Tag Archives: Spring migration

Some birds make us shift focus from the showy to the subtle

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USFWS • Male summer tanagers are a rosy-red bird that pale somewhat in comparison to male scarlet tanagers.

Many of our summer birds have already returned for another nesting season. In the past week or so I have welcomed back chimney swift, common yellowthroat and red-eyed vireo.

I’m still receiving hummingbird arrival reports. April Kerns Fain had her first hummingbird of the year on April 13 at her home in Unicoi.
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Tom Brake in Abingdon, Virginia, reported his first hummingbird on April 16.
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Phyllis Moore in Bristol, Virginia, noted that her first spring hummingbird sighting involved two of these birds returning to her home.
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Anita Clemmer in Boone, North Carolina, saw her first spring hummingbird on April 17.
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Pam Seely saw her first hummingbirds of spring on April 18 at her home near The Laurels.
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Sue Schreiner saw her first hummingbird of spring on April 19 at her Bluff City home.

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Amy Tipton in Erwin reported her first spring hummingbird on at 7:30 p.m. on April 21.

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Spring is a great time to enjoy some truly vibrant birds that catch the eye, including scarlet tanager, Baltimore oriole, chipping sparrow, rose-breasted grosbeak, indigo bunting and more. Of course, some of our summer birds keep a low profile. Without showy feathers, they are more than able to fade into the background. They’re worth seeking out, but they do lack the “wow” factor of some of their more spectacular kin.

Here’s are some profiles on a handful of birds that live in the shadows of some much better-known relatives.

USFWS • The warbling vireo is a “plain Jane” among the region’s birds.

Warbling Vireo
The warbling vireo is one of the true “Plain Janes” of the world of birds. In the vireo family, which is known mostly for species that are largely “little green birds,” the warbling vireo lacks even that color. These are small, plain birds with gray-olive upperparts and white underparts occasionally tinged with faint yellow. They have a mild face pattern with a whitish stripe over the eye. It would never be described as colorful. They remain high in the treetops foraging for caterpillars and other prey. This habit makes observation of this bird difficult. Compared to the red-eyed vireo, blue-headed vireo and white-eyed vireo, it’s easy to see why the warbling vireo is named for its song, not its appearance.

Summer tanager
If not for the fact that the related scarlet tanager boasts an appearance that screams tropical beauty, this is a bird that cannot fairly be described as subdued in appearance. But male summer tanagers have a rosy-red plumage and lack the brilliant crimson feathers of the male scarlet tanager. Females of both species are dull birds with yellow-green plumage. These birds are more common in the southeastern United States. They’re not rare, but it isn’t easy to see them due to their tendency to remain in the upper branches of tall trees, especially oaks.

USFWS • The orchard oriole is the smallest member of the oriole family. This species is also notably less showy than some relatives.

Orchard oriole
The Baltimore oriole is an unmistakable bird. The bright orange and black plumage of the male reminded early North American settlers of the livery colors of Cecil Calvert, or Lord Baltimore, an important founder of Maryland and the namesake of the Baltimore oriole. The smaller orchard oriole is a charming bird, but its burnt orange and black plumage lacks the intensity of its better-known relative. The smallest of the orioles, it is outclassed in that regard by its more showy relatives, which include Bullock’s oriole, hooded oriole and Altimara oriole. The orchard oriole can be tempted to feeders that offer sugar water, orange slices or grape jelly, as can many other oriole species.

Ryan Dziedzic USFWS • Great crested flycatcher perches on a branch. Despite a grandiose name, this bird is not particularly showy, but it’s definitely an interesting species.

Great crested flycatcher
The largest family of birds, the tyrant flycatchers, consists of about 400 species. Most are drab birds in appearance, but some stand out. The great kiskadee, scissor-tailed flycatcher and vermilion flycatcher offer some “oomph” to a family of birds with plumages dominated by gray, black and white. In appearance, the great crested flycatcher has a shaggy brown crest and yellow and warm brown coloration in its plumage. It’s mostly the expectations of a name like great crested flycatcher that tends to fall flat when people see this attractive but not showy bird. This bird is different than other flycatchers in one respect – a cavity-nester, pairs of great crested flycatchers claim tree cavities or nesting boxes when it comes time build a nest and raise young.

