[TN-Bird] Winder finches - and signs of spring?!?
- From: Charlie <cmmbirds@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 09:02:46 -0800 (PST)
Hi folks,
Today Tracey and I again had up to 6 PURPLE FINCHES in our Maryville,
Blount County back yard. We have had them every day since we
returned from a trip to New England on January 5. Last year we had
PUFIs on 2 or 3 days, so this is great.
Then we hiked on the closed section of Foothills Parkway - along with
Sky and Ros, our dogs - not the best for birding, but they needed a
break in the cabin fever.
We were first greeted by a RUFFED GROUSE before we got to the parking
spot. This bird was lolling around on the left side of the road. We
stopped in the right lane, got out the bins and watched it just kind
of amble around. It slowly crossed the road not 20 feet in front of
us, and walked up the other side. Beautiful view. Living here in the
mountains I see grouse from time to time, but only get a look like
that every several months.
Out of the car and hiking, we twice heard and once saw a pair of RED
CROSSBILLS (I'm assuming the same ones). A group of a dozen or so
Pine siskins flew over and landed briefly in a Virginia Pine next to
the road. That's 3 winter finches, and we never saw a House Finch -
a good day in my book!
But the most exciting observation in my mind was the singing PINE
WARBLER, first of the year in Tennessee for each of us.
Lately I've been seeing lots of kettles of vultures. But no cranes.
The EASTERN BLUEBIRDS have been very actively checking out the boxes
we have in our yard, including the 2 I just put up yesterday and the
one I replaced the roof on yesterday.
Adding to the spring wildflowers, last week I found blooming SOLITARY
PUSSEYTOES.
WOOD FROGS have been joined by CHORUS FROGS and SPRING PEEPERS.
Happy spring!
Charlie
=====
**************************************************
Charlie Muise, Senior Naturalist
Now living in Maryville, TN
Still working in Great Smoky Mountains
National Park
"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm"
Ralph Waldo Emerson
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard - Read only the mail you want.
http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools
=================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.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society
Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
endorse the views or opinions expressed
by the members of this discussion group.
Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
========================================================
Other related posts:
- » [TN-Bird] Winder finches - and signs of spring?!?
