Sunday, February 1, 2015

Big Sandy Unit of TNWR
January 31, 2015

The NTOS field trip to the Pace Point/Britton Ford area was a wonderful success!

Our group started at the Bennetts Creek Overlook within the Big Sandy Unit of the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge, and no sooner had we stepped out of our vehicles when the cry of "Golden Eagle!" sounded. We all had fantastic views of both an adult and an immature together - a life bird for many.

Duck numbers were sky-rocketing throughout the day, the vast majority being Mallards. Three hybrid dabblers were sighted: one, a "Brewer's Duck" (Gadwall x Mallard) at the Bennetts Creek Overlook; the second, a handsome Mallard x American Black Duck at Tennessee NWR--Britton Ford Unit; and finally, an additional "Brewer's Duck" at Britton Ford. Also of note was a merganser "trifecta" at Bennets Creek Overlook and all five regular geese at Britton Ford.

Notable misses: American Coot (!)

Wow...what a day! A huge thanks to Mike Todd for leading the trip, and thank you to all who attended.

65 species


Great White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Ross's Goose
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Gadwall
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
American White Pelican
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Golden Eagle
American Kestrel
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch



Chloe Walker
Field Trip Coordinator