Rutherford and Wilson Counties
May 21, 2016

The Nashville chapter of TOS hosted a field trip to include Rutherford and Wilson county birds. The weather was pleasant  with temps near 65 degrees, and though the skies darkened a couple of times most of the day was partly sunny. Chloe Walker led the group of eight birders. We began at the Discovery Wetlands, moved on to Lyle Creek Road both in Murfreesboro,  Rutherford County, Tn. Then, we moved on to Alsup Mill Road,  Spain Hill, Cedar Forrest Road, and the Nashville Speedway in Wilson County.

On Cedar Forrest Road, we met other birders from the Lebanon chapter of TOS. They were looking at the Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, and from there would move to the end of the road for the Loggerhead Shrikes.

Wildflowers found along the way were, Poison Hemlock, Yellow Goatsbeard (Oyster plant), Prairie Golden Aster, Glade Bluet, Great-blue Lobelia, and Drumhead (Crossleaf Milkwort).

Our list of birds is below.

Canada Goose - 6 Mallard - 7 Wood Duck - 6 Double-crested Cormorant - 1 Great Blue Heron - 1 Wild Turkey - 2 Northern Bobwhite - 1 Black Vulture - 9 Turkey Vulture - 2 Red-tailed Hawk - 3 Cooper's Hawk - 2 Mourning Dove - 11 Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1 Chimney Swift - 4 Downy Woodpecker - 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 American Kestrel - 2 Great Crested Flycatcher - 3 Eastern Kingbird - 7 Eastern Wood-Pewee - 2 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - 4 Eastern Phoebe - 5 Loggerhead Shrike - 4 Red-eyed Vireo - 1 White-eyed Vireo - 2 Blue Jay - 3 American Crow - 4 Barn Swallow - 11 Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 3 Carolina Chickadee - 1 Tufted Titmouse - 4 Carolina Wren - 3

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 3 Swainson's Thrush - 1 Eastern Bluebird - 3 American Robin - 5 Northern Mockingbird - 13 Brown Thrasher - 3 Gray Catbird - 3 Cedar Waxwing - 32 European Starling - 28 Yellow Warbler - 1 Magnolia Warbler - 1 Canada Warbler - 1 Common Yellowthroat - 4 Northern Parula - 1 Prairie Warbler - 2 Grasshopper Sparrow - 5 Field Sparrow - 5 Chipping Sparrow - 1 Lark Sparrow - 3 plus at least 4 young Eastern Towhee - 5 Northern Cardinal - 5 Dickcissel - 3 Indigo Bunting - 10 Blue Grosbeak - 4 Eastern Meadowlark - 6 Red-winged Blackbird - 16 Common Grackle - 15 Brown-headed Cowbird - 3 Orchard Oriole - 3 House Finch - 1 American Goldfinch - 2

Thanks to all who came to share the fun.

Tarcila Fox

NTOS 2016 Spring Count
Nashville Area
April 30, 2016


The Nashville Spring Count was held on April 30 and included parts of Davidson, Cheatham, Williamson, Rutherford, and Wilson counties. Thirty-seven observers in 13 parties totaled 161 species, which was 11 more than last year. It was a day of intermittent rain and an unusually high number of shorebirds with 13 species represented. The Snow Bunting Peninsula area of Old Hickory Lake produced 1 Black-bellied Plover, 1 Semipalmated Plover, 30 American Avocets, 330 Willets, 1 Franklin's Gull, and 1 Forster's Tern. The Percy Priest route which takes in Rutherford and Wilson counties had 2 Caspian Terns, 2 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, 1 Loggerhead Shrike, 2 Lark Sparrows, 10 Grasshopper Sparrows, 2 Dickcissels, 1 Bobolink, and 30 Pine Siskins. Other highlights included 1 Cattle Egret and 1 Snowy Egret at Shelby Bottoms, 5 Ospreys (4 at Cheatham County), 7 Bank Swallows at Harpeth East, 31 warbler species with Tennessee Warbler being the most abundant with 84, 12 Savannah Sparrows (11 at Shelby and 1 at Cheatham), and 1 LIncoln's Sparrow at Owls Hill. To view a detailed list go to the Bird Count Results page (link in the right side menu).


Jan Shaw

Radnor Lake State Natural Area
Nashville-Davidson Co. TN
May 11, 2016

Approximately 20 birders turned out for the final Wednesday Walk at Radnor Lake this morning. Overall it was an excellent day both in species count and in overall numbers. The convenient weather we had come through last night probably had something to do with that. 88 Species were seen and a couple of our warbler counts tripped the eBird count filter (which is always my goal ;-) ). The day started a little earlier for me (around 6:30am) personally as the third warbler species I had of the morning was a CONNECTICUT Warbler- just off to the right barely 50 ft into the first trail from the west parking lot. Unfortunately, by the time others arrived we could not hear or see it again. At 7:30 after the group skulked around looking for the Connecticut, we went up the paved road and over the dam, spillway, and eventually to Grassy Point. The highlights of the day were definitely the 8 (at least) BLACKBURNIAN Warblers, which I believe most of the group got stunning elongated views of, a single GOLDEN-WINGED Warbler spotted by Jan Shaw, a  WILSON's warbler, 3 CANADA Warblers, 15+ BAY-BREASTED Warblers, 8(ish) CHESTNUST SIDED Warblers, 12ish BLACKPOLL and BLACK-THROATED GREEN Warblers. Overall 25 species of Warbler were counted. Other highlights were all the expected thrush species and great views at more Philadelphia Vireos. Full list below. Great way to end the Radnor Wednesday season!

