So last night, in the most unexpected manner, I recorded this life bird.
While I have heard them a few times over the years since I began recording
my life list, seeing them is an entirely different matter. I was in Linden,
TN after visiting among others, Mousetail Landing State Park in Linden and
decided since I was in Linden to stop in at Grimes Canoe Base. I don't get
good cell service down at the trading post at Grimes, so I drove to the top
of the hill where I do get service only a matter of yards short of Highway
13 and got out to make a call. I heard the unmistakable call of the
Whip-Poor-Will just in the trees and the light was fading fast. It was just
after 8 pm. There was a grass service road that went back into the trees
off the main road. I grabbed my binoculars and headed in. Just a few yards
down the road his call was so loud I knew I was right on top of him. Then
right in front of me, he put on an aerobatic display for about 3 minutes
flying from one side of the road to the other and changing directions like a
bat to grab the bugs/gnats he was feasting on. The trees were pines with
thin needles giving me good looks (well as good as you can have in the low
light) at him landing briefly on a limb before taking off again. He was
probably as close as 15 feet. If anyone wants better directions to go try
to find him, let me know.
In far less exciting but still good news, there is a House Wren that has
taken up residence in my backyard bird house in Franklin - Williamson
County. His song is beautiful.
Boyd Williams