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

Ruby-throated hummingbirds return to region

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By George/Pixabay • A ruby-throated hummingbird sips sugar water from a feeder.

The hummingbirds are back, although they’ve been slightly late returning this spring. My first report of a sighting came from southwest Virginia this year.

Bobby Andis reported an arriving ruby-throated hummingbird on April 9 in Abingdon, Virginia.

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Edison and Emma Jean Wallin saw their first spring hummingbird at 6:10 p.m. on April 11 at their home in Unicoi. Their daughter, Amy Tipton, reported their sighting to me via Facebook messenger. Amy, like me, is still waiting for her first spring hummingbird.

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Lynda Carter emailed me to share her first spring sighting of a male ruby-throated hummingbird at her feeder at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, April 11. She said that she lives near the end of the Embreeville Mountain in the Lamar community in Washington County.

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Brookie and Jean Potter welcomed their first spring hummingbird at 7:40 p.m. on April 11. The Potters live near Wilbur Lake in Elizabethton.

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Michele Sparks • The photographer got a quick shot of the first spring hummingbird at her feeder in Bluff City.

Michele Sparks had her first spring hummingbird arrive at 6 p.m. on April 13 at her home in Bluff City. Michele shared a photograph of the visiting hummingbird and noted that this year’s bird beat last year’s arrival date by two days.

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Joe McGuiness saw his first spring hummingbird on April 15 in Erwin.

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After feeling twinges of impatience with their expected arrival, I finally saw my first ruby-throated hummingbird at 7 p.m. on April 16. I had stepped onto my front porch and within seconds heard the familiar buzz of hummingbird wings. Some careful observation detected the tiny bird weaving in and out of the branches of a nearby shrub. After some more waiting, the bird flew to one of my feeders for a quick drink of sugar water.

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Dianne Draper in Jonesborough saw her first spring hummingbird on April 17.

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Every hummingbird’s arrival at our homes after an absence of nearly six months is nothing short of a miraculous achievement on the part of this tiny bird. According to the website hummingbird.net, most ruby-throated hummingbirds make a daring journey across the Gulf of Mexico to return to their summer homes in the United States and Canada. They typically depart at dusk for their nonstop Gulf flight of up to 500 miles, which takes 18 to 22 hours, depending on the weather.

Now that we’ve welcomed them back into our yards and gardens after such a harrowing journey, it’s important as good hosts to make sure these tiny wonders are kept safe.

Plant flowers! Many people have been told that red flowers are best, but the fact is hummingbirds sip nectar from a variety of blooms in all sorts of colors. The benefit of flowers is that nothing beats natural, and flower nectar is about as good as natural gets.

Some ways of ensuring that our hummingbird guests are kept healthy and secure are simply common sense. For instance, don’t use pesticides, herbicides or any other sort of toxin anywhere close to the vicinity of a sugar water feeder or a flower garden. Hummingbirds are such tiny creatures with such intense metabolisms that it only takes a minute amount of any harmful substance to sicken or kill one of these little flying gems.

Feeding hummingbirds is easy, but many people try to complicate the process. Only common, pure cane sugar, mixed to a ratio of four parts water to one part sugar, is a safe choice for these birds.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Put sugar water feeders out early to attract the “early birds.”

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Rich Hall emailed me, not about a hummingbird, but about another exciting sighting.

On the morning of April 13, he saw two yellow-headed blackbirds. “I live in Goodlettsville, outside of Nashville,” he wrote. “Do you ever hear reports of them coming over this way?”

