 6:00, something we
never do, and a second large group of 43 BW came over in the same path. ( a
SW to NE path turning to a more easterly path late in the day.) When we
finally decided we must leave, hawks or no, we saw our last hawk at an
unbelievable 7:04pm. Other than Broadwings we saw Northern Harrier, Sharp
Shinned, Coopers, Turkey and Black Vulture, Osprey, and 2 Imm. Bald Eagles.
We also had calling Yellow Throated Vireo, Red-Eyed and White-Eyed Vireo,
Prairie Warbler, Blue Gray Gnatcatcher and others. Also Loons and Cormorants.
Bill has just sent me the totals and we had 340 Broad Wing Hawks today at
the hawk watch. He further said he stopped to check out the vultures we were
seeing at the base of the hill and he spotted one more BW at 7:10PM. We
broke several records today. The latest time ever to see BW coming through,
fall or spring. The largest spring count for one day (last record 168). The
largest spring kettle (82, last record 22). The most hawks ever seen after
4:00 in the spring and one of the largest ever late day counts. We never had
a chance to put our binoculars down for a rest. Jimmy and I had a day count
of 371 Broad Wings, (in the Spring!) Can you tell I'm elated.
5 Amercan Bitterns when it was a life bird in the first place would have been
a wonderful day. But we felt as if we had been on a trip to a wild and
wonderful place.
All afternoon we felt that if the BW were flying then so were the Whoopers
and from the Hawk watch, theoretically, we might could have seen them. We
watched a plane go down the valley that circled a time or two and I couldn't
help but wonder if it was the spotter plane. I can't know for sure if it was
but when we arrived home a message from Doug Gerin, said that late in the day
he had run into Ms Lacey, who is following the Cranes along with Richard
Urbanek, and Doug helped her search the Hiwassee area. After a while they
realized the Cranes had continued on North and she left to go find them.
That is the last word I have just now, but I had expected they would go to
the location over the mountain where they spent several days on the ground.
Will let everyone know as soon as possible where they set down.
Note:
(There are no tresspassing signs on the property next to the Gunbarrel Rd.
marsh, so please follow the gravel road going in and follow it all the way
to the back for the best birds. You can Bird some from the Church parking lot
and just beyond with out getting onto the other property.)
Good Birding Everyone!
Cynthia Wilkerson
Chattanooga, TN
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