NOTE: Full species list compiled from group sightings as well multiple individual sightings.

88 species

Canada Goose  9 Wood Duck 6 Wild Turkey 2 Double-crested Cormorant 1 Great Blue Heron 2 Black Vulture 1 Turkey Vulture 6 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Spotted Sandpiper 1 Mourning Dove 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 3 Barred Owl 1 Chimney Swift 4 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Downy Woodpecker 10 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Pileated Woodpecker 2 Peregrine Falcon 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 8 Acadian Flycatcher 9 Least Flycatcher 1 Eastern Phoebe 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Eastern Kingbird 2 White-eyed Vireo 1 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 Philadelphia Vireo 4 Red-eyed Vireo 15 Blue Jay 6 American Crow X Northern Rough-winged Swallow 4 Barn Swallow 8 Carolina Chickadee X Tufted Titmouse X White-breasted Nuthatch 4 Carolina Wren 10 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher X Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Eastern Bluebird 2 Veery 1

Gray-cheeked Thrush 1 Swainson's Thrush 10 Wood Thrush 6 American Robin 2 Northern Mockingbird 1 Cedar Waxwing X Ovenbird 1 Louisiana Waterthrush 3 Northern Waterthrush 2 Golden-winged Warbler 1 Black-and-white Warbler 2 Prothonotary Warbler 1 Tennessee Warbler 2 Connecticut Warbler 1 Kentucky Warbler 2 Hooded Warbler 2 American Redstart 5 Cape May Warbler 1 Northern Parula 4 Magnolia Warbler 10 Bay-breasted Warbler 15 Blackburnian Warbler 8 Yellow Warbler 2 Chestnut-sided Warbler 8 Blackpoll Warbler 12 Palm Warbler 3 Yellow-rumped Warbler 6 Yellow-throated Warbler 2 Black-throated Green Warbler 12 Canada Warbler 3 Wilson's Warbler 1 Field Sparrow 2 White-throated Sparrow 3 Summer Tanager 4 Scarlet Tanager 1 Northern Cardinal X Rose-breasted Grosbeak 4 Indigo Bunting 1 Red-winged Blackbird 2 Common Grackle 2 Brown-headed Cowbird 3 Orchard Oriole 1 House Finch 2 American Goldfinch X

Joshua Stevenson

Radnor Lake State Natural Area
Nashville-Davidson Co. TN
May 4, 2016

Thirty birders joined today's Wednesday Walk sponsored by the Nashville TOS chapter. With 61 species observed, it was an active day- but it was truly the Philadelphia Story with 5 PHILADELPHIA VIREOS total. Three very cooperative Philadelphia Vireos entertained the group near the Spillway by the House. At one point all three could be observed perched although they would also chase and pursue one another, always within a tight area, making it easy to keep tabs on them. Further down the Lake Trail, 2 more of this species were seen. Consensus was these were not the same individuals seen earlier.

Eighteen warbler species were observed. One male BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER was reasonably cooperative, but could have taken lessons from a slow moving eye-level BAY-BREASTED WARBLER. However, the best warbler observation had to go to a pair of PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS that could be seen entering and exiting a nest as they flew in, food in bills, coming out empty-billed. The nest hole itself discretely faces the lake. It was in this general area we saw and heard a brilliant male BALTIMORE ORIOLE.

Thanks to all who participated in today's walk adding their observation skills and to Pam Lasley who graciously kept the check list for the group.

61 species

Canada Goose  10 Wood Duck  2 Double-crested Cormorant  2 Black Vulture  3 Turkey Vulture  2 Cooper's Hawk  1 Broad-winged Hawk  1 Red-tailed Hawk  1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo  1 Barred Owl  2 Chimney Swift  15 Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2 Belted Kingfisher  1 Red-bellied Woodpecker  7 Downy Woodpecker  4 Pileated Woodpecker  3 Eastern Wood-Pewee  5 Acadian Flycatcher  2 Eastern Phoebe  1 Great Crested Flycatcher  1 Eastern Kingbird  1 Philadelphia Vireo  5   Red-eyed Vireo  8 Blue Jay  3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow  15 Barn Swallow  2 Carolina Chickadee  7 Tufted Titmouse  8 White-breasted Nuthatch  1 Carolina Wren  6 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  9

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2 Swainson's Thrush  5 Wood Thrush  1 American Robin  1 Cedar Waxwing  5 Louisiana Waterthrush  2 Black-and-white Warbler  2 Prothonotary Warbler  3 Tennessee Warbler  16 Common Yellowthroat  1 American Redstart  1 Northern Parula  1 Magnolia Warbler  1 Bay-breasted Warbler  1 Blackburnian Warbler  2 Yellow Warbler  3 Chestnut-sided Warbler  2 Blackpoll Warbler  3 Palm Warbler  2 Yellow-rumped Warbler  12 Yellow-throated Warbler  1 Black-throated Green Warbler  4 Yellow-breasted Chat  1 Summer Tanager  6 Scarlet Tanager  6 Northern Cardinal  8 Red-winged Blackbird  3 Brown-headed Cowbird  3 Baltimore Oriole  1 American Goldfinch  5

Kevin Bowden