Radnor Lake State Natural Area
11 April 2012

Nearly 20 birders joined this morning's first of the regularly scheduled Spring 2012 walks at Radnor Lake State Natural Area in sunny but chilly conditions. It was one of those transition days where several RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS entertained us at close range with  NORTHERN PARULAS singing and flitting overhead. Along the creek near the West Parking Lot we all got a great look at a LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, but later the YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS, whose song seems so similar after months of hearing neither species, fooled some of us at first. A pair of WOOD DUCKS, perched about 20 feet off the ground near the trail, explored a large tree cavity. Many LESSER SCAUP were still on the lake as great numbers of NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS perched nearby and flitted over the lake surface.

45 species

Canada Goose  11

Wood Duck  18
Mallard  9
Blue-winged Teal  4
Lesser Scaup  44
Wild Turkey  6
Pied-billed Grebe  14
Great Blue Heron  1
Black Vulture  2
Osprey  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
American Coot  13
Mourning Dove  1
Chimney Swift  16
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  11
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
Downy Woodpecker  4
Pileated Woodpecker  2
Eastern Phoebe  1
Red-eyed Vireo  1
Blue Jay  6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  61
Tree Swallow  2
Barn Swallow  2
Carolina Chickadee  4
Tufted Titmouse  18
White-breasted Nuthatch  4
Carolina Wren  7
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  10
Eastern Bluebird  8
Louisiana Waterthrush  1
Nashville Warbler  1
Northern Parula  8
Yellow-rumped Warbler  15
Yellow-throated Warbler  2
Black-throated Green Warbler  1
Eastern Towhee  1
Field Sparrow  2
White-throated Sparrow  4
Northern Cardinal  15
Red-winged Blackbird  1
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
American Goldfinch  10

Kevin Bowden

Richland Creek Greenway
Nashville
March 31, 2012

Seventeen birders participated in the Nashville Chapter of TOS walk at Richland Creek Greenway in West Nashville. Looking for early migrants, several in our group were fortunate to see perhaps the best bird of the morning, a BROAD-WINGED HAWK on the wing.  Another harbinger of spring was a NORTHERN PARULA,singing along the creek at the 1.5 mile marker.  A single YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER and a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET reminded us that despite the very warm March weather, wintering species are still around.  As we tabulated the birds of the morning, a GREAT BLUE HERON flew by, increasing our total to 41 species found along the greenway on this very enjoyable spring morning.


Mallard
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Parula
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch

Frank Fekel
NTOS Field Trip Coordinator

Duck River Unit, TN NWR

Humphreys County

February 18, 2012

Twenty-five birders, including many young people, descended on the Long St. meeting point in New Johnsonville for the Nashville chapter of TOS field trip to the Tennessee NWR--Duck River Unit in Humphreys County. We first went to the west side of the refuge, where we found hundreds of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTs, several WHITE PELICANs, and 8 species of ducks including a group of 13 CANVASBACKs. We then headed for the main refuge entrance. Driving to the Pintail Blind, we heard and then saw a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER and viewed 5 BALD EAGLEs, both immatures and adults. Returning to the main refuge road, we found a large flock of well over 100 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE.  The partially flooded fields held at least 250 AMERICAN WIGEONs.  Several in the group got to see a red phase SCREECH OWL using a wood duck box.  On our return journey we spotted an adult BALD EAGLE on a nest.  A group of 30 NORTHERN FLICKERs flushed from a field produced an impressive pattern of yellow underwings and white rumps.  In all we found 67 species in the general area of the refuge.

Frank Fekel, NTOS Field Trip Coordinator

Numbers for many species are approximate

Greater White-fronted Goose  131  Extensive flock seen on ground next to the river.

