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

Bell’s Bend Park

Davidson County

Oct. 26, 2013

This frosty morning, seventeen birders, including some new members, braved the cold for the October NTOS field trip to Bells Bend. A couple of birders in the group got "lifebirds", and that's always exciting--even for those who have already seen the species! The trees around the Outdoor Center yielded dozens (or should I say HUNDREDS) of Yellow-rumped Warblers and American Robins. A Lincoln's Sparrow gave somewhat nice views for a few and even sang its warbling song briefly. Towards the end of the trip, a Sharp-shinned Hawk dashed in front of us and glided at a quite high altitude. Two other notable species were a Green Heron and a Barn Swallow which seemed to be a little late despite the weather. Overall, a pretty decent day.  The complete list is as follows:

44 species

waterfowl sp.-8 Great Blue Heron-1 Green Heron-1 Black Vulture-11 Turkey Vulture-9 Sharp-shinned Hawk-1 Cooper's Hawk-1 Red-tailed Hawk-1 American Kestrel-1 Red-bellied Woodpecker-4 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker-3 Downy Woodpecker-2 Northern Flicker-7 Eastern Phoebe-1 Blue Jay-12 American Crow-3 Barn Swallow-1 Carolina Chickadee-x (heard) Tufted Titmouse-x (heard) White-breasted Nuthatch-1 Carolina Wren-2 House Wren-2

Marsh Wren-1 Golden-crowned Kinglet-3 Eastern Bluebird-13 Hermit Thrush-x (heard) American Robin-200 Northern Mockingbird-4 Brown Thrasher-2 European Starling-1 Cedar Waxwing-x (heard) Yellow-rumped Warbler-40 Eastern Towhee-6 Chipping Sparrow-2 Field Sparrow-17 Song Sparrow-29 Lincoln's Sparrow-1 Swamp Sparrow-23 White-throated Sparrow-14 Northern Cardinal-5 Red-winged Blackbird-2 Common Grackle-10 House Finch-2 American Goldfinch-7

Chloe Walker

Great sparrow habitat - photo by Mary Zimmerman

Radnor Lake State Natural Area

Davidson County

Oct 16, 2013

Several hardy birders made it out to Radnor Lake today on a wet morning for the season’s final NTOS Lake walk. Birding was quite slow until we got to the spillway area. The overcast sky made identification difficult at times but we did get to see a few species of warblers and a vireo.

31 species

Mallard  1 Pied-billed Grebe  1 Great Blue Heron  1 Red-tailed Hawk  1 Belted Kingfisher  1 Red-bellied Woodpecker  5 Downy Woodpecker  4 Northern Flicker  2 Pileated Woodpecker  1 Eastern Phoebe  1 White-eyed Vireo  1    Blue Jay  6 American Crow  1 Carolina Chickadee  7 Tufted Titmouse  6 White-breasted Nuthatch  3

Carolina Wren  4 Golden-crowned Kinglet  1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1 Eastern Bluebird  4 American Robin  15 Gray Catbird  1 Cedar Waxwing  6 Tennessee Warbler  2 Nashville Warbler  1 Yellow-rumped Warbler  6 Black-throated Green Warbler  2 White-throated Sparrow  2 Summer Tanager  1 Northern Cardinal  12 Rose-breasted Grosbeak  2

Scott Block

Nashville

Radnor Lake State Natural Area

Nashville, Davidson County TN
Oct. 2, 2013

Overcast skies gave way to steady rain on today's NTOS-sponsored Radnor Lake walk. This kept the numbers low for both "observers" and "observees".

The group did see one late-season Eastern Kingbird along the dam road. Later a Great Egret flew past along the lake's edge. The egret stirred up a Great Blue Heron and at one point the two birds flew across the lake together.

