Category Archives: Birding

Birding is a popular pastime for many Americans.

Looking for fall migrating birds already underway

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A male Wilson’s warbler perches in some branches. Many species of warbler migrate through the region each fall.

Summer’s waning. Just look at the calendar. We’re already approaching the midway point in August.

Birders track the transitions as one season merges into another, knowing that these are some of the best times to seek out birds. Fall migration doesn’t wait for a page to turn on a calendar. In fact, some birds are already on the move. I thought I’d devote this week’s column to some of the birds I hope to observe this fall as a mass migration draws many of our summer residents south toward warmer wintering grounds. In no particular order, here are some of the birds I’m hoping to see this autumn.

COMMON NIGHTHAWKS

The name common nighthawk is a misnomer. The species is not strictly nocturnal and it is certainly not a hawk. It’s actually a member of the nightjar family, which includes such birds as chuck-will’s-widow and whip-poor-will. The nighthawk doesn’t offer a serenade like these relatives, but it does produce a “pent” call that sounds much like an electric buzzer. It’s often the first indication of one of these birds swooping overhead. Nighthawks form impressive flocks, often numbering in the dozens or even hundreds. They are often active in evening hours, but I’ve seen large flocks of these migrating birds in mid-afternoon. August and September are the best time to look skyward to enjoy the spectacle of a large flock of swooping nighthawks as they pass overhead.

Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
A Common Nighthawk finds a perch for a brief rest.

 

I didn’t host any of these colorful birds this spring, so I hope to get another opportunity this fall. The males in their vibrant black-and-white plumage and namesake breast patch of rosy-red feathers are slightly less colorful in the fall. I’ve actually had better luck in autumn hosting these birds at feeders. They love sunflower seeds, so keep your feeders stocked with their favorite foods to increase your chances. Females and young birds look different than adult males, but the heavy beak (the word “gros” is German for large) is a good indicator of their identity. Bird banders netting this species to document information for science can testify that these birds are also capable of a nasty nip at careless fingers with that stout bill.

Bryan Stevens • A pine warbler visits a suet feeder.

WARBLERS

These birds are undeniably at their most gorgeous during spring migration, but many species of warbler retain colorful plumage into the fall season. Young birds, often in a plumage entirely different than adult birds, are responsible for the term “confusing fall warblers.” I’ll be looking for the species that are harder to locate in the spring, including bay-breasted warbler, Cape May warbler, Blackburnian warbler and Tennessee warbler. I’ll also be hoping for a rarity such as cerulean warbler or mourning warbler. I will be sad when the parade of warblers produces a palm warbler or a yellow-romped warbler. These last two species are a sure sign that fall migration’s coming to a close for another season.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
A Great Egret resting on a spit of land in a lake at Murphy Candler Park in Brookhaven, Ga.

WADING BIRDS

Late summer and early fall can also be a fantastic time for scanning rivers, lakes and farm ponds for wading birds. Hurricanes in recent years have even forcibly relocated American flamingos to Tennessee and other unlikely locations. It’s slightly more reasonable to hope for something unexpected like a wood stork or roseate spoonbill. The more likely candidates for observing in the region are great egrets, tri-colored herons and snowy egrets. It’s also a last chance to view green herons before this small species retreats to warmer locations for the coming winter.

Bryan Stevens • A hermit thrush perches on a fence.

THRUSHES

These medium-sized songbirds are typically brown in plumage, often with spotted white breasts. They’re beautiful singers in spring and summer, but they’ve often cut back on their singing by fall. Nevertheless, they form large migrating flocks that will roam autumn woodlands to rest and refuel during short breaks from migrating. Swainson’s thrush is not difficult to find in the fall. This species is named in honor of 19th century artist and ornithologist William Swainson. Like most birders, I will be hoping for the more difficult species like Bicknell’s thrush and gray-cheeked thrush. Knowing their call notes can help alert you to their presence.

There will be a dazzling diversity of our feathered friends on the move this month. The seasonal phenomenon of migration extends into September and October. Pay attention to the visitors in your yards and gardens.

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Share sightings, ask questions or make comments by emailing me at ahoodedwarbler @aol.com.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • This migrating rose-breasted grosbeaks struck a window and spent some time recovering. Later, the bird flew safely back to a row of trees.

Late summer offers interesting birding opportunities for birders

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Photo by Steven Arnold/Pixabay • A great blue heron attempts to get a handle on a snake in preparation for swallowing its serpentine prey.

A pair of Carolina wrens has taken advantage of what was meant to be the temporary storage of some boxes on the front porch to claim the interior of one of the cardboard containers as a nesting location.

In the latter days of summer, usually a lackluster period for birdwatching, there are still some interesting behaviors or actions on the part of our feathered friends to provide some points of interest.

Wrens already have a reputation for nesting in some unusual locations. My introduction to the Carolina wren took place in my childhood when a pair of these wrens nested in an old apron my grandmother used as a bag for her clothespins. Other unusual locations for wren nests that I have found over the years included the interior of a plastic shopping bag hanging from a nail in my garage and an attempt to nest in the exhaust vent for my clothes dryer. I’ve also seen them nest in hanging flower baskets.

Photo by Jean Potter • A Carolina wren creeps along a fence.

The world’s 88 species of wrens are, for the most part, the quintessential “little brown birds,” but that hasn’t kept them from acquiring some interesting and descriptive common names. Some examples include the tooth-billed wren, flutist wren, riverside wren, whiskered wren, happy wren, musician wren, timberline wren, speckle-breasted wren, white-breasted wood wren and giant wren. The last species on the list resides in Mexico and is indeed a “giant” among a family of tiny birds, reaching a length of almost nine inches and weighing all of 1.8 ounces.

