Radnor Lake State Natural Area
Sep 10, 2014

Slow birding this morning for the first NTOS Wednesday bird walk for this fall, with just 6 species of warblers tallied. Sixteen people enjoyed the breezy conditions, and what birds were around. Our best small flock was in the big timber along the lake trail between the old lake platform and the long bridge. The Wilson's warbler was seen at the point by the spillway.

34 species

Double-crested Cormorant  1 Great Blue Heron  2 Green Heron  1 Turkey Vulture  6 Cooper's Hawk  1 Red-tailed Hawk  1 Chimney Swift  1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2 Red-bellied Woodpecker  4 Downy Woodpecker  4 Pileated Woodpecker  1 Eastern Wood-Pewee  4 Acadian Flycatcher  1 Empidonax sp.  1 Eastern Phoebe  1 White-eyed Vireo  1 Red-eyed Vireo  1 Blue Jay  1

American Crow  8 Carolina Chickadee  8 Tufted Titmouse  2 White-breasted Nuthatch  1 Carolina Wren  10 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  2 Swainson's Thrush  1 American Robin  8 Cedar Waxwing  20 Black-and-white Warbler  1 American Redstart  1 Northern Parula  1 Magnolia Warbler  1 Black-throated Green Warbler  2 Wilson's Warbler  1 Northern Cardinal  6 American Goldfinch  3

Richard Connors

Radnor Lake State Natural Area, Davidson County
Aug. 8, 2014

Despite the humid weather throughout the trip, eleven birders attended today's walk at Radnor Lake. A total of 32 species were observed (list below), and we had several interesting sightings - most notably an early male Black-throated Green Warbler singing pitifully on the Lake Trail just past the construction area where the old platform once was. Our group had wonderful looks at a male Summer Tanager, two noisy Eastern Phoebes (one adult; one juvenile), and four fly-over Double-crested Cormorants on the Spillway as well. Thank you to all who participated, and we hope to see everyone at next month's field trip!

32 species

Wood Duck - 4 Double-crested Cormorant - 4 Great Blue Heron - 2 Green Heron - 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1 Chimney Swift - 3 Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 3 Red-headed Woodpecker - 1 (Heard) Red-bellied Woodpecker - 4 Downy Woodpecker - 3 Pileated Woodpecker - 2 Eastern Wood-Pewee - 6 Eastern Phoebe - 2 Great Crested Flycatcher - 2 empidonax sp. - 1 White-eyed Vireo - 2

Red-eyed Vireo - 1 Blue Jay - 5 American Crow - 3 Purple Martin - 4 Carolina Chickadee - 9 Tufted Titmouse - 11 White-breasted Nuthatch - 6 Carolina Wren - 15 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2 Eastern Bluebird - 11 American Robin - 5 Black-throated Green Warbler - 1 Eastern Towhee - 1 Summer Tanager - 1 Northern Cardinal - 7 American Goldfinch - 6

Chloe Walker - NTOS Field Trip Coordinator

Bowie Nature Park, Fairview
July 12, 2014

It was a wonderful morning for birding at Bowie Nature Park in Fairview, with a total of five birders who saw/heard 43 species. The Red-headed Woodpeckers stole the show today, for we observed eleven, stunning individuals throughout the park. A special surprise was a Willow Flycatcher flycatching in the willow trees near the pond. We enjoyed watching Pine Warblers forage for insects to give to their young, and we got decent looks at a Yellow-throated Warbler in a Sweet Gum. A pair of Hairy Woodpeckers was also a nice treat. Thank you to all who participated in today's walk. A complete checklist can be found below.

43 species

Canada Goose - x Mallard - x Killdeer - 1 Mourning Dove - 2 Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 2 Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 2 Red-headed Woodpecker - 11 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2 Downy Woodpecker - 2 Hairy Woodpecker - 3 Northern Flicker - 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee - 2 Acadian Flycatcher - 2 Willlow Flycatcher - 1 Great Crested Flycatcher - 2 Eastern Phoebe - 1 Eastern Kingbird - 2 Red-eyed Vireo - 1 vireo sp. - 1 Blue Jay - 2 American Crow - 2 Purple Martin - 45+

Carolina Chickadee - 9 Tufted Titmouse - 6 White-breasted Nuthatch - 4 Carolina Wren - 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2 Eastern Bluebird - 1 American Robin - 15 European Starling - 30 Northern Parula - 2 Yellow-throated Warbler - 5 Pine Warbler - 12 Eastern Towhee - 2 Chipping Sparrow - 2 Field Sparrow - 1 Summer Tanager - 2 Northern Cardinal - 7 Indigo Bunting - 1 Common Grackle - 1 Brown-headed Cowbird - 1 House Finch - 1 American Goldfinch - 3

Chloe Walker

Rutherford and Wilson Counties
June 7, 2014

Nine birders showed up for the Rutherford/Wilson county field trip this morning, Saturday June 7th. Fortunately, the morning wasn't too hot and was free of rain showers. The target birds cooperated nicely, several of which were life birds for many of the participants.

