Radnor Lake State Natural Area

Nashville-Davidson County, TN
April 17, 2013

Twenty-six birders met today for the second of six spring Radnor Lake walks. The bird sightings started off much slower than last week but picked up towards the end. Twelve species of warblers were seen, with the Yellow-rumped being the most common.

59 Species

Canada Goose 6 Wood Duck 6 Mallard 2 Blue-winged Teal 6 Lesser Scaup 6 Wild Turkey 11 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Great Blue Heron 2 Black Vulture 2 Turkey Vulture 3 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Broad-winged Hawk 1 American Coot 25 Barred Owl 3 Chimney Swift 6 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-headed Woodpecker 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker 10 Downy Woodpecker 3 Northern Flicker 1 Pileated Woodpecker 3 EasternPhoebe 3 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Eastern Kingbird 2 White-eyed Vireo 1 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 Red-eyed Vireo 5 Blue Jay 11 American Crow 2 Barn Swallow 5

Carolina Chickadee 15 Tufted Titmouse 15 White-breasted Nuthatch 3 Carolina Wren 18 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 16 Eastern Bluebird 2 Wood Thrush 1 European Starling 1 Blue-winged Warbler 3 Nashville Warbler 2 Northern Parula 4 Yellow Warbler 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler 22 Black-throated Green Warbler 5 Yellow-throated Warbler 2 Prairie Warbler 1 Palm Warbler 6 Prothonotary Warbler 2 Louisiana Waterthrush 1 Kentucky Warbler 1 Scarlet Tanager 3 Eastern Towhee 1 Field Sparrow 1 White-throated Sparrow 8 Northern Cardinal 24 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Indigo Bunting 1 Brown-headed Cowbird 6 American Goldfinch 24

 

Scott Block

Radnor Lake State Natural Area

Nashville-Davidson County, TN
April 10, 2013

Nineteen birders attended the the NTOS-sponsored walk at Radnor Lake this morning. From the parking lot onward it was busy; so much so that we made it only to the spillway by 9:30 and thus we decided to take the normally-not-taken path down along the creek back towards the Visitor's Center. Several warblers were highlights including a CERULEAN WARBLER seen out in the open flitting around in the branches near the spillway. Also in the spillway ravine was a HOODED WARBLER that moved low and slow, popping into the open several times for us to have great looks. Along side the HOODED was a PRAIRIE WARBLER that was almost as cooperative. A PALM WARBLER caught a large insect after a bit of a chase and then posed for the group. A NORTHERN PARULA sang and flitted overhead on the path leading back to the Visitor's Center. Also by the spillway was an unusually brightly colored singing WHITE-EYED VIREO. A YELLOW-THROATED VIREO was seen earlier along the dam itself. YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS in every imaginable plumage were very abundant. A BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER stayed at almost eye level along the dam, but only for a few warbler seconds. The YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was the least cooperative of all the warblers this morning. He sang, but only a few of us got minimal looks from a great distance.

In the skies overhead was a large group of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS flying north and two NORTHERN HARRIERS, the latter not usually seen at Radnor.

A great first walk for Spring 2013. Below is a list of species observed:

52 species

Canada Goose 3 Wood Duck 5 Mallard 5 Bufflehead 1 Double-crested Cormorant 35 Great Blue Heron 2 Black Vulture 1 Turkey Vulture 2 Northern Harrier 2 Cooper's Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 American Coot 1 Mourning Dove 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker 6 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Downy Woodpecker 4 Pileated Woodpecker 3 Eastern Phoebe 3 White-eyed Vireo 1 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 Blue-headed Vireo 1 Blue Jay 3 American Crow 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2 Barn Swallow 2 Carolina Chickadee 13

Tufted Titmouse 11 White-breasted Nuthatch 4 Carolina Wren 7 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 12 Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 7 Eastern Bluebird 5 Hermit Thrush 1 American Robin 2 Brown Thrasher 1 Hooded Warbler 1 Cerulean Warbler 1 on the spillway seen clearly Northern Parula 3 Palm Warbler 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler 35 Yellow-throated Warbler 1 Prairie Warbler 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 2 Field Sparrow 1 Song Sparrow 1 White-throated Sparrow 8 Dark-eyed Junco 1 Northern Cardinal 10 Red-winged Blackbird 5 Brown-headed Cowbird 6 American Goldfinch 5