Below is a list of birds observed:

27 species

Wood Duck 6 Double-crested Cormorant 2 Great Blue Heron 2 Great Egret 1 Green Heron 1 Black Vulture 1 Chimney Swift 40 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 3 Downy Woodpecker 4 Eastern Phoebe 3 Eastern Kingbird 1     White-eyed Vireo 1

Blue Jay 4 Carolina Chickadee 8 Tufted Titmouse 5 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Carolina Wren 9 Swainson's Thrush 1 American Robin 10 Cedar Waxwing 5 American Redstart 1 Magnolia Warbler 4 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Summer Tanager 2 Northern Cardinal 5 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2

Kevin Bowden

NTOS Fall Bird Count

Sep. 21, 2013

The Nashville Fall Count was held on September 21 and totaled 115 species, about average for this area.  It included parts of Davidson, Cheatham, Williamson, and Rutherford counties, but Percy Priest Lake itself was not counted this time. Birds or numbers of interest included 809 Blue-winged Teal(mostly at Radnor Lake and Bells Bend), 2 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons in Rutherford Co., 3 Bald Eagles and 2 Osprey in Cheatham Co., 13 Spotted and 14 Solitary sandpipers, 1 Olive-sided and 1 Willow Flycatcher at Warner Parks, 3 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers in Rutherford Co., and 7 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 1 Sedge Wren, and 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet all in Cheatham Co. Thank you so much to all who participated.

To view the entire list click on Bird Count Results on the right and select Fall Count under 2013.       

Radnor Lake State Natural Area

25 September, 2013

Eighteen birders participated in today's walk let by Danny Shelton. The rain had stopped by the time we got under way, but misty, cloudy conditions persisted for the entire morning making the observing challenging as we continually looked into a gray background. American Redstarts were the top numbering warbler species. The bright spot in the gray was a male Summer Tanager perched atop a bare tree near the Spillway.The red was very obvious.

We spotted an unusually high number of Black Vultures which had begun settling in a nearby tree. We had just walked past the tree when we heard a loud snap, then a crash and the startled flight of numerous vultures suddenly airborne. We assume the weight of perched vultures was more than the branch could bear and down it came, leaving the birds instantly in flight.

35 Species

Canada Goose 12 Wood Duck 20 Wild Turkey 5 Double-crested Cormorant 2 Great Blue Heron 2 Green Heron 3 Black Vulture 41 Mourning Dove 1 Chimney Swift 9 Red-bellied Woodpecker 4 Downy Woodpecker 10 Pileated Woodpecker 4 Eastern Wood-Pewee 3 Empidonax sp. 1 Eastern Phoebe 2 Blue Jay 9 American Crow 1 Carolina Chickadee 16

Tufted Titmouse 6 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Carolina Wren 14 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Swainson's Thrush 5 American Robin 18 Gray Catbird 1 Tennessee Warbler 3 American Redstart 9 Magnolia Warbler 7 Palm Warbler 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 3 Eastern Towhee 1 Summer Tanager 2 Scarlet Tanager 1 Northern Cardinal 9 American Goldfinch 2

Kevin Bowden

Sept. 18, 2013

Radnor Lake, Nashville
Davidson Co.

Action started out slow this morning, but picked up somewhat as we worked the Lake Trail into the woods. Walk participants numbered 23 with new birders Cassidy and her mom Erin welcomed into the fold. Highlights of our last little flock encountered included Wilson's Warbler and female Golden-winged Warbler. See list below.

47 Species

Wood Duck 2 Double-crested Cormorant 1 Great Blue Heron 3 Great Egret 1 Black Vulture 7 Turkey Vulture 5 Broad-winged Hawk 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 Barred Owl 1 Chimney Swift 13 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 5 Downy Woodpecker 6 Hairy Woodpecker 2 Northern Flicker 2 Eastern Wood-Pewee 3 Empidonax sp. 3 Eastern Phoebe 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 2 White-eyed Vireo 1 Red-eyed Vireo 2 Blue Jay 6 American Crow 7

Carolina Chickadee 8Tufted Titmouse 7 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Carolina Wren 6 Eastern Bluebird 1 Veery 1 Swainson's Thrush 6 American Robin 4 Gray Catbird 1 Cedar Waxwing 40 Golden-winged Warbler 1 Tennessee Warbler 2 Chestnut-sided Warbler 1 Magnolia Warbler 5 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Bay-breasted Warbler 2 Black-and-white Warbler 2 American Redstart 3 Wilson's Warbler 1 Eastern Towhee 1 Summer Tanager 2 Northern Cardinal 6 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 American Goldfinch 5

 

Richard Connors