We began by taking a brief walk around the Discovery Center Wetlands. This was somewhat successful; we found several muskrats, a raccoon, Wood Duck and Mallard ducklings, and an agitated Green Heron. Next we drove along Florence Road and found two Scissor-tailed Flycatchers at two different locations. After Florence Road we checked the speedway in Wilson county and were happy to find two Lark Sparrows and had wonderful looks at a Cliff Swallow. We moved on to Simmons Bluff Road and found a Red-headed Woodpecker in a stand of trees. At the corner of Simmons Bluff Road and Cedar Forest Road, we were thrilled to see three additional Lark Sparrows, one of which appeared to be a recently-fledged juvenile. Several participants were fortunate enough to see a fly-over Cattle Egret on Cedar Forest Road as well. On Barlow Lane, we had outstanding views of both a Dickcissel and a Grasshopper Sparrow on electrical wires. Finally we checked Middlepoint Landfill and saw a handsome male Blue Grosbeak that was wonderfully colored against the purple Thistle.

A big thanks to Terry Witt for co-leading the trip. Also, thanks to those who joined us on this wonderful outing. A complete checklist can be found below.

67 species

Canada Goose - 15+ (some w/ducklings) Wood Duck - 15+ (some w/ ducklings) Mallard - 15+ (some w/ ducklings) Northern Bobwhite - 3 Wild Turkey - x Great Blue Heron - 4 Green Heron - 1 Black Vulture - 100+ Turkey Vulture - 20+ Red-tailed Hawk - 6 Killdeer - 2 Rock Pigeon - x Mourning Dove - 20+ Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 2 (heard) Chimney Swift - x Belted Kingfisher - 1 Red-headed Woodpecker - 2 (one seen; one heard) Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2 Downy Woodpecker - 1 Northern Flicker - 1 American Kestrel - 3 Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1 (heard) Eastern Phoebe - 3 Great Crested Flycatcher - 1 (heard) Eastern Kingbird - 4 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - 2 Blue Jay - 2 American Crow - 8 White-eyed Vireo - 2 (heard) Yellow-throated Vireo - 1 (heard) Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 20+ Purple Martin - 1 Barn Swallow - 40+ Cliff Swallow - 1

Carolina Chickadee - 2 Tufted Titmouse - 2 Carolina Wren - 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2 Eastern Bluebird - 20+ (one juvenile) American Robin - 20+ Brown Thrasher - 1 (heard) Northern Mockingbird - 6 European Starling - x Kentucky Warbler - 2 (heard) Common Yellowthroat - 3 (heard) Prairie Warbler - 3 (only one seen) Yellow-breasted Chat - 3 (heard) Eastern Towhee - 4 Chipping Sparrow - 5 Field Sparrow - 20+ Lark Sparrow - 5 (four adults; one juvenile) Grasshopper Sparrow - 10+ (one seen) Song Sparrow - 2 Summer Tanager - 2 (heard) Scarlet Tanager - 1 (heard) Northern Cardinal - 11 Blue Grosbeak - 6 (only two seen) Indigo Bunting - 20+ Dickcissel - 10+ (only one seen) Eastern Meadowlark - 20+ Red-winged Blackbird - 10+ Common Grackle - 20+ Brown-headed Cowbird - 10+ Orchard Oriole - 5 House Finch - 9 American Goldfinch - 6 House Sparrow - x

The following pictures were taken by Chloe during the field trip. Lark Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Raccoon.

Chloe Walker - NTOS Field Trip Coordinator

Nashville Area
May 21, 2014

The Nashville Spring Bird Count was held on May 10 and totaled 145 species, eleven fewer than last year, and lower than normal. For several days leading up to the count, there were warm, sunny days with south winds, contributing to fewer transient migrants in our area. After a little rain in the morning, the day turned pleasant. Some of the highlights included 28 Northern Bobwhites, 3 Common Loons, 7 Great Egrets, 2 Osprey, 1 Caspian Tern, 6 Red-headed Woodpeckers, 1 Alder Flycatcher, 2 Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, 1 American Pipit, 31 warbler species, 24 Savannah Sparrows, 7 Grasshopper Sparrows, 2 Lincoln's Sparrows, 24 Dickcissels, and 7 Bobolinks.

