Tuesday, February 21, 2012



Duck River Unit, TN NWR
Humphreys County
February 18, 2012

Twenty-five birders, including many young people, descended on the Long St. meeting point in New Johnsonville for the Nashville chapter of TOS field trip to the Tennessee NWR--Duck River Unit in Humphreys County. We first went to the west side of the refuge, where we found hundreds of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTs, several WHITE PELICANs, and 8 species of ducks including a group of 13 CANVASBACKs. We then headed for the main refuge entrance. Driving to the Pintail Blind, we heard and then saw a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER and viewed 5 BALD EAGLEs, both immatures and adults. Returning to the main refuge road, we found a large flock of well over 100 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE.  The partially flooded fields held at least 250 AMERICAN WIGEONs.  Several in the group got to see a red phase SCREECH OWL using a wood duck box.  On our return journey we spotted an adult BALD EAGLE on a nest.  A group of 30 NORTHERN FLICKERs flushed from a field produced an impressive pattern of yellow underwings and white rumps.  In all we found 67 species in the general area of the refuge.

Frank Fekel, NTOS Field Trip Coordinator

Numbers for many species are approximate

Greater White-fronted Goose  131  Extensive flock seen on ground next to the river.
Canada Goose  85
Gadwall  45
American Wigeon  275
American Black Duck 2
Mallard  95
Northern Shoveler  33
Northern Pintail  44
Green-winged Teal  4
Canvasback 13
Ring-necked Duck  55
Lesser Scaup  5
Bufflehead  18
Hooded Merganser  3
Ruddy Duck 3
Wild Turkey about 90 seen in two flocks on drive to reach New Johnsonville
Pied-billed Grebe  2
Horned Grebe 3
Double-crested Cormorant  295
American White Pelican  11
Great Blue Heron  26
Turkey Vulture  1
Bald Eagle  10
Northern Harrier  4
Sharp-shinned Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk 3
American Kestrel  2
American Coot  90
Killdeer  26
Wilson's Snipe  9
Bonaparte's Gull  8
Ring-billed Gull 32
Mourning Dove  several off refuge
Eastern Screech-Owl 1
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-headed Woodpecker  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
Downy Woodpecker  3
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  32 Large group of flickers flew up from a field. 
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe  1
Blue Jay  3
American Crow  25
Carolina Chickadee  5
Tufted Titmouse  1
Brown Creeper  1
Carolina Wren  3
Golden-crowned Kinglet  1
Eastern Bluebird  3
American Robin  3
Northern Mockingbird  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  3
Eastern Towhee 1
Field Sparrow 2
Savannah Sparrow  25
Song Sparrow  8
Swamp Sparrow  7
White-throated Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal  1
Red-winged Blackbird 2
Eastern Meadowlark  23
Common Grackle  55
American Goldfinch 3 off refuge
House Sparrow 2 off refuge