I emailed him back and let Rich know that the yellow-headed blackbird is considered a rare to uncommon visitor to the Volunteer State, but they do surface occasionally. The species often mingles with flocks that also include red-winged blackbirds and brown-headed cowbirds. Yellow-headed blackbirds are slightly more likely to travel through Middle and West Tennessee than in East Tennessee, but there have been reports from every section of the state. I saw a lone yellow-headed blackbird several years ago in Jonesborough. A town resident alerted the birding community to the bird’s presence.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • This yellow-headed blackbird mingled with flocks of brown-headed cowbirds and European starlings at a cattle pasture near Jonesborough, Tennessee in February of 2018.. The bird, the first of its kind seen in Northeast Tennessee since 1994, has generated excitement among birders. Some people have traveled from as far as Knoxville, Tennessee, and Roanoke, Virginia, to see the bird.

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

Cliff swallows have returned to nest beneath new bridge

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Carole/Pixabay • Cliff swallows traditionally built their mud nests on the sides of cliffs but in recent times they have adapted to nesting beneath bridges and other man-made structures.

From Washington County comes another Helene recovery story, this time of the feathered variety.

When raging floodwaters rushed through the Nolichucky River in September 2024, many area bridges got swept away, including the Taylor Bridge in Washington County.

In this instance, the loss of the bridge also left hundreds of cliff swallows homeless. In 2024, these birds had already departed the region. Not until they returned in the spring of 2025 did the resident cliff swallows discover that their dependable nesting location beneath the bridge had been claimed by floodwaters.

Jonesborough resident Lynda Carter reported the news to me that the restoration of the bridge has also resulted in the swallows returning this spring.

“I was delighted to discover the cliff swallows are rebuilding their colony underneath the new Taylor Bridge on the Nolichucky,” Lynda wrote in an email. “Their massive colony was lost along with the old bridge during the Helene flooding.”

Cliff swallows have greatly expanded their numbers in Northeast Tennessee in the past few decades. Once somewhat rare, their adaptable nature has made the cliff swallow one of the most abundant swallow in the entire region. Even with setbacks from the loss of bridges in Helene, the species has stayed common.

It’s not difficult to fathom why they’re so common. These birds nest in colonies and area concrete bridges have proven an acceptable alternative to cliffs for this graceful, aerodynamic bird. I’ve visited bridge in the region that provide a summer nesting location for hundreds of cliff swallows.

The cliff swallow is the same species celebrated in natural lore for returning annually to Mission San Juan Capistrano in California. There’s even a local California celebration every year on March 19 to mark the return of arguably the world’s most famous species of swallow.

The migration was immortalized in popular culture by Leon René’s 1939 hit song, “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano,” which almost overnight transformed the historic Mission into a global tourist destination.

Local lore credits a local priest with championing the swallows. He witnessed a shopkeeper destroying cliff swallow nests and supposedly invited the birds to move to the Mission.

Pairs of cliff swallows build exquisite gourd-shaped nests entirely out of mud that they collect in their beaks. Their nests are amazing structures, especially considering the birds can only build the mud nest chambers one beakful of mud at a time.

Cliff swallows are long-distance migrants. They winter as far south as Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina before they make the trip back each spring to spread out across North America.

The birds have been publicly celebrated in Capistrano, California, since the 1920s, but there are records documenting that the birds returned annually to the Mission from the time of its establishment in 1776.

Today the Mission functions as a museum and welcomes 300,000 visitors each year. The structure was built of stone and adobe bricks, which are made water, dirt, sand and straw. Adobe structures were once common throughout the southwestern United States. In the United States, New Mexico can claim the most adobe buildings with more than 59,000 such structures located in the state. Adobe buildings are also common in California, Texas and Arizona. Building with adobe is common around the globe in locations such as Mali and Iran.

Cliff swallows do line their mud nests with dry grass and feathers to offer a softer cushion for eggs and chicks.

Other swallows that spend the nesting season in Northeast Tennessee include tree swallow, barn swallow, Northern rough-winged swallow, purple martin and bank swallow. Bank swallows are rare and more likely to be found in the western part of Tennessee along Mississippi River bluffs.

