19 Dec 2012

Nashville, TN

The Nashville CBC was held on Dec. 15 and totaled 85 species, a little higher than usual.  There was also one count week species, Barred Owl at Radnor Lake, and 2 possible heard only Sedge Wrens on count day at Warner Parks. The day was mild and mostly cloudy, but with some rain and strong winds. Highlights included 1 Peregrine Falcon in West Meade, 2 Whooping Cranes in Bells Bend, 1 Wilson's Snipe at Poplar Creek, 2 American Woodcock at Bells Bend, 1 Bonaparte's Gull at Radnor Lake, 11 Eastern Screech-Owls (7 at Warner Parks), 4 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 1 Horned Lark and 1 American Pipit at Bells Bend, 8 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 12 Rusty Blackbirds at Bells Bend, 6 Purple Finches, and 23 Pine Siskins. The cranes were on private property. The colored leg bands identify them as birds #1-03 and #8-05 by the International Crane Foundation. These are the same individuals that were observed in the same general area during the 2007 and 2008 Nashville CBCs.

Thank you so much to all who participated. Click on Bird Count Results on the right to see complete results.

Jan Shaw, co-compiler

Pace Point, Britton Ford, Paris Landing State Park

Henry County, Tennessee
2012 December 8

Fourteen birders, including some from Kentucky, joined forces  on the Saturday NTOS field trip with leader Mike Todd to search  the Kentucky Lake area for birds. The air temperature was  warm, and the lake level was as low as I have ever seen it. In most places it looked like the tide was out. While the rain  held off, the extremely cloudy skies resulted in very low light levels, and fog descended at our last stop. There was little wind and the lake surface looked like glass. There were only small  numbers of diving ducks and no geese besides CANADA were found. However, we did find several species of particular interest, the  best of which was a RED-NECKED GREBE, seen from Pace Point. Duck highlights include plenty of COMMON GOLDENEYEs, GREATER SCAUP, HOODED and RED-BREASTED MERGANSERs. In addition to a number of  COMMON LOONs, a probable RED-THROATED LOON was seen, but was too far away for a firm identification. At least a dozen BALD EAGLEs and several groups of AMERICAN WHITE PELICANs were spotted. We had a total of 44 species. We thank Mike Todd for leading the group.

Frank Fekel

NTOS Field Trip Coordinator