I’ve also been monitoring a great blue heron lurking along the creek that flows past my home. A collapsed foot bridge (thanks to Helene) still spans the creek and provided, at least from the heron’s perspective, a means of concealment from my prying eyes when I stepped onto the front porch. The heron ducked under the bridge and slowly stepped downstream, out of sight and presumably what the bird thought would be out of mind. But I tricked the heron, stepping back inside the house and waiting for It to reappear. I stepped into view again and the heron, instead of taking flight, repeated its earlier actions, skirting beneath the bridge and wading downstream. I could probably have continued this game of peek-a-boo, but I felt that I had imposed on the heron long enough. The bird evidently desired to try its luck fishing upstream beneath a shady overhang of branches from trees growing along the creek banks. I stepped back inside, peeked out a window and watched the heron move in a slow, stately manner, but this time the bird headed up the creek.

All herons are skillful anglers, so I am confident that the bird probably managed to catch an unwary frog or fish. As the tallest heron in North America, the great blue heron boasts a diverse diet. These birds, armed with a dagger-shaped bill, excellent vision and quick reflexed, prey on rodents, amphibians, snakes, fish and even small alligators. Basically, a great blue heron will eat anything it can swallow.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A great blue heron’s quick reflexed and dagger-like bill make it a formidable predator.

Other herons around the world with descriptive names include purple heron, white-bellied heron, black-headed heron, great-billed heron, whistling heron, pied heron and Goliath heron. The latter, as its name suggests, is a giant among herons.

There’s more to report on the birding front. Hummingbird numbers are on the rise again. After the usual summer lull, the resident ruby-throated hummingbirds have raised their profile, visiting daily at feeders as well as blooming flowers. Female hummingbirds have had time to raise their young. In fact, many of the hummingbirds visiting your yards and gardens at this time of year are probably birds born earlier in the season. In a couple of months these young birds will make their inaugural migration across the Gulf of Mexico to reach winter grounds in Central America. Until that time, hang a sugar water feeder, grab a lawn chain and enjoy the hours of no-cost entertainment provided by these feisty, flying gems.

So, although the summer doldrums do make birds scarce at times, just know that they’re still out there. In the meantime, nature offers plenty of other engaing wildlife. During the day, it’s fun to look for butterflies and dragonflies. After dark, there’s always moths and lightning bugs.

Keep in mind, it’s not always the visuals. For instance, the past couple of nights I’ve enjoyed listening to an Eastern screech-owl’s nocturnal serenade with its trembling wailing call that gives this small owl its name.

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Bryan Stevens has been writing about birds and birding since 1995. Email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com to share a sighting, make a comment or ask a question.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A ruby-throated hummingbird visits a feeder for a sip of sugar water.

 

Carter County Summer Bird Count tallies 117 species

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Hans Toom/Pixabay • A couple of Canada warbler got tallied with this year’s Carter County Summer Bird Count.

The Lee and Lois Herndon Chapter of Tennessee Ornithological Society, also known as the Elizabethton Bird Club, held its 32nd annual Carter County Summer Bird Count on Saturday, June 7 with 20 observers in nine parties.

Participants tallied 117 species, which is slightly above the average of 114 species.

Most unusual was a Mississippi kite seen for the first time on one of the chapter’s summer bird count. The kite was seen in the Toll Branch vicinity, according to the count’s longtime compiler Rick Knight. He also indicated that other notable finds included common merganser and red crossbill. In addition, counter found 18 species of warblers.

The list:

Canada goose, 90; wood duck, 8; mallard, 56; and common merganser, 2.

Wild turkey, 13; rock Pigeon, 36; Eurasian collared-dove, 3; mourning dove, 142; yellow-billed cuckoo, 5; chuck-will’s-widow, 4; Eastern whip-poor-will, 8; chimney swift, 55; and ruby-throated hummingbird, 20.

Killdeer, 8; double-crested cormorant, 5; green heron, 2; great blue heron, 10; black vulture, 14; and turkey vulture, 46.

Osprey, 3; sharp-shinned hawk, 1; Cooper’s hawk, 3.

Bald eagle, 2; Mississippi kite, 1; red-shouldered hawk, 4; broad-winged hawk, 5; red-tailed hawk, 14; Eastern screech owl, 3; great horned owl, 1; and barred owl, 1.

Belted kingfisher, 9; red-bellied woodpecker, 18; downy woodpecker, 10; hairy woodpecker, 1; Northern flicker, 24; and pileated woodpecker, 16.

Simard Francois/Pixabay • A great crested flycatcher perches on a horizontal branch.

American kestrel, 2; great crested flycatcher, 8; Eastern kingbird, 16; Eastern wood-pewee, 26; Acadian flycatcher, 23; alder flycatcher, 1; least flycatcher, 9; and Eastern phoebe, 46.

White-eyed vireo, 11; yellow-throated vireo, 1; blue-headed vireo, 20; warbling vireo, 4; red-eyed vireo, 130; blue jay, 104; American crow, 180; fish crow, 4; and common raven, 2.

Carolina chickadee, 57; tufted titmouse, 78; tree swallow, 101; Northern rough-winged swallow, 58; purple martin, 23; barn swallow, 106; and cliff swallow, 127.

Golden-crowned kinglet, 2; cedar waxwing, 69; red-breasted nuthatch, 3; white-breasted nuthatch, 13; blue-gray gnatcatcher, 13; Carolina wren, 78; house wren, 23; and winter wren, 1.

