[TN-Bird] A Magical Day / 30 warbler species
- From: Chris Sloan <chris.sloan@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: TN-Bird Listserv <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 22:03:32 -0500
If you spend enough time in the field, every so often you have one of
those days where the action seems to be non-stop and something cool
seems to be around every corner. Today was one of those days for me; it
ranks as one of my most enjoyable days ever in the field in Tennessee.
I covered Radnor Lake (Davidson Co.), Gallatin Steam Plant (Sumner Co.),
and Old Hickory Lake (Sumner and Davidson) for the Nashville Area Spring
Count. After just over 12 hours in the field, I recorded 129 species.
Considering some of the common species I missed, 140 was easily within
reach. I'm not quite tired, but very happy.
Here are some of my highlights, in no particular order:
- 30 species of warbler in one day. In Tennessee, 30 species always
seems tantalizingly possible in the peak of migration, but it's tough to
actually get there. From my 25 or so years of birding, today was only
the 3rd time that I can remember finding 30 species of warbler in one
day. Counting yesterday at Beaman Park, I had 31 for the weekend. It's
also worth nothing that these were, by and large, not ones and twos;
there were significant numbers of many species. When I found the 30th
species (a Pine Warbler at a regular spot at the steam plant), it was a
special moment for me.
- I started off the day at 6:30 AM at Sharon Monroe's house near Radnor
to check and see if her Pine Siskins were still there. They were (17 of
them), and the cacophony of siskin song mixed with goldfinch song mixed
with everything else in her yard was something to behold; it was
borderline deafening. Her front yard was chock full of birds; in less
than 30 minutes I had nearly 40 species of birds including 8 warblers,
highlighted by a Cape May chasing a Bay-breasted. If I hadn't had to
meet the rest of my group at 7:00, I might have spent two hours there.
That was my first clue that it was going to be a good day.
- 2 singing Orange-crowned Warblers and a singing Cerulean that gave my
two helpers their lifer looks.
- all five regular vireos seen well
- Gallatin Steam Plant actually had decent shorebird habitat for the
first time in about 15 years. I am used to going up there and finding
maybe 8-10 birds of 2-3 species if I'm lucky. Today I had 200+ birds of
9 species, including a cracking Dunlin in full breeding regalia. Also a
White-rumped Sandpiper and an interesting small peep that I'm still
contemplating.
- Finding a Warbling Vireo nest entirely by accident; I was looking for
the singing vireo (for no particular reason, since we had seen several
earlier), and I got frustrated and just put the binoculars up to search
and just landed them right on the nest. Like I said, magic.
- Finding a Snowy Egret in the heronry at Drake's Creek on Old Hickory
Lake. I found a couple of Snowy's further upriver last summer, but this
is the first evidence of breeding in the large heronry.
- A beautiful breeding plumaged Common Loon (along with 4 second summer
birds).
- A field near Old Hickory Lake that was absolutely full of Bobolinks;
there are few songs I find more charming than this one, especially in
numbers. It was impossible to count them, but every time I scanned the
field I saw more or different Bobolink heads sticking up out of the
weeds. This field has had Dickcissels the last couple of years (today
also), but this was the first time I have ever seen Bobolinks in
Davidson County.
- An Osprey scavenging - I watched it drop down and pick up a rotten
fish (ribs were sticking out) and carry it off. Desperate times, I guess.
- An unexpected Ruddy Duck at Old Hickory Lake.
I love days like this. It's not always just about the lifers.
happily yours,
--
Chris Sloan
Nashville, TN
My photos: http://csloan.smugmug.com
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