Canada Goose  85

Gadwall  45

American Wigeon  275

American Black Duck 2

Mallard  95

Northern Shoveler  33

Northern Pintail  44

Green-winged Teal  4

Canvasback 13

Ring-necked Duck  55

Lesser Scaup  5

Bufflehead  18

Hooded Merganser  3

Ruddy Duck 3

Wild Turkey about 90 seen in two flocks on drive to reach New Johnsonville

Pied-billed Grebe  2

Horned Grebe 3

Double-crested Cormorant  295

American White Pelican  11

Great Blue Heron  26

Turkey Vulture  1

Bald Eagle  10

Northern Harrier  4

Sharp-shinned Hawk  1

Red-tailed Hawk 3

American Kestrel  2

American Coot  90

Killdeer  26

Wilson's Snipe  9

Bonaparte's Gull  8

Ring-billed Gull 32

Mourning Dove  several off refuge

Eastern Screech-Owl 1

Belted Kingfisher  1

Red-headed Woodpecker  2

Red-bellied Woodpecker  3

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1

Downy Woodpecker  3

Hairy Woodpecker  1

Northern Flicker  32 Large group of flickers flew up from a field. 

Pileated Woodpecker 1

Eastern Phoebe  1

Blue Jay  3

American Crow  25

Carolina Chickadee  5

Tufted Titmouse  1

Brown Creeper  1

Carolina Wren  3

Golden-crowned Kinglet  1

Eastern Bluebird  3

American Robin  3

Northern Mockingbird  1

Yellow-rumped Warbler  3

Eastern Towhee 1

Field Sparrow 2

Savannah Sparrow  25

Song Sparrow  8

Swamp Sparrow  7

White-throated Sparrow 1

Northern Cardinal  1

Red-winged Blackbird 2

Eastern Meadowlark  23

Common Grackle  55

American Goldfinch 3 off refuge

House Sparrow 2 off refuge

J. Percy Priest Lake area

Davidson County
Nashville Tenn. Ornithological Soc. Field Trip
2012 Jan. 21

Saturday morning Jan. 21, was overcast with cool temperatures and increasing winds, but 16 birders braved the conditions and visited six different J. Percy Priest Lake areas, looking for winter species.  The group was rewarded and found over 50 species. At the dam, 11 NORTHERN PINTAILs flew overhead while an adult BALD EAGLE was seen across the way at Nashville Shores.  At Cooks Recreation Area, one of our young birders spotted a flying COMMON GOLDENEYE. At the next stop, Seven Points Recreation area, several birders had a brief view of a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. Later we saw 14 SNOW GEESE arrive on the lake and afterward spotted a RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. The area was well populated with at least 115 HORNED GREBEs. Land birds included BROWN CREEPER, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, and a large flock of EASTERN BLUEBIRDs. After lunch we finished the Merganser trifecta, finding both HOODED and the continuing female COMMON MERGANSER at Couchville Lake.  We missed the MERLIN at Anderson Road Rec. Area, but were rewarded at Hamilton Creek Rec. Area when we saw 7 COMMON GOLDENEYEs and after some patient waiting, were able to identify 3 SURF SCOTERs, one of which was an adult male. A great day of birding warmed the heart, even if the hands were cold. We thank Richard Connors for acting as trip leader.

For some species minimum numbers are estimated.

Snow Goose  14 Seen flying and then landed on the lake

Canada Goose   3
Gadwall  3
Mallard  26
Northern Pintail  11
Surf Scoter   3, 1 adult male  
Bufflehead    11
Common Goldeneye  8
Hooded Merganser  5
Common Merganser  1 female
Red-breasted Merganser  1
Ruddy Duck  1
Wild Turkey   97 in two flocks
Common Loon   54
Pied-billed Grebe   13
Horned Grebe   115
Great Blue Heron  9
Black Vulture   34
Turkey Vulture   1
Bald Eagle   1 adult
Sharp-shinned Hawk   1
Cooper's Hawk    1
Red-tailed Hawk   3
American Coot  137
Killdeer    1
Bonaparte's Gull  29
Ring-billed Gull  65
Mourning Dove   1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker   1
Downy Woodpecker  3
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Blue Jay   1
American Crow   14
Carolina Chickadee  11
Tufted Titmouse   4
Brown Creeper   2
Carolina Wren   3
Golden-crowned Kinglet  10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
Eastern Bluebird  45
American Robin   88
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  22
Yellow-rumped Warbler  21
Swamp Sparrow     1
White-throated Sparrow  2
Dark-eyed Junco   16
Northern Cardinal  5
Red-winged Blackbird  20
American Goldfinch  2