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I’ve heard from a reader about a first sighting of a ruby-throated hummingbird this spring. I’m still waiting to see my first spring hummingbird. I’ll reveal more details about the first sighting in next week’s column. There’s plenty of time to share first spring sightings of hummingbirds. I’d love to share details in next week’s column. Email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com to share you own first-of-spring hummingbird sighting. Please include the date and time.

Bryan Stevens • Ruby-throated hummingbirds have been spotted in the region.

Yellow-throated warbler sighting on April 2 is first of season

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Susan Young/USFWS • The yellow-throated warbler can be a challenge to observe due to its habit of remaining aloft in the tops of tall trees.

You have to admire our feathered friends for always keeping a surprise or two tucked under their wings.

My first warblers of the spring season arrived on April 2, and neither was one of the species I fully expected to be this year’s “early bird” at my home.

A yellow-throated warbler and a pine warbler, both singing from a stand of pine trees, took this year’s early arrival status. This is the first time either of these two warblers has gained that distinction.

The Northern parula has in recent years claimed this honor, which in years past went to species such as hooded warbler or black-throated green warbler.

In 2025, an ovenbird beat all of other warblers to arrive on Friday, April 7, in the woodlands around my home. followed a few days later by a black-throated green warbler.

Technically, I noticed the yellow-throated warbler first, so it gets the honor of being the spring’s first returning warbler. Only a few minutes passed, however, before I also took note of the singing pine warbler. At press time, no other warblers have arrived.

Nikolaus Schultz/Pixabay • Pine warblers can become regular feeder visitors if fare to their liking is available.

I’m still waiting for my first ruby-throated warbler of spring. I’ve not yet heard from any readers, but I fully anticipate hearing about these tiny flying gems arriving any day.

Last year I welcomed back the season’s first ruby-throated hummingbird at 4:14 p.m. on Sunday, April 6. I’m hopeful I can shave a few days off that arrival time this year, but that’s entirely up to the hummingbirds.

As I have for many years, I am asking readers to share their first sightings of hummingbirds. I have tracked arrivals for several years now. To share your first spring sighting of a ruby-throated hummingbird, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com or contact me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ahoodedwarbler. Please include the date and time of your sighting. I also welcome the sharing of other details about your sightings.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Blue-headed vireos, such as this bird, are high-elevation summer residents in the region. In the spring and fall, they are also common migrants.

Regardless, spring has sprung. Dogwoods are blooming, and their blossoms are beautiful, but it’s also a reminder that our traditional “dogwood winter” with its accompanying dip back into cooler temperatures, is around the corner. Other birds have also been arriving.

A blue-headed vireo put in an appearance on March 29. A chipping sparrow did the same on March 30. When the dam finally breaks, dozens of birds will return or, in some cases, migrate through the region on their way farther north. April and May are exciting times for birders.

As for the two warblers that arrived on April 2, they represent species that have made only occasional appearances at my home. Perhaps the affinity for pine trees that both of these warblers share could have drawn them to visit. There are several stands of large pines thriving on the property.

As its name would indicate, pine warblers are almost always found near pines. These birds have white bellies, two white wing bars, dark legs and thin, relatively long pointed bills. Yellowish “spectacles” around their eyes help contrast them from other warblers. Adult males have olive upperparts and bright yellow throats and breasts; females and immatures display upperparts which are olive-brown.

Bryan Stevens • A pine warbler visits a feeder for a helping of suet.

Pine warblers feed mostly on insects, as well as some seeds and fruit. They tend to forage by probing in crevices on tree trunks and branches, or by poking their beaks into pine cones. Pine warblers spends a great deal of time on the ground, often in the litter of pine needles beneath large trees. They turn over leaves and clusters of pine needles to search for insects concealed beneath them.

