Saturday, November 16, 2013

Old Hickory Lake Area
Nov. 16, 2013

Today brought another field trip with not-so-great weather. The overcast skies and heavy fog made it hard for us birders to view and identify the birds as well as to bring the birds out to from their beds! I've been birding for about three years now and never have I heard woods so quiet and empty! Despite the poor weather conditions, thirteen birders showed up for the NTOS field trip to the Old Hickory Dam area. A few interesting sightings include a Bald Eagle sitting above the nest in the trees at the horse pasture, a Red-shouldered Hawk that literally screamed at us when we first entered the field behind the nature trail, a Brown Creeper that gave everyone thrilling views, two Common Loons floating and diving only yards away from us, and a Hermit Thrush that we kept hearing and then finally saw. Probably the most notable bird of the day was an Orange-crowned Warbler that gave a couple of birders a brief view then ducked back in the shrubs. This bird responded to playback within seconds after it was first played, and yet still didn't provide anyone good looks. The complete species list for the day is below.

40 species

Canada Goose-50
Gadwall-2
Mallard-17
Common Loon-6
Pied-billed Grebe-6
Horned Grebe-3
Great Blue Heron-6
Black Vulture-2
Bald Eagle-1
Red-shouldered Hawk-2
American Coot-46
Killdeer-1
Ring-billed Gull-32
Mourning Dove-26
Barred Owl-1
Red-bellied Woodpecker-1
Downy Woodpecker-4
Northern Flicker-1
Eastern Phoebe-1
Blue Jay-2
American Crow-9
Carolina Chickadee-7
Tufted Titmouse-3
Brown Creeper-1
Carolina Wren-4
Winter Wren-4
Golden-crowned Kinglet-11
Ruby-crowned Kinglet-3
Hermit Thrush-3
Northern Mockingbird-1
Brown Thrasher-1
Orange-crowned Warbler-1
Yellow-rumped Warbler-10
Field Sparrow-1
Song Sparrow-4
White-throated Sparrow-8
Dark-eyed Junco-1
Northern Cardinal-8
Common Grackle-60
American Goldfinch-3


An interesting day to say the least.

Chloe Walker
NTOS Field Trip Coordinator