Gray catbird, 34; brown thrasher, 31; Northern mockingbird, 83; European starling, 660; Eastern bluebird, 102; veery, 10; hermit thrush, 1; wood thrush, 35; and American robin, 417.

House sparrow, 27; house finch, 84; red crossbill, 3; pine siskin, 5; American goldfinch, 117; chipping sparrow, 91; field sparrow, 26; dark-eyed junco, 34; song sparrow, 204; and Eastern towhee, 105.

Yellow-breasted chat, 4; Eastern meadowlark, 11; orrchard oriole, 8; Baltimore oriole, 6; red-winged blackbird, 88; brown-headed cowbird, 43; and common grackle, 109.

Ovenbird, 65; worm-eating warbler, 5; Louisiana waterthrush, 15; golden-winged warbler, 3; black-and-white warbler, 34; Swainson’s warbler, 9; common yellowthroat, 19; hooded warbler, 104; American redstart, 24; Northern parula, 65; Blackburnian warbler, 6; Yellow warbler, 9; chestnut-sided warbler, 31; black-throated blue warbler, 33; pine warbler, 3; yellow-throated warbler, 20; black-throated green warbler, 27; and Canada warbler, 2.

Scarlet tanager, 34; Northern cardinal, 160; rose-breasted grosbeak, 7; blue grosbeak, 6; and indigo bunting, 154.

Knight noted that it seems like a few species are often missed on a one-day count. He explained that these misses are usually low-density or localized species. Weather or other circumstances may contribute to these misses, as well.

Several species of herons were found for this year’s Summer  Bird Count, but yell0w crowned night-heron was missed. 

Missed species this year included ruffed grouse, common nighthawk, America woodcock, yellow-crowned night-heron, yellow-bellied sapsucker, brown creeper, Kentucky warbler and magnolia warbler.

The chapter will resume meeting in September for its 2025-2026 calendar year. Meetings are usually held the first Tuesday of each month on the Elizabethton campus of Northeast State Community College. Meetings are accompanied by a program on birds, birding and other nature-related topics and begin at 7 p.m. For details, or to share a sighting, ask a question or make a comment, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

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Bryan Stevens has written about birds and birding since 1995. His weekly “Feathered Friends” column will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year.

Scissor-tailed flycatchers making Jonesborough a summer home

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Photo Courtesy of Lowell Christian • The female scissor-tailed flycatcher in Jonesborough shows the namesake tail feathers and some colorful plumage while in flight.

It’s been a good while since I’ve seen a new life bird to add to my species list.

“Life birds” are simply a new species that a birder has never encountered. Many birders list their “lifers,” which I do in a casual manner. My “lifers” are always documented in my weekly birding column.

I encountered my last life bird back in May 2020 during the pandemic when I observed my first-ever Mississippi Kite at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park in Elizabethton.

Now, after a trip to Jonesborough, I’ve added scissor-tailed flycatcher. It’s a bird that I’ve wanted to see since I began birding back in the 1990s. I figured I’d have to make a trip to Texas or Oklahoma to add this to my list, however. I never imagined seeing this bird so close to home.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • The tail of the scissor-tailed flycatcher makes it difficult to confuse this bird with any other.

I actually saw two birds, a mated pair, tending their nest in Tennessee’s oldest town. The scissor-tailed flycatcher is the official state bird of Oklahoma, where this species would normally be expected.

This is the third consecutive summer season that this flycatcher’s been confirmed in Washington County. This streak of annual sightings started in 2023 when Dan Huffine, a sharp-eyed birder, saw one while baling hay.

A profile of the species on the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency website observes that the scissor-tailed flycatcher has significantly expanded its breeding range in the past several decades and now nests in Tennessee.

The first scissor-tailed flycatcher was reported in the state in 1964, the first nesting attempt was discovered in 1978 and the first successful nest was documented in 1983 in Rutherford County, according to the TWRA website.

I want to thank fellow birder Lowell Christian for providing great directions for finding the parents and their nest. He’s also a fantastic bird photographer. Check out his photos on his Facebook page.

The scissor-tailed flycatcher feeds largely on winged insects, earning its place within the flycatcher family. However, this species will also eat fruit when its available.

Photo Courtesy of Lowell Christian • The female scissor-tailed flycatcher forages in a parking lot.

This flycatcher is placed by experts within the genus Tyrannus, which includes the kingbirds. Other relatives in North America include Eastern kingbird, Western kingbird, tropical kingbird, Couch’s kingbird and Cassin’s kingbird. There’s also a giant kingbird native to Cuba and a loggerhead kingbird that is found throughout the Caribbean and on rare occasions in Florida.

Kingbirds are famous for their pugnacious behavior, not hesitating to attack larger birds such as hawks, vultures and crows in defense of their territory. Scissor-tailed flycatchers are also considered aggressive toward a variety of other birds.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • An Eastern kingbird perches on a fence post.

According to the website All About Birds, scissor-tailed flycatcher numbers declined by about 31% between 1966 and 2014. The estimate comes from statistics gathered by the North American Breeding Bird Survey.

The website also noted that Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 9.5 million scissor-tailed flycatchers, with 92% breeding in the United States, and 50% spending some part of the year in Mexico.

A scissor-tailed flycatcher is unlikely to be confused with any other bird. Adult males are pale gray birds with blackish wings and black tails with white edges. Adults show salmon-pink flanks that extend to underwing patches that are very conspicuous in flight.

As is the case with so many species of birds, males are more colorful than females. The bird’s body is about the size of an American robin, but it looks bigger due to the long tail that gives this species its common name.

The All About Birds website notes that the scissor-tailed flycatcher isn’t always content to stay within its expected range. As I’ve mention on previous occasions in this column, birds have wings and will fly where they wish to fly.