The pine warbler doesn’t make the longer migrations of some members of the warbler family. In fact, some pine warblers are resident in the southeastern United States year-round. Visits to wooded suburbs in Atlanta in almost any season is sure to feature sightings. Many pine warblers have also included visits to backyard feeders into their daily routines. They’re fond of offerings such as mealworms, suet cakes and sunflower chips.

The only real requirement needed to attract pine warblers is the presence of pines. These birds utilize various pines, including loblolly, shortleaf, longleaf and white pines.

The yellow-throated warbler is also fond of pine trees. Not quite as common at feeders at pine warblers, the yellow-throated warbler has shifted its behavior to take advantage of the extra resource that a well-maintained feeding station kept supplied with diverse offerings represents.

Photo by Bryan Stevens A Yellow-throated Warbler makes a migratory stop in my yard on the first day of September.

The yellow-throated warbler is also commonly associated with mature trees that extend above the canopy. They also prefer that favored trees are located near a water source. Some of the favored trees for the species include sycamore, shortleaf pine, Virginia pine and bald cypress.

I’ll be interested to see if these two species linger or if they’re passing through and simply using my home as a stopping point to forage and rest before continuing on their way.

It’s a great time of year to stay alert to new arrivals. Keep a pair of binoculars at the ready, and don’t forget to share those sightings, especially as the return of ruby-throated hummingbirds is imminent.

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

 

Start getting ready to welcome returning hummingbirds

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • Despite a perceived disadvantage of size, ruby-throated hummingbirds are quite capable of thriving in a giant world.

It’s late March and some of the early arrivals among our feathered friends are already back. As the calendar turns the page from March to April, a steady stream of spring arrivals will kick off with the return of birds like rose-breasted grosbeak, indigo bunting, Baltimore oriole, wood thrush and a dazzling array of warblers.

The most anticipated returning bird for many people is the ruby-throated hummingbirds. These tiny, feisty bundles of sparkling green feathers are sorely missed from after their departure in October to their return to Northeast Tennessee in early April.

These tiny flying gems are back in the continental United States. Their migration requires an annual spring crossing of the Gulf of Mexico. Once they arrive along the coasts of Gulf states, they need a bit of time to recuperate before resuming their relentless migration northward.

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

Journey North, a website and project that tracks the yearly advance of ruby-throated hummingbirds as well as other birds, monarch butterflies and other migrants, received reports of ruby-throated hummingbirds in Louisiana as early as March 1.

People in Florida have also been seeing them in early March, but because some ruby-throated hummingbirds may winter in Florida, telling the overwinterers from the true migrants is difficult.

As of March 16, the northernmost report of a ruby-throated hummingbird came from Conyers, Georgia. A woman reported her sighting to Journey North on March 15.

I anticipate this season’s ruby-throated hummingbird migration will bring the first individuals to Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina in early April if not late March. It’s even possible there will be some Easter arrivals of hummingbirds in the region with this religious holiday falling on April 5 this year.

Most first spring observations of hummingbirds are males, although a few females are also early arrivals. Male hummingbirds arrive first so they can find and defend a territory.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Male ruby-throated hummingbird show the namesake red throat. The feathers on a male’s throat are iridescent, which means they can change when seen from different angles. In poor light, the ruby-red throat can look almost black.

As always, spring migration can be a challenging time for hummingbirds. Temperatures, wind patterns and storms can influence the pace of migration. Even once these tiny birds make their epic spring crossing of the Gulf of Mexico, they will need time to rest and refuel before moving northward.

By mid-March, the advance of ruby-throated hummingbirds has usually reached states such as Georgia and South Carolina. By the end of March, these tiny flying gems have reached states such as Tennessee and North Carolina.

It’s time to get those sugar water feeders outside and waiting for the early arrivals. Once the chance of late-season freezes has passed, consider planting some colorful native flowers to provide nectar sources for hummingbirds. In addition, some hanging baskets of flowers can be purchased from garden centers with the benefit that these baskets can be brought indoors during unseasonable cold snaps.

