Friday, April 26, 2013


Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan, AL
April 19-21, 2013

Sixteen birders from the middle Tennessee area participated in the extended weekend field trip to Dauphin Island, Alabama that was held during the Alabama Ornithological Society (AOS) spring meeting weekend, April 19-21. Individual schedules varied with some of our NTOS group arriving as early as Thursday afternoon and some staying as late as Monday morning. An informal gathering was held Friday evening at the Dortchs' (former NTOS members) house on Omega Street next to the airport marsh. Many of the trip participants also attended the AOS dinner on Saturday evening and two of our group won door prizes! While numbers of some neotropical migrants were not as extensive as in some meeting springs, there was plenty of variety. One special place was a hedge of bottlebrush shrubs at a house next to Shell Mound Park where a feeding Cape May Warbler provided near continual entertainment all weekend. Other warblers also enjoying the same bottlebrush flowers included Northern Parula, Prothonotary, Tennessee, and Pine warblers plus several Orchard Orioles, whose chatter filled the air.  A Northern Waterthrush put in occasional appearances as well.

Other highlights on Dauphin Island included several Osprey at nesting platforms, a Gray Kingbird (a life bird for some in the group) at the golf course, and a perched Peregrine Falcon at Audubon Park. Splashes of color were also provided by a number of Scarlet and Summer Tanagers and a horde of Indigo Buntings. Members of our group assiduously searched on Dauphin Island and Fort Morgan, which is across Mobile Bay, for Painted Buntings and some were fortunate to see them. A wide variety of shorebirds was found highlighted by Whimbrel, all the expected plovers, and White-rumped, Baird's, and Stilt Sandpipers. In addition to shorebirds and chattering Marsh Wrens, the airport marsh produced several Sora and Clapper Rails, a dancing Reddish Egret, and a Nelson's Sparrow. Fort Morgan at one point had numerous Blackpoll warblers, plus a recurring Merlin, Great Horned Owl, and for a fortunate few, a Cave Swallow.  At least 2 foxes, a nutria, meadow voles, and dolphins were also seen. Comparing lists from several birders, more than 165 bird species were found on the trip, including about 20 species of warblers.


Canada Goose
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
N. Shoveler
N. Pintail
Redhead
Mottled Duck
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Reddish Egret
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Brown Pelican
White Ibis
Glossy Ibis
White-faced Ibis
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestral
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Sora
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
Snowy Plover
Wilson's Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Piping Plover
Killdeer
Clapper Rail
American Oystercatcher
Black-necked Stilt
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Whimbrel
Lesser Yellowlegs
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Baird's Sandpiper
Dunlin
Stilt Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Wilson's Snipe
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Least Tern
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Royal Tern
Common Tern
Forster's Tern
Sandwich Tern
Black Skimmer
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Eurasian Collared Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Great Horned Owl
Common Nighthawk
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker



Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Gray Kingbird
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Loggerhead Shrike
White-eyed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-wing Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Cave Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
Am. Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
Cedar Waxwing
European Starling
Worm-eating Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Northern Waterthrush
Prothonotary Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Nelson's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Painted Bunting
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow




Frank Fekel

Wednesday, April 24, 2013


Radnor Lake State Natural Area
Nashville-Davidson County, TN
April 24, 2013

The regularly-scheduled Wednesday walk sponsored by the Nashville chapter of TOS at Radnor Lake State Natural Area in Nashville-Davidson Co. TN did not take place today, 24 April, due to inclement weather.
 The few birders who gathered at 7:30 headed up the road to the dam before thunder, wind, and rain began in earnest. Along the way they encountered two GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHERS calling from trees near the parking lot. The YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER that has been present for the last two Wednesdays was heard again in the woods between the parking lot and the lake. This bird was heard singing even in the rain, wind and thunder. A TENNESSEE WARBLER sang repeatedly in the woods near the south end of the dam road and numerous YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were singing as they flitted about. A pair of AMERICAN COOTS swam near the lake shore. At that point a couple rolls of thunder, dark clouds and the sound of approaching rain ended the walk.
 We will just have to hope for better conditions next week.

