Radnor Lake State Natural Area
Nashville-Davidson Co TN
Wednesday 28 September 2011

It was an incredible morning at Radnor Lake for the 25 birders who attended today's Wednesday Morning Walk sponsored by the Nashville Chapter of TOS. Not only was the species count high, we also experienced large numbers of individual birds from the beginning of the walk to the end (for the five birders who stayed until 12:30.)

We totaled 14 Warbler species. Again as in previous weeks, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS were well-represented. MAGNOLIA WARBLERS showed high numbers, but the BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS along the dam seemed equally numerous and were very cooperative, feeding at low levels in the bright sunshine. Several brilliant male AMERICAN REDSTARTS were seen among the large numbers of this species. After the group headed on from Long Bridge, we spotted 3 GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS at intervals.

As for PHILADELPHIA VIREOS, no one can remember ever seeing so many in one morning. The variety of colors from a faded yellow wash on some mostly-gray birds to an almost-brilliant yellow on others was a good lesson in observing this species.

A dull, greenish-olive bird with dark black wings was spotted from the spillway bridge--a reminder that the male SCARLET TANAGER is not bright red all year long.

Finally, as we walked back along Otter Creek Road, we spied 11 GREAT EGRETS all perched high in the trees on the opposite side of the lake.

Thanks to all the great eyes and ears who contributed to making the morning so productive.

Below is a recap of species observed:

56 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose  72

Wood Duck  45
Northern Shoveler  2
Double-crested Cormorant  1
Great Blue Heron  2
Great Egret  11   
Turkey Vulture  2
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Chimney Swift  7
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  3
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  4
Downy Woodpecker  9
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  1
Pileated Woodpecker  3
Eastern Wood-Pewee  3
Empidonax sp.  1
Eastern Phoebe  1
White-eyed Vireo  1
Philadelphia Vireo  17    
Red-eyed Vireo  3
Blue Jay  15
American Crow  5
Carolina Chickadee  16
Tufted Titmouse  15
White-breasted Nuthatch  6
Carolina Wren  18
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
Gray-cheeked Thrush  2
Swainson's Thrush  6
Wood Thrush  1
Gray Catbird  3
Northern Mockingbird  1
Brown Thrasher  1
Golden-winged Warbler  3
Black-and-white Warbler  12
Tennessee Warbler  13
Common Yellowthroat  1
American Redstart  15
Northern Parula  3
Magnolia Warbler  15
Bay-breasted Warbler  3
Blackburnian Warbler  3
Yellow Warbler  1
Chestnut-sided Warbler  8
Black-throated Green Warbler  9
Canada Warbler  1
Wilson's Warbler  1
Eastern Towhee  1
Summer Tanager  2
Scarlet Tanager  1
Northern Cardinal  11
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  5
American Goldfinch  2

Bay-breasted Warbler

Gray Catbird

Radnor Lake State Natural Area

Nashville-Davidson County, TN
September 21, 2011

Today's light rain showers and cloudy skies discouraged neither birders (@20) nor birds (@48 species) as we enjoyed an unusually productive morning at Radnor Lake for the NTOS-sponsored Wednesday morning walk. We tallied 10 WARBLER SPECIES, including numerous BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS and MAGNOLIA WARBLERS. Some of us got to see A GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER again this week and by the Long Bridge we were treated to a fairly cooperative CANADA WARBLER. A HOODED WARBLER was also spotted there. PHILADELPHIA VIREOS were also well-represented this morning. The two DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were spotted perched high in a dead tree on the opposite side of the lake from the group. A pair of very fine SUMMER TANAGERS were seen in the area behind the house by the spillway.

Thanks to all who participated  by adding their spotting and identification skills. Below  is an accounting of what we observed:

48 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose  49

Wood Duck  55
Double-crested Cormorant  2
Great Blue Heron  2
Green Heron  2
Black Vulture  4
Cooper's Hawk  2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  1
Barred Owl  1
Chimney Swift  12
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  9
Downy Woodpecker  10
Northern Flicker  1
Pileated Woodpecker  2
Acadian Flycatcher  1
Empidonax sp.  1
Eastern Phoebe  1
White-eyed Vireo  1
Philadelphia Vireo  3
Red-eyed Vireo  2
Blue Jay  10
American Crow  9
Carolina Chickadee  20
Tufted Titmouse  11
White-breasted Nuthatch  10
Carolina Wren  13
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  2
Eastern Bluebird  5
Swainson's Thrush  14
American Robin  3
Gray Catbird  1
Brown Thrasher  1
Blue-winged Warbler  2
Golden-winged Warbler  1
Black-and-white Warbler  12
Tennessee Warbler  5
Hooded Warbler  1
American Redstart  6
Magnolia Warbler  12
Chestnut-sided Warbler  2
Black-throated Green Warbler  4
Canada Warbler  1
Eastern Towhee  1
Summer Tanager  4
Northern Cardinal  15
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  2
Common Grackle  1
American Goldfinch  1