In the meantime, take steps now to welcome hummingbirds back and keep them safe during their stay. Most experts also suggest avoiding red dyes or food colorings, which are often found in commercially marketed hummingbird sugar water. Don’t risk the health of hummingbirds for a little convenience.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Only adult male ruby-throated hummingbirds have the vibrant red throat patch.

It’s easy to make your own sugar water mix, which can be stored in the refrigerator in an empty plastic juice jug. Boil some water and then add one cup of sugar for every four cups of water in your pot. Stir thoroughly. Let the mixture cool and then bottle it. Fill your feeders and store any remaining sugar water in the fridge in the aforementioned jug. Refrigerated, the mix should stay good to use for at least a week or two.

Last year I welcomed back the spring’s first ruby-throated hummingbird at 4:14 p.m. on Sunday, April 6.

As I have for many years, I am asking readers to share their first sightings of hummingbirds. I have tracked arrivals for several years now. To share your first spring sighting of a ruby-throated hummingbird, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com or contact me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ahoodedwarbler. Please include the date and time of your sighting. I also welcome the sharing of other details about your sightings.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Ruby-throated hummingbirds such as this male are returning to the region.

Feathered harbingers: New bird sightings prove spring is here

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • The American robin is widely hailed as a harbinger of spring.

Crocuses are blooming, spring peepers are peeping and the birds are starting to feel the approach of spring. Increasing daylight helps trigger changes among many of the birds that are widely considered signs of spring.

Among the other harbingers of the season are several species that have gained reputations for signalling the transition from winter into spring by their presence alone.

Here are some of the top candidates among our feather friends for the honor of being a genuine symbol of spring’s imminent arrival.

American robins
Robins are widely considered harbingers of spring. They appear to become more common overnight, but for the most part, it’s only a shift in behavior.
While robins are present in winter, they shift from eating berries in large, quiet flocks to foraging for worms on lawns in smaller groups as the ground thaws. With increasing daylight, they also begin to feel the urge to partner with potential mates. The robin’s song, often interpreted as “cheerily, cheer up,” is a distinct sound of early spring and is used to signal availability to those prospective mates.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Wilson’s snipes return to much of their range in early spring.

Wilson’s snipe
The snipe, a type of shorebird, is a real bird despite a common belief that this bird, the subject of futile snipe hunts, is mythical. Haunting wetlands with their distinctive “winnowing” (drumming) courtship flights, they are heralds for the advancing spring season. These migratory, long-billed shorebirds typically reappear in marshy areas and wet pastures in early spring, often arriving by early March to begin breeding in northern regions. While some individuals may winter in warmer parts of the United States, their widespread arrival and intense courtship activity are widely recognized as a sign of spring.

American woodcock
A snipe relative, the American woodcock is a premier, early-spring harbinger known for its dramatic “sky dance” courtship displays performed at dawn and dusk, often commencing as early as February or March. On the ground, the male produces a loud, buzzing, nasal sound — frequently described as “peent” — roughly every two seconds. These birds have a long bill equipped with a flexible tip, perfect for foraging for earthworms after the spring thaw has lured them to the earth’s surface. Males put on impressive display flights, using specialized wing feathers to produce a strange twitter as they descend back to earth in wide spirals. Other nicknames for this most unusual shorebird are timberdoodle and bog sucker.

Early American naturalist John James Audubon painted this trio of American woodcocks.

Eastern phoebe
Eastern phoebes belong to the flycatcher family and are among the earliest migratory birds to return to their breeding grounds, often arriving before many other species. Eastern phoebes are more reliable indicators of the actual start of spring migration than American robins because they fly north to catch bugs while robins often overwinter and get a head start without even migrating. Henry David Thoreau detailed spring arrival for many species around Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts, in the 1850s. He recorded the Eastern Phoebe arriving in early April and the Eastern Wood-Pewee in late May. Across the migration data for 22 consistently observed species in Concord’s historical bird data, the average timing of spring arrival has not changed significantly from Thoreau’s time to the present. However, there are a few exceptions, such as yellow warbler and Baltimore oriole, that now return to Walden significantly earlier than when Thoreau observed them.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • The Eastern phoebe is a flycatcher and a bird that reliably returns early in the spring season.