 Kevin Bowden

Wednesday, April 17, 2013


Radnor Lake State Natural Area
Nashville-Davidson County, TN
April 17, 2013

Twenty-six birders met today for the second of six spring Radnor Lake walks. The bird sightings started off much slower than last week but picked up towards the end. Twelve species of warblers were seen, with the Yellow-rumped being the most common.

59 Species

Canada Goose 6
Wood Duck 6
Mallard 2
Blue-winged Teal 6
Lesser Scaup 6
Wild Turkey 11
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Great Blue Heron 2
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 3
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Broad-winged Hawk 1
American Coot 25
Barred Owl 3
Chimney Swift 6
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-headed Woodpecker 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 10
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 3
EasternPhoebe 3
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 2
White-eyed Vireo 1
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 5
Blue Jay 11
American Crow 2
Barn Swallow 5

Carolina Chickadee 15
Tufted Titmouse 15
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Carolina Wren 18
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 16
Eastern Bluebird 2
Wood Thrush 1
European Starling 1
Blue-winged Warbler 3
Nashville Warbler 2
Northern Parula 4
Yellow Warbler 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 22
Black-throated Green Warbler 5
Yellow-throated Warbler 2
Prairie Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 6
Prothonotary Warbler 2
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Kentucky Warbler 1
Scarlet Tanager 3
Eastern Towhee 1
Field Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 8
Northern Cardinal 24
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 6
American Goldfinch 24
 
Scott Block

Wednesday, April 10, 2013


Radnor Lake State Natural Area
Nashville-Davidson County, TN
April 10, 2013

Nineteen birders attended the the NTOS-sponsored walk at Radnor Lake this morning. From the parking lot onward it was busy; so much so that we made it only to the spillway by 9:30 and thus we decided to take the normally-not-taken path down along the creek back towards the Visitor's Center. Several warblers were highlights including a CERULEAN WARBLER seen out in the open flitting around in the branches near the spillway. Also in the spillway ravine was a HOODED WARBLER that moved low and slow, popping into the open several times for us to have great looks. Along side the HOODED was a PRAIRIE WARBLER that was almost as cooperative. A PALM WARBLER caught a large insect after a bit of a chase and then posed for the group. A NORTHERN PARULA sang and flitted overhead on the path leading back to the Visitor's Center. Also by the spillway was an unusually brightly colored singing WHITE-EYED VIREO. A YELLOW-THROATED VIREO was seen earlier along the dam itself. YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS in every imaginable plumage were very abundant. A BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER stayed at almost eye level along the dam, but only for a few warbler seconds. The YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was the least cooperative of all the warblers this morning. He sang, but only a few of us got minimal looks from a great distance.

In the skies overhead was a large group of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS flying north and two NORTHERN HARRIERS, the latter not usually seen at Radnor.

A great first walk for Spring 2013. Below is a list of species observed:

52 species

Canada Goose 3
Wood Duck 5
Mallard 5
Bufflehead 1
Double-crested Cormorant 35
Great Blue Heron 2
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 2
Northern Harrier 2
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 2
American Coot 1
Mourning Dove 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 6
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 4
Pileated Woodpecker 3
Eastern Phoebe 3
White-eyed Vireo 1
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 13
Tufted Titmouse 11
White-breasted Nuthatch 4
Carolina Wren 7
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 12
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 7
Eastern Bluebird 5
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 2
Brown Thrasher 1
Hooded Warbler 1
Cerulean Warbler 1 on the spillway seen clearly
Northern Parula 3
Palm Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 35
Yellow-throated Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 2
Field Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 8
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Northern Cardinal 10
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 6
American Goldfinch 5

Kevin Bowden