The species tends “to wander widely on their way to and from the wintering grounds, a habit they share with relatives like the fork-tailed flycatcher and tropical kingbirds,” according to a profile of the species on the website.

Scissor-tailed flycatchers may makes appearances almost anywhere in North America, according to the website. I’m delighted to report that evidently also holds true for Northeast Tennessee.

One place that the bird is definitely expected is Oklahoma. Since May 26, 1951, the scissor-tailed flycatcher has been the officially designated Oklahoma state bird.

Jonesborough is known for storytelling, and I hope you agree that these Oklahoma migrants making a new home for themselves and their young in Tennessee’s oldest town is a terrific tale.

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Bryan Stevens has written about birds and birding since 1995. To ask a question, make a comment or share a sighting, email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Bald eagles, always impressive, not an uncommon sight in region

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Photo by Jean Potter • A sighting of a bald eagle in the wild is always a memorable moment for the lucky observer.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July filled with plenty of red, white and blue. For those who ventured onto area lakes and rivers, I’m hopeful that they perhaps got to glimpse the nation’s official bird.

The bald eagle been recognized as the penultimate bird in the United States of America since the latter decades of the 18th century. I’ve seen many bald eagles in my lifetime, and a sighting of one of these magnificent raptors never disappoints. The resurgence of the once-endangered bald eagle in the lower 48 states has been a laudable accomplishment that all Americans should view with pride.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • The Endangered Species Act has helped save birds like the Bald Eagle from possible extinction.

While the recent Independence Day remains fresh in memory, I thought it might be a good time to share some interesting information on our national bird, the American bald eagle, which officially became the national emblem in 1782 when the great seal of the United States was adopted. Although Benjamin Franklin famously expressed reservations about making the bald eagle our national bird, in hindsight it’s clear that Americans made the right choice.

Despite elevating this native bird to such lofty status, we have not always been kind to the bald eagle. We allowed habitat destruction and toxic pesticides to bring this eagle to the brink of extinction. With well-deserved protection, however, the bald eagle rebounded, and the Department of Interior finally took the eagle off the threatened species list on June 28, 2007.

The bald eagle has been more frequently observed by birders in Northeast Tennessee in recent years. Some of the region’s rivers and lakes are good places to look for bald eagles, particularly in the fall and winter. A few lakes even regularly host nesting bald eagles. I’ve observed bald eagles in Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida and Virginia.

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a member of a genus known as Haliaeetus, or sea eagles. There are seven other living species in the genus: the white-bellied sea eagle, Sanford’s sea eagle, African fish eagle, Madagascar fish eagle, Pallas’s fish eagle, white-tailed eagle and Steller’s sea eagle. The eagles are incredibly majestic birds and important symbols of the value of natural places and creatures.

Steller’s sea eagle is named for the German naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller, who is renowned for his work as a pioneer in the natural history of Alaska. The 49th state to join the union is also the stronghold for the bald eagle. On occasion, Steller’s sea eagle has strayed into U.S. territory at Alaskan locations including the Pribilof Islands and Kodiak Island. Steller’s sea eagle is bigger than the bald eagle. In fact, it is the largest member of the Haliaeetus genus of eagles, making this bird one of the largest raptors in the entire world.

Ben Franklin wasn’t enthusiastic about the bald eagle as the national bird, but perhaps, considering he favored the Wild Turkey, it’s best we don’t eat our national bird every Thanksgiving.

The naturalist for which this eagle is named has also been honored by the naming of other creatures, including Steller’s sea lion and the now-extinct Steller’s sea cow, as well as several birds, including Steller’s jay and Steller’s eider. He was the first naturalist to describe several creatures native to Alaska, although two of these, the sea cow (a relative of the manatees) and the spectacled cormorant, are now extinct. The latter, which was the largest cormorant to ever live, is a particularly sad story. These cormorants were basically eaten into extinction, exploited as a food source by sailors and fur traders. The last spectacled cormorants perished around 1850 on a Russian island off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Fortunately, we have proven a little more far-sighted in our treatment of the bald eagle, which was removed from the U.S. government’s list of endangered species on July 12, 1995, and transferred to the list of threatened species. In 2007, bald eagle numbers had rebounded enough in the Lower 48 states to also allow for the bald eagle to be removed from the list of threatened species.

Male and female adult bald eagles have a blackish-brown back and breast; a white head, neck and tail; and yellow feet and bill. Juvenile bald eagles are a mixture of brown and white and reach full maturity in four to five years. The female bald eagle is 35 to 37 inches in length, slightly larger than the male, with a wingspan that ranges from 72 to 90 inches. Bald eagles weigh from 10 to 14 pounds. The bald eagle’s diet consists mostly of fish, some of which are scavenged, but these large raptors are also capable of preying on everything from muskrats and ducks to rabbits and snakes. The bald eagle will also feed on carrion.

More than 240 years after it was declared an official emblem of the United States, the bald eagle has become an instantly recognizable American symbol. Long may the eagles fly.

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Bryan Stevens has written about birds and birding since 1995. To ask a question, make a comment or share a sighting, email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Unicoi County Summer Bird Count finds 107 species

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Ken Silvers • A great blue heron wades in a wetland along Erwin Linear Trail.

The 12th annual Unicoi County Summer Count took place Saturday, June 14, with 15 observers in six parties. Sharp-eyed counters tallied 107 species, which is near the average of 108 species.

Conducted by members of the Elizabethton Bird Club, the survey gives a summer snapshot of the bird life present in the county. The organization also conducts a Carter County Summer Bird Count. I’ll discuss the results of that count in an upcoming column.

