Sunday, January 12, 2014

Duck River Unit, TWR
Jan. 11, 2014

Eleven birders ventured out to the Duck River Unit of the Tennessee National Wildlife refuge for a wonderful outing with THOUSANDS of waterfowl and other interesting birds. Highlights included one fairly close Greater Scaup at the pump station; four species of geese including Greater White-fronted, Snow, Cackling, and Canada; twenty-six American Pipits at close range; a Palm Warbler at Pintail Blind; two male Brewer's Blackbirds; and an (not surprisingly) uncooperative Le Conte's Sparrow. Below is a list of all the species that were seen/heard.
  
77 species

Greater White-fronted Goose-400
Snow Goose-15
Cackling Goose-15
Canada Goose-300
Gadwall-280
American Wigeon-170
American Black Duck-2
Mallard-2000
Northern Shoveler-200
Northern Pintail-500
Green-winged Teal-60
Canvasback-110
Ring-necked Duck-12
Greater Scaup-1
Scaup sp.-200
Bufflehead-78
Common Goldeneye-7
Hooded Merganser-5
Ruddy Duck-30
Pied-billed Grebe-17
Horned Grebe-6
Double-crested Cormorant-59
American White Pelican-35
Great Blue Heron-8
Turkey Vulture-6
Bald Eagle-10
Northern Harrier-10
Sharp-shinned Hawk-1
Cooper's Hawk-1
Red-tailed Hawk-3
American Kestrel-2
American Coot-195
Killdeer-7
Wilson's Snipe-6
Bonaparte's Gull-35
Ring-billed Gull-45
Herring Gull-4
Mourning Dove-25
Belted Kingfisher-1
Red-headed Woodpecker-2
Red-bellied Woodpecker-4
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker-1
Downy Woodpecker-2
Hairy Woodpecker-1
Northern Flicker-3
Pileated Woodpecker-1
Eastern Phoebe-6
Blue Jay-2
American Crow-11
Horned Lark-2
Carolina Chickadee-4
Tufted Titmouse-1
Brown Creeper-1
Carolina Wren-5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet-5
Eastern Bluebird-4
Northern Mockingbird-2
European Starling-75
American Pipit-26
Lapland Longspur-2
Palm Warbler-1
Yellow-rumped Warbler-4
Field Sparrow-1
Savannah Sparrow-8
Le Conte's Sparrow-1
Song Sparrow-20
Swamp Sparrow-25
White-throated Sparrow-25
White-crowned Sparrow-2
Dark-eyed Junco-20
Northern Cardinal-5
Red-winged Blackbird-15
Eastern Meadowlark-19
Rusty Blackbird-5
Brewer's Blackbird-2
Brown-headed Cowbird-12
House Finch-1
American Goldfinch-x (heard only)


Chloe Walker
NTOS Field Trip Coordinator

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Hickory-Priest Christmas Bird Count
Jan. 1, 2014

Twenty-five people in 5 parties participated, 96 species were reported. The count covers eastern Davidson County with bit of Sumner and Wilson counties included.

Highlights: Some highlights were previously reported by Scott  Somershoe for the Percy Priest Lake section, most notably the out-of-season Yellow Warbler. Fortunately it was seen (and heard) by  most of the party, and well-seen by a few. Also from this location was  Scott's early morning sighting of Pacific Loon and Peregrine Falcon. Ducks, 13 species including 2 merganser species, were fairly well represented but in mostly low numbers; no scoters found. Not too surprisingly Black Vultures outnumbered Turkey Vultures 20-1. 7 Bald Eagles counted, with 3 reported as adults. Falcons totaled 3 Merlins plus the Peregrine. On Priest the evening gull roost was productive with Ring-billed Gull and Com. Loons present in expected high numbers, plus Scott's addition of 2 Red-throated Loons to the mix. Sandhill Crane made the list with a fly-over of 2 at Priest. Several "winter" warblers were found on the Old Hickory section: Orange-crowned (2), Palm (1) & Pine (1), with the addition of Yellow-rumped giving them a 4 warbler day on Jan. 1st! Only 2 Purple Finches and 1 Rusty Blackbird reported, those from Neely's Bend.

To view the entire list click on Bird Count Results on the right menu and select Hickory-Priest CBC under 2014.

Richard Connors
Compiler