Eastern bluebird
Bluebirds are a widely recognized early harbinger of spring, often arriving in northern locations by February or March, signalling the end of winter. Seeing bluebirds in pairs, checking out nesting boxes or perched on low branches in open, rural areas are classic signs of early spring. The well-known writer and naturalist Henry David Thoreau famously wrote that the bluebird “carries the sky on his back,” documenting their arrival as a vital seasonal marker in Northern regions and Canada. Locally, many bluebirds overwinter, but they still begin exploring potential nest locations in early spring, often as early as February.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Turkey vultures are a signal of spring’s arrival in some parts of the United States.

Turkey vulture
The return of turkey vultures is a significant, early sign of spring in many parts of North America, often appearing between February and March. As migratory scavenger birds, they return north to feed on animals that perished during the winter, often appearing in flocks. Hinckley, Ohio, celebrates the annual return of turkey vultures (locally called buzzards) to the Hinckley Reservation every March 15, a tradition dating back to 1957. Known as “Buzzard Day,” this event features a pancake breakfast, vendor fairs and spotter-led viewing of the birds returning to their roosts.

Louisiana waterthrush
Birders usually have to wait until April and May for most warblers to venture back to East Tennessee. The Louisiana waterthrush is a premier, early-arriving harbinger of spring in Eastern North America, often appearing in early March along fast-flowing, wooded streams. Known as one of the first migrant warblers to return, their arrival is signaled by a loud, ringing song that mimics the sound of rushing water. They typically arrive on breeding grounds weeks before many other migrant species, particularly other warblers. The loud, ringing song of the Louisiana waterthrush is often heard near streams before leaves have fully returned to the trees.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • The tiny blue-gray gnatcatcher returns to East Tennessee in late March.

Blue-gray gnatcatcher
This tiny bundle of feathers is an energetic, noisy songbird that arrives in the region in the final days of March. I often hear this bird’s raspy, scolding vocalizations before I detect their nonstop movements in newly-emerged leaves. They don’t arrive quite as early as the other birds on this list, but I’ve always held this bird as one of my personal birds of spring. Once the feisty blue-gray gnatcatcher is back, the spring season can truly commence. The gnatcatcher, which is one of our smallest birds, feeds on more than gnats. The only local birds as comparably small as the gnatcatcher are kinglets and hummingbirds.

What bird do you look forward to seeing again every spring? What’s something provided by nature that provides assurance that spring is just around the corner?

Feel free to write to me to share your answers by emailing ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

 

 

 

 

Move over robins: Red-winged blackbird is the real sign of sprinfg

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • A male red-winged blackbird sings to attract mates and ward off rivals.

When the red-winged blackbirds put in their first appearance this year, they picked a really bad day to make their return.

I heard the instantly recognizable “konk-ka-ree” vocalization as I walked from the house to my car on the morning of Feb. 22. It didn’t take long to spot the birds making the sound: four male red-winged blackbirds perched atop a cypress tree at the fish pond. The temperature hovered around 21 degrees, snow covered the ground, and a brisk breeze made everything feel even colder.

Despite the miserable weather, I gladly welcomed back the red-winged blackbirds. I imagine that the day improved for the birds as temperatures gradually rose. By the time I got home, the snow that had fallen the previous night had almost melted, but the blackbirds had departed.

Spring is getting closer. The red-winged blackbirds are proof, one that I’m greedily grasping as I continue wishing for warmer weather and more spring arrivals among our feathered friends. Everyone thinks the first American robin is the herald of spring. I’ve always depended on red-winged blackbirds as spring harbingers.

After posting about my sighting of the blackbirds on Facebook, Erwin resident