Notable sightings, according to count compiler Rick Knight, included black-billed cuckoo, red crossbill, pine siskin, Savannah sparrow and yellow-rumped warbler. The count also found 19 species of warblers.

The list:

Canada goose, 37; mallard, 34; wild turkey, 21; and ruffed grouse, 1.

Rock pigeon, 19; mourning dove, 53; black-billed cuckoo, 1; chuck-will’s-widow. 1; Eastern whip-poor-will, 7; chimney swift, 17; and ruby-throated hummingbird, 8.

Killdeer, 3; green heron, 1; and great blue heron, 4.

Bryan Stevens • A małe downy woodpecker visits a feeder for peanuts.

Black vulture, 3; turkey vulture, 47; red-shouldered hawk, 1; broad-winged hawk, 2; red-tailed hawk, 1; Eastern screech owl, 2; and barred owl, 1.

Belted kingfisher, 3; red-bellied woodpecker, 10; yellow-bellied sapsucker, 3; downy woodpecker, 9; hairy woodpecker, 4; Northern flicker, 6; and pileated woodpecker, 10.

Great crested flycatcher, 6; Eastern kingbird, 6; Eastern wood-pewee, 6; Acadian flycatcher, 52; least flycatcher, 3; and Eastern phoebe, 39.

White-eyed vireo, 1; blue-headed vireo, 25; warbling vireo, 2; red-eyed vireo, 135; blue jay, 48; American crow, 89; fish crow, 3; and common raven, 2.

Carolina chickadee, 37; tufted titmouse, 51; tree swallow, 34; N. rough-winged swallow, 16; purple martin, 16; barn swallow, 46; and cliff swallow, 48.

Golden-crowned kinglet, 1; cedar waxwing, 28; red-breasted nuthatch, 9; white-breasted nuthatch, 9; and blue-gray gnatcatcher, 16.

Jean Potter • A Carolina wren creeps along a fence.

Carolina wren, 50; house wren, 20; and winter wren, 3.

Gray catbird, 15; brown thrasher, 8; Northern mockingbird, 10; European starling, 347; Eastern bluebird, 26; veery, 24; hermit thrush, 5; wood thrush, 46; and Amercian robin, 195.

House sparrow, 17; house finch, 2; red crossbill, 5; pine siskin, 3; and American goldfinch, 37.

Chipping sparrow, 44; field sparrow, 6; dark-eyed junco, 28; Savannah sparrow, 1; song sparrow, 81; and Eastern towhee, 5.

Eastern meadowlark, 5; orchard oriole, 4; Baltimore oriole, 1; red-winged blackbird, 43; brown-headed cowbird, 8; and common grackle, 30.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A male brown-headed cowbird displays the brown head that gives this bird its common name.

Ovenbird, 46; worm-eating warbler, 7; Louisiana waterthrush, 10; black-and-white warbler, 22; Swainson’s warbler, 16; Kentucky warbler, 1; Common yellowthroat, 9; hooded warbler, 52; American redstart, 1; Northern parula, 32; magnolia warbler, 1; Blackburnian warbler, 2; yellow warbler, 1; chestnut-sided warbler, 12; black-throated blue warbler, 29; yellow-rumped, 1; yellow-throated warbler, 21; black-throated green warbler, 40; and Canada warbler, 18.

Scarlet tanager, 16; Northern cardinal, 63; rose-breasted grosbeak, 3; blue grosbeak, 3; and indigo bunting, 64.

Knight noted that some species, as always happens, were missed by counters. These included wood duck, yellow-billed cuckoo, the accipiter hawks, bald eagle, great horned owl, American kestrel, yellow-throated vireo, brown creeper and yellow-breasted chat.

I counted with Chris Soto from the Limestone Cove area to the top of Iron Mountain Gap along Highway 107. This was my first observation of the blow Hurricane Helene dealt Iron Mountain Gap. The scenery at the top of the mountain on the line between North Carolina and Tennessee has been changed radically. So many trees were toppled by the storm’s passage. But the birds appeared unaffected by the changes, with an assortment of warblers, indigo buntings and yellow-bellied sapsuckers.

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Bryan Stevens has written about birds and birding since 1995. To send him a question, make a comment or share a sighting, email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
A young Chipping Sparrow perches on a barbed wire fence at the Bell Cemetery in Limestone Cove.

Cedar waxwings provide entertainment as they feast on mulberries

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Photo by Jack Bulmer/Pixabay • A cedar waxwings strikes a stately pose on a branch.

Spring turned out to be a rainy season in Northeast Tennessee. As we move into the official summer season as of Friday, June 20, summer’s also looking like it might be wetter than usual.

Rainfall hasn’t stopped the rhythms of the seasons. For instance, two mulberry trees at home have produced a bonanza of ripening berries for our fruit-loving feathered friends.

So far, the main beneficiaries of all this bounty has been the local cedar waxwings. These sleek and distinctive birds have a brown and gray silky plumage, a black mask and a perky crest. Some of the wing feathers show red tips. The similarity of these wing tips to melted drops of wax gives these birds the common name of waxwing.

There’s no absolute explanation of the purpose for these waxy tips. Experts have theorized that the colorful wingtips might help attract mates.

Other birds have competed for access to the berries, including American robins, gray catbirds and at least one scarlet tanager.

Cedar waxwings love their fruit. They’re not quite a frugivore, which is a scientific term for animals that depend mostly on raw fruits for sustenance. The website All About Bird recommends planting native trees and shrubs that bear small fruits, including such species as mulberry, dogwood, serviceberry, cedar, juniper, hawthorn and winterberry, to attract cedar waxwings.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A cedar waxwing perches in the upper branches of a tree.