Summer Tanager

Shelby Park and Bottoms (Nashville), Davidson Co., US-TN

Sep 17, 2011 7:00 AM - 11:15 AM
3.5+ miles

The Fall Flock outing of the Nashville Chapter of the Tenn. Ornithological Society was held at Shelby Park and Bottoms on Saturday morning. It was attended by 19 birders who enjoyed both the good weather conditions and several nice mixed flocks of warblers.  After walking first around Mission Hill the group descended into Shelby Bottoms for a more extended walk along the paved trail and various grassy side walks.

Highlights on the hill included 1 YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER and a WILSON'S WARBLER, while the Bottoms produced a nice variety of warblers, 11 species in total, and 3 flyover CASPIAN TERNs.

55 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose  3

Mallard  4
Great Blue Heron  2
Green Heron  1
Turkey Vulture  2
Cooper's Hawk  1
American Kestral 1
Caspian Tern  3
Mourning Dove  1
Chimney Swift  14
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  6
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Downy Woodpecker  4
Northern Flicker  2
Eastern Wood-Pewee  4
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher  1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Empidonax sp.  1
White-eyed Vireo  9
Philadelphia Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo  3
Blue Jay  9
American Crow  3
Carolina Chickadee  8
Tufted Titmouse  4
White-breasted Nuthatch  3
Carolina Wren  7
House Wren  1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  4
Eastern Bluebird  4
Swainson's Thrush  1
American Robin  9
Gray Catbird  3
Northern Mockingbird  4
Brown Thrasher  11
European Starling  6
Blue-winged Warbler 2
Tennessee Warbler  3
Nashville Warbler  2
American Redstart  9
Northern Parula  2
Magnolia Warbler  12
Yellow Warbler  2
Chestnut-sided Warbler  3
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler  2
Wilson's Warbler  3
Eastern Towhee  2
Field Sparrow  2
Summer Tanager 1
Northern Cardinal  15
Indigo Bunting  2
Common Grackle  5
House Finch  6
American Goldfinch  5

Frank Fekel

NTOS Field Trip Chairperson

Brown Thrasher

Radnor Lake State Natural Area,
Nashville-Davidson County,TN
September 14, 2011

Twenty birders attended the first of the Wednesday Walks for Fall 2011 at Radnor Lake State Natural Area. Things started slowly but activity began at the the Spillway. There a confusing fall warbler coyishly teased us until it finally came out in full view. The consensus was a first-year YELLOW WARBLER. A short distance later on the Lake Trail was a hot spot with both GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER and BLUE-WINGED WARBLER. A BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER appeared nearby as well as a NORTHERN PARULA. BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS were well-represented this morning. We also spotted a GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH near the Long Bridge. In addition to the numerous BLUE-WINGED TEAL on the lake were three female NORTHERN SHOVELERS seen at close range.

44 species

Canada Goose 33
Wood Duck 48
Blue-winged Teal 200
Northern Shoveler 3
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Green Heron 4
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Common Nighthawk 1
Chimney Swift 5
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 6
Downy Woodpecker 8
Northern Flicker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
White-eyed Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 14
American Crow 5
Carolina Chickadee 12
Tufted Titmouse 10
White-breasted Nuthatch 9
Carolina Wren 17
Eastern Bluebird 3
Gray-cheeked Thrush 1
Swainson's Thrush 7
American Robin 11
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 3
Blue-winged Warbler 1
Golden-winged Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 4
American Redstart 2
Northern Parula 2
Blackburnian Warbler 1
Yellow Warbler 1
Summer Tanager 1
Scarlet Tanager 1
Northern Cardinal 15
Common Grackle 1
American Goldfinch 2

We will meet again next Wednesday, September 21 in at the Visitor's Center.

Welcome to the NTOS Field Trip Results blog. In this blog we will post the birds seen during the NTOS field trips. We may also post a few other interesting sightings seen in Middle Tennessee.

The first field trip will be Wednesday, Sept 14, 2011 at Radnor Lake State Natural Area.  We will leave from the Visitor Center (west parking lot) at 7:30 AM. This is the first of six Radnor Walks. Each year there are 12 scheduled Wednesday morning walks – six in the spring and six in the fall.

The walks coincide with the spring and fall bird migration. All are welcome, from experience to novice, and you can stay as long as you like. Total distance covered is usually no more than 3 miles on a level trail.

To learn more about NTOS click on the image on the right side of the page. You can also join us on Facebook.