Kevin Bowden

Beaman Park and Nature Center
Nashville-Davidson County,TN
Saturday March 30, 2013

Fifteen birders participated in this morning's NTOS-sponsored Field Trip to Beaman Park and Nature Center. Although it was a fairly quiet morning, we did hear four different LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSHES singing. We also observed two EASTERN PHOEBES building a nest along the creek. Another highlight was seeing two GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS. After the hike some of us ventured up to the feeders at the Nature Center where we briefly saw a lone PINE SISKIN, a couple DARK-EYED JUNCOS, several AMERICAN GOLDFINCH and a nearby YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER.

Below is a list of what was present:

Turkey Vulture 1

Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 3
Eastern Phoebe 4
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 1
Carolina Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Brown Creeper 1
Carolina Wren 4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Eastern Bluebird 2
American Robin 1
Louisiana Waterthrush 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 1
Field Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Pine Siskin 1
American Goldfinch 6

Kevin Bowden

Robertson County, TN

Feb. 16, 2013
 

Eight hardy birders joined me yesterday as we explored the fields and farms of Robertson Co. We drove many miles and visited Cedar Hill, Youngville, Cross Plains and Springfield, making a number of stops along the way. One of our best encounters was also one of our first: we caught a glimpse of a Great Horned Owl flying from its roost on Carr Rd. while being harassed by crows. At the same stop we also saw a Red-shouldered Hawk, the first of 5 or 6 that we saw for the day. At Van Hook Rd. we found a nice flock of sparrows, with two Fox Sparrows making brief appearances alongside Field, White-crowned, and Song.

At the big field on W. Dunn Rd. we had good looks at a few Horned Larks (we would go on to see this species at several more stops along the way) as well as a couple of Savannah Sparrows. From there we went to W. Glover Rd. and added Swamp Sparrow to our list. On Mud Cat Rd. we tallied our first Red-headed Woodpecker of the day, and in the process satisfied at least of couple of birders who were especially interested in seeing that species.

Our visit to Carter Rd./Johnson's dairy farm/Cedar Hill Swamp was perhaps our most memorable simply because of the number and proximity of Rusty Blackbirds. We conservatively estimated there to be 100 mixed in with the big flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds, Cowbirds and Grackles, and they were pleasingly close by allowing for good looks. At the swamp we added several more Red-headed Woodpeckers to the total. Our search for Loggerhead Shrikes in the farm's hedgerows came up empty however, and we would go on to miss the species for the day. A drive over to Turns Rd. and Belt Rd. added a dozen or more Horned Larks, but not the American Pipits we'd hoped for, and we struck out on that species for the day as well.

A quick stop at Henry dairy farm (Swann Rd.) gave us a Wilson's Snipe and a short distance away on Simmons Rd. we watched about 40 Yellow-rumped Warblers and a few Cedar Waxwings feasting on cedar berries, a scene that was repeated later at another stop on Homer Worsham Rd. where we also found a couple of Golden-crowned Kinglets in a pine tree.

Our total species count for the day was 56.

Tony Lance

Nashville, Davidson Co. TN

1/1/2013

The Hickory - Priest CBC was held on the traditional date of January 1st. This year it was a cold, foggy, overcast, drizzly and generally yucky day! But 18 birders in 5 parties tallied 93 official species, a good-to-average high number for this count, despite the weather. Highlights included one Amer. White Pelican seen at Old Hickory Lake and one adult male Rufous Hummingbird coming to a feeder in Hendersonville; we tallied 16 duck species, but no unusually high numbers for any, and a few with very low numbers. The 3 common owl species were detected. One swallow was seen but no positive identification could be determined. Observers Joe Stone and Sabin Thompson thought it most likely a N. Rough-winged Swallow. No unusual sparrows were observed, and despite this being a good year for the northern irruptives, only a few Purple Finches and Pine Siskins were found. And we are back to our usual dearth of nuthatches on this count; we tried for a Red-breasted but it was not to be.

Click on Bird Count Results on the right to see complete results.

 

Richard Connors

Hickory - Priest CBC Compiler

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