The cedar waxwing has few relatives. Worldwide, there are only two other species: the Bohemian waxwing, of the northern forests of Eurasia and North America; and the Japanese waxwing, found in such northeast Asian countries as Japan, Korea and China.

Although it’s classified as a songbird, the cedar waxwing does’t truly produce a vocalization that anyone would contend qualifies as a song. They are, however, very vocal birds, producing shrill, high-pitched notes as they pass through the upper branches of tall trees.

Early American naturalist and artist John James Audubon painted this pair of cedar waxwings.

As much as the waxwing has a fondness for fruit, it’s also a bird that would have made an excellent flycatcher. Flocks of these birds will often congregate in trees near the edge of a pond, garden or yard — anywhere winged insects might be found in good numbers — in order to hawk insects on the wing. A waxwing will sally forth from a branch, snatch its prey in mid-air, and return to its perch for a quick snack. Dragonflies often feed on mayflies and dragonflies but they will also forage on a wide array of other winged insects.

Waxwings are rather nomadic, coming and going with a maddening unpredictability. They often follow the available sources of food, whether that’s the multitude of flying insects attracted by pond and rivers or a particularly bountiful crop of fruit.

They can form large flocks. I once observed a flock that probably consisted of 100 individuals as they stripped berries in early winter from a holly tree. Adding some comic relief to the scene were two Northern mockingbirds making a futile attempt to disperse the waxwings and thus claim all the berries for themselves. The mockingbirds would chase off a dozen or so birds only for twice that number to descend on the vacated spot in the tree’s branches. It was a losing battle, but I am confident that once they settled down, the mockingbirds managed to enjoy the supply of berries alongside the overwhelming numbers of waxwings.

I’ve enjoyed the friendly flock of waxwings as they’ve feasted on mulberries. The only drawback has been that I am usually observing their antics in late evening when the sun is behind these birds. Fortunately, even a waxwing’s sleek silhouette is still a sight to behold and enjoy.

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To share a sighting, ask a question or make a comment, send me an email to ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A pair of cedar waxwings hawk for insects near a pond.

Regional spring bird count finds 148 species

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • Ruby-throated hummingbirds have settled into a comfortable summer routine throughout the Northeast Tennessee region.

The 82nd consecutive spring bird count was held Saturday, May 3, with 44 observers in 15 parties. The survey tallied 148 species, which is slightly below the recent 30 year average of 150 species. The count is conducted by the Elizabehton Bird Club, which will also conduct two summer counts this month. One of these counts is held in Carter County and the other in Unicoi County.

The spring count is a regional survey that includes all Northeast Tennessee counties: Carter, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington.

Compiler Rick Knight shared some observations. Noteworthy sightings included common merganser, black-billed cuckoo, willow flycatcher, vesper sparrow and bobolink, as well as prothonotary and cerulean warblers. A total of 31 species of warblers made this year’s count. A record number (24) for Swainson’s warbler provided an indication that this species is locally abundant during the nesting season.

The 17 fish crows reported by six parties provided a good example of the local expansion of this species. The 17 common ravens, once not so common in the region, were reported by eight of the count parties.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Young wood ducks share a perch on a submerged log.

The list:

Canada goose, 208; wood duck, 31; blue-winged teal, 2; mallard, 86; and common merganser, 7.

Wild turkey, 16; ruffed grouse, 1; rock pigeon, 92; Eurasian collared-dove, 1; mourning dove, 176; yellow-billed cuckoo, 3; and black-billed cuckoo, 2.

Photo by Hans Toom/Pixabay • A male yellow warbler is aptly named.

Chuck-will’s-widow, 9; Eastern whip-poor-will, 32; Chimney swift, 149; ruby-throated hummingbird, 18.

Killdeer, 32; least sandpiper, 16; pectoral sandpiper; 1; spotted sandpiper, 42; solitary sandpiper, 39; and lesser yellowlegs, 6.

 

Double-crested cormorant 28; green heron 8; great egret, 1; and great blue heron, 50.

Black vulture, 38; turkey vulture, 96; osprey, 4; Cooper’s hawk, 6; bald eagle, 1; red-shouldered hawk, 4; broad-winged hawk, 7; red-tailed hawk, 14; Eastern screech owl, 15; great horned owl, 2; and barred owl, 4;

Belted kingfisher, 15; red-headed woodpecker, 2; red-bellied woodpecker, 68; yellow-bellied sapsucker, 7; downy woodpecker, 33; hairy woodpecker, 6; Northern flicker, 37; and pileated woodpecker, 36.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Downy woodpeckers will visit feeders in any season.

American kestrel, 5; great crested flycatcher, 28; Eastern kingbird, 42; Eastern wood-pewee, 16; Acadian flycatcher, 27; willow flycatcher, 1; least flycatcher, 10; and Eastern phoebe, 64.

White-eyed vireo, 19; yellow-throated vireo, 12; blue-headed vireo, 42; warbling vireo, 10; and red-eyed vireo, 364.

Blue jay, 175; American crow, 218; fish crow, 17; and common raven,17.

Tree swallow, 107; Northern rough-winged swallow, 81; purple martin, 29; barn swallow, 144; and cliff swallow, 482.

Carolina chickadee, 144; tufted titmouse, 189; ruby-crowned kinglet, 1; golden-crowned kinglet, 2; red-breasted nuthatch, 9; and white-breasted nuthatch, 26.

Brown creeper, 6; blue-gray gnatcatcher, 62; Carolina wren, 159; house wren, 39; and winter wren, 1.