Hickory - Priest CBC

Jan. 1, 2012
Nashville TN

Eighteen people were out in 5 parties, on a very windy but still warmer than usual New Year’s Day. Highlights include: one likely TUNDRA SWAN seen early and briefly by Scott Somershoe at Anderson Rd Rec Area. Other notables include 3 Bald Eagles, 3 Merlins, 1 each  Marsh Wren, Gray Catbird, Orange-crowned Warbler, Lincoln's Sparrow and a  high count on Chipping Sparrow (320+). Duck variety was good with 13 species found. White-breasted Nuthatch (1) has finally become a "regular" on this count. Notable misses include Wood Duck, Wild Turkey, Herring Gull, Great Horned Owl and Brown-headed Cowbird.

Click "Bird Count Results" on the right to view the complete results.

Total Species - 90 
Total Birds - 18292

NTOS Christmas Bird Count

The Nashville CBC was conducted on Saturday, Dec. 17 and totaled 76 species, about average for the count. There was also one Count Week species, 5 Canvasbacks, at Radnor Lake. No unusual species were reported, but there was one Red-breasted Nuthatch which has not been common here this year. Three Bald Eagles were found, 2 adults and 1 immature. There was one late Indigo Bunting at Radnor Lake, an occasional winter species in the Nashville area. Thank you to all who helped with the count, and to Susan Hollyday who provided us with a delicious compilation supper.

Click "Bird Count Results" on the right to view the complete results.

Total Species - 77

Total Birds - 9324

Old Hickory Dam Area

J. Percy Priest Dam Area
Davidson Co., TN
Saturday, 2011 Dec. 10
Clear and very chilly

On Saturday morning, December 10, ten intrepid Tennessee birders, representing several counties in middle Tennessee, converged at Old Hickory Dam in northern Davidson County for the Nashville TOS field trip.  They spent a very chilly morning searching for various winter species.  A walk through the woods next to the dam produced an EASTERN PHOEBE, good numbers of GOLDEN CROWNED KINGLETs, and several BROWN CREEPERs, and FOX SPARROWs, the latter being a life bird for some in the group.  Perhaps the best bird of the morning was a FORSTER'S TERN that circled low over Snow Bunting Peninsula.

Also seen in the area were a nearby COMMON LOON, BONAPARTE'S GULLs, and plenty of HORNED and PIED-BILLED GREBEs.  Duck numbers were rather low with only RUDDY and MALLARDs seen.  Since the morning was still young, as a bonus, we drove to the J. Percy Priest Dam.

While no new species were found on the lake, a drive to the area below the dam produced a lone RUSTY BLACKBIRD that posed in a bare tree for the group.  At the end of the morning the group had found 44 species. 

List of birds found:

Mallard 15

Ruddy Duck  18
Common Loon 11
Pied-billed Grebe  12
Horned Grebe  22
Double-crested Cormorant  1
Great Blue Heron  9
Black Vulture  36
Cooper's Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk  6
American Coot  81
Killdeer  5
Bonaparte's Gull 3
Ring-billed Gull 170
Forster's Tern 1
Mourning Dove  1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Downy Woodpecker  4
Northern Flicker  2
Eastern Phoebe  1
Blue Jay  4
American Crow  5
Carolina Chickadee  8
Tufted Titmouse  4
Brown Creeper  3
Carolina Wren  6
Golden-crowned Kinglet  9
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  5
Eastern Bluebird  14
American Robin  32
Northern Mockingbird  2
Brown Thrasher  1
European Starling  209
Yellow-rumped Warbler  3
Eastern Towhee  2
Field Sparrow  4
Fox Sparrow  3
Song Sparrow  11
Swamp Sparrow  5
White-throated Sparrow  4
Northern Cardinal  8
Rusty Blackbird 1
American Goldfinch  2

Frank Fekel

NTOS Field Trip Leader