To view a detailed list of species seen go to the Bird Count Results page (link on the right side of this page).

Jan Shaw co-compiler

Bark Camp Barrens WMS
Coffee County
May 17, 2014

Susan McWhirter led ten birders around Bark Camp Barrens WMA this morning, and it resulted in an interesting (for lack of a better word!) trip. The weather was abnormally cool for May - around 50 F with a slight drizzle, strengthening near the end of the trip. It was slow-going at first, but things sped up when we found three Loggerhead Shrikes - two adults and one juvenile. (There might have been four, but they were darting around as quick as warblers!) These were observed on the electrical wire that runs behind the barn on Warren Road. We walked around the fields a bit and flushed a pair of Northern Bobwhites and got great looks at a calling male Blue Grosbeak. Near one of the plowed areas we found a couple of late Savannah Sparrows. As we were walking along the pine stand in the recently-burned field (the field that can be accessed from the sod farm), we finally heard a Henslow's Sparrow! The bird was on the opposite side of the tree line, so we climbed through the barbed wire fence to get some looks at him. It didn't take long to find him; he was perched next to some bright yellow flowers throwing back his head every now and then to give his "tsi-lick". A complete list of species can be found below. A big thanks to Susan for leading us out here!

35 species

Northern Bobwhite - 2 Wild Turkey - 3 Red-tailed Hawk - 2 Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 Great Crested Flycatcher - 2 Eastern Kingbird - 3 Loggerhead Shrike - 3 White-eyed Vireo - 1 Blue Jay - 2 American Crow - 1 Barn Swallow - 3 Tufted Titmouse - 1 Carolina Wren - 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 1 Brown Thrasher - 2 Northern Mockingbird - 1

Common Yellowthroat - 7 Yellow-throated Warbler - 2 Prairie Warbler - 2 Black-throated Green Warbler - 1 Yellow-breasted Chat - 6 Eastern Towhee - 6 Field Sparrow - 11 Savannah Sparrow - 2 Henslow's Sparrow - 1 Summer Tanager - 2 Scarlet Tanager - 1 Northern Cardinal - 1 Blue Grosbeak - 4 Indigo Bunting - 7 Red-winged Blackbird - 3 Eastern Meadowlark - 8 Brown-headed Cowbird - 2

Chloe Walker - NTOS Field Trip Coordinator

Radnor Lake State Natural Area
May 14, 2014

Four birders bravely ventured to Radnor Lake for the fifth of the 2014 NTOS-sponsored Spring Radnor Walks. Most of the birds were tucked in their beds keeping dry, but we did have a few highlights including a briefly seen (yet very vocal!) Barred Owl in the West parking lot, several Swainson's Thrushes, a Veery, and one Wood Thrush in various locations along the Lake Trail, and a Northern Waterthrush bobbing in a honeysuckle bush on Otter Creek Road. A complete list of species is below.


47 Species

Canada Goose - 4 Wood Duck - 11 American Black Duck - 1 Double-crested Cormorant - 1 Great Blue Heron - 2 American Coot -1 Barred Owl - 1 Chimney Swift - 3 Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker - 5 Downy Woodpecker - 4 Hairy Woodpecker - 1 Northern Flicker - 2 Pileated Woodpecker - 4 Eastern Wood-Pewee - 5 Acadian Flycatcher - 4 Great Crested Flycatcher - 3 Eastern Kingbird - 2 White-eyed Vireo - 2 Red-eyed Vireo - 3 Blue Jay - 2 American Crow - 3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 4 Barn Swallow - 2

Carolina Chickadee - 6 Tufted Titmouse - 5 White-breasted Nuthatch - 2 Carolina Wren - 13 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2 Veery - 1 Swainson's Thrush - 4 Wood Thrush - 1 Louisiana Waterthrush - 1 Northern Waterthrush - 2 Prothonotary Warbler - 2 Tennessee Warbler - 1 American Redstart - 1 Northern Parula - 2 Bay-breasted Warbler - 1 Yellow-throated Warbler - 1 Summer Tanager -6 Scarlet Tanager - 1 Northern Cardinal - 17 Indigo Bunting - 1 Red-winged Blackbird - 2 Brown-headed Cowbird - 4 American Goldfinch - 2

Chloe Walker