Gray catbird, 68; brown thrasher, 43; Northern mockingbird, 97; cedar waxwing, 122; Eurasian starling, 539; Eastern bluebird, 97; veery, 15; Swainson’s thrush, 8; wood thrush, 116; and American robin, 654.

House sparrow, 55; house finch, 78; pine siskin, 7; and American goldfinch, 252.

Chipping sparrow, 139; field sparrow, 34; dark-eyed junco, 48; white-crowned sparrow, 3; white-throated sparrow, 4; vesper sparrow, 1; Savannah sparrow, 4; song sparrow, 287; swamp sparrow, 1; and Eastern towhee, 203.

Early American naturalist and painter John James Audubon painting this scene depicting nesting meadowlarks.

Yellow-breasted chat, 9; bobolink, 6; Eastern meadowlark, 108; orchard oriole, 28; Baltimore oriole, 26; red-winged blackbird, 211; brown-headed cowbird, 65; and common grackle, 195.

Ovenbird, 169; worm-eating warbler, 42; Louisiana waterthrush, 45; Northern waterthrush, 4; golden-winged warbler, 2; blue-winged warbler, 1; black-and-white warbler, 104; prothonotary warbler, 1; Swainson’s warbler, 24; Tennessee warbler, 13; Kentucky warbler, 4; common yellowthroat, 25; hooded warbler, 234; American Redstart 27; Cape May warbler, 14; cerulean warbler, 2; Northern parula, 88; magnolia warbler, 4; bay-breasted warbler, 6; Blackburnian warbler, 16; yellow warbler, 10; chestnut-sided warbler, 32; blackpoll warbler, 6; black-throated blue warbler, 97; palm warbler, 5; pine warbler, 7; yellow-rumped warbler, 17; yellow-throated warbler, 52; prairie warbler, 1; black-throated green warbler, 100; and Canada warbler, 50.

Summer tanager, 2; scarlet tanager, 92; Northern cardinal, 284; Rose-breasted grosbeak, 30; blue grosbeak, 11; indigo bunting, 164; and dickcissel, 1.

I counted with Chris Soto and Brookie and Jean Potter around Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park, on the greenbelt along the Watauga River and on Holston Mountain.

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To share a sighting, make a comment or ask a question, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Photo by Hans Toom/Pixabay • A male Blackburnian warbler looks splendid in the dappled sunlight that appears to make his orange throat patch almost glow.

Noisy killdeer parents have mastered the art of deception

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • A killdeer stands near the edge of a stream.

In last week’s column, I focused on the black-necked stilt, an oddity in the shorebird family that few non-birders would have ever heard of. This week, my focus will be on the killdeer, which is probably the shorebird most people know. Even non-birders have probably encountered this wide ranging bird that resides across much of North America.

While killdeers are considered shorebirds, they are certainly not confined to shorelines but can be found in a variety of habitats from school yards to golf courses to prairies and fields.

About 11 inches in length, the killdeer is brown above and white below with two black bands across the white chest. Males and females look alike.

These birds, despite their common name, are not antagonistic toward deer. The name killdeer refers to the loud, strident vocalization these birds produce when alarmed or disturbed. Early naturalists also noticed the noisy nature of killdeer, giving them names such as chattering plover and noisy plover, according to the website All About Birds.

The female killdeer usually lays up to four eggs on a spot on the bare ground that she may or may not have lined with some grass. Both parents attempt to guard the nest from predators. They are reliably zealous in their duties. In fact, the killdeer is famous for faking a display of injury whenever intruders draw too close. The display is meant to lure potential predators away from the location of the nest.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A killdeer stands sentry duty near its nest in a gravel parking lot.

The predator, thinking the “injured” killdeer will be easy prey, follows the bird away from the nest’s vicinity. Killdeer will also put on the show for humans who venture too close to the nest. They drag their wings in a convincing display of serious injury. Of course, once the ruse has worked, the killdeer miraculously recovers and returns to its nest.

I learned about the killdeer early in life. I had a wise teacher for my first grade year. When a nesting killdeer built its home in the school yard, the teacher turned the discovery of this feathered neighbor into a teaching event.

I remember the bird performing the broken wing display and our teacher patiently explaining the rationale for the bird’s antics. The teacher must have been protective of the bird. I do recall that my fellow students and I were forbidden to approach the nest. Considering the natures of first-grade students, that was probably a smart precaution.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A killdeer stands at the edge of a large pond at Fishery Park in Erwin, Tennessee.

The class followed the progress of the killdeer family as the eggs hatched and the school grounds became the home turf for the pair of killdeers and their young. I don’t recall a conclusion to the story. Since killdeer nest in spring, I suspect that the school year came to an end ahead of the nesting season.

The killdeer is a member of the plover family, which includes shorebirds distinctly different from related sandpipers.

There are more than 60 species of plovers worldwide, with several different species spending at least part of the year in North America. Close relatives of the killdeer include Wilson’s plover, semipalmated plover, snowy plover, mountain plover and the endangered piping plover.

Killdeers utilize some unusual nesting locations, including gravel parking lots and building rooftops covered with gravel or pebbles. Young killdeers can leave the nest site soon after hatching and follow their parents as they forage for food. They look like fuzzy golf balls with toothpick legs.

 

I’ll always remember my first encounters with this large, loud plover while a student at Hampton Elementary School many years ago. Observing that killdeer family no doubt planted the seed that eventually sprouted into my enthusiasm for watching birds. Witnessing the trickery the birds deployed to foil predators — and curious kids — away from their nests remains fresh in the memory.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • The killdeer is a plover, placing it within the family of shorebirds. They are more often found on open fields instead of along coastal shores.

Somewhat more recently, I encountered another fuzzy golf ball at rest on the ground toward the back of Erwin Fishery Park. Thinking the tiny bird was dead, I picked it up for a closer look. Even as I handled the bird, it remained motionless in my hand. When I returned the tiny “body” to the ground, however, the bird performed an amazing resurrection and fled the vicinity as quick at those toothpick legs could carry it.

Numerous people have called or written me throughout the years to report unusual nesting locations used by killdeers. I’ve seen nests in hotel parking lots, local parks and construction sites. As I mentioned earlier, the female killdeer is content to lay her eggs directly on bare soil, although she will occasionally line the nest.

These birds are opportunists. The nest lining often consists of what is most readily available. I once inspected a killdeer nest lined with discarded cigarette butts. I’m hopeful the babies didn’t hatch with instant nicotine addictions.

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Bryan Stevens has written about birds since 1995. Share a sighting, ask a question or make a comment by emailing him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A killdeer covers its egg during a light rain.

Black-necked stilt a gangly member of the windbird clan

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Beto/Pixabay. • A black-necked stilt wades through a wetland area.

I received an email from Brayden Paulk updating me on his new birding adventures since moving to Gulf Shores in Alabama. I wrote a few weeks ago about Brayden and his plans for a Global Big Day of birding.

“I wanted to give you an update on the Big Day,” he wrote, informing me that he has been undergoing a lot of training for a new job and has had lots of 10-plus hour days. But birding has been productive.

“I got down here and I’ve had lots of success,” he wrote. “Where I live there are black-bellied whistling ducks hanging out by the pond, and prothonotary warblers in the swamp behind the apartment,” he said.

Unfortunately, his new job needed him to work on the date of his Big Day.

“So I was not able to do my plans,” he wrote. “However, I did get to go out for a few hours that afternoon to a nearby sod farm. I picked up several good birds, including spotted sandpiper, solitary sandpiper and, most importantly, black-necked stilt.”

Brayden reported that he observed two stilts working the edge of a flooded corner of the field along with dozens of other shorebirds that were too small to identify in low light.

“I was glad that I could do my part to submit one checklist on the Big Day, even if I couldn’t do a 24-hour birding marathon like I had planned,” he added.

He added that his best birding day recently took place two days prior to his planned Global Big Day.

“I got to meet some folks from Alabama Audubon when they came to the Eco Center,” he said. “After the tour, I was invited to go do some sea watching with them at Gulf State Park.”

He noted that the three guys on the impromptu session included Scott Duncan, the director of Alabama Audubon, and two top birders in Baldwin County.

“They were very helpful and wonderful people,” Brayden shared. “While we were out birding, I picked up two lifers: Gull-billed tern and semipalmated sandpiper.”

Bryan Stevens • Black-necked skimmers take flights along the South Carolina coast.

He also reported that they saw lots of other cool coastal birds, such as black skimmer, least tern and osprey.

“The coolest species, though, were two red knots,” he said. “I had only seen them once before, but this was my first time seeing them in breeding plumage. I was very excited to see it, and get two lifers in one day!”

He is also anticipating some future birding.

“My friend Don has a rare shiny cowbird at his house a few miles away from me, as well as Inca doves.”

I enjoyed hearing about Brayden’s sightings of shorebirds, a family of birds also known with a little more creative flair as “wind birds.” They are so named because so many species are capable of incredible long-distance migrations. His success with the black-necked stilts reminded me of how this can be an elusive species for birders.

My last sighting of black-necked stilts took place more than a decade ago in May of 2014 during a South Carolina vacation. I observed three black-necked stilts at Huntington Beach State Park while walking on a marsh boardwalk near the park’s Nature Center. They flew toward the causeway, so I got into my car and drove there to try to re-locate them. I did find two of the stilts feeding along the causeway, but I never managed to re-locate the third bird.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
Two Black-necked Stilts forage along the causeway wetland at Huntington Beach State Park in 2014. 

I watched the two stilts foraging for food in shallow water shared by egrets and alligators. The two birds, despite a somewhat gangly appearance, moved with elegantly efficient strides on their long pink legs.

I have seen this unusual shorebird in Tennessee only once on Oct. 13, 2004, at Austin Springs on Boone Lake in Washington County. The bird, first found by Rick Knight, drew many excited birders to the location for looks at this shorebird before it departed to continue its migration flight south.

As you might imagine, land-locked Tennessee is not an ideal location for finding shorebirds, but spring and fall migration brings a surprising variety of these birds through Northeast Tennessee. Black-necked stilts, however, are a rarity. I have also seen this species of shorebird on Fripp Island, South Carolina, as well as just outside of Wendover, Nevada, on a visit to the Bonneville Salt Flats.

The world of shorebirds has produced many look-alike species, including many of the small sandpipers often collectively labeled as “peeps” by birders. The black-necked stilt, however, is not at all likely to be confused with any other shorebird. It is a slender bird atop a pair of extremely long pink legs. It has a two-tone appearance with black upper parts and white underparts. The black and white dichotomy continues along the bird’s long neck and head. This bird also has a thin, needle-shaped bill that it uses to delicately pluck aquatic insects and other prey from water or mud. The black-necked stilt’s long pink legs are exceptional. In fact, this species has he second-longest legs in proportion to their bodies of any bird, exceeded only by flamingos, according to the website All About Birds.

The black-necked stilt is closely related to the American avocet, another long-legged shorebird. The two species are classified together in the family, recurvirostridae. There’s also a Hawaiian sub-species of the black-necked stilt known as the “aeʻo.”

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To share a sighting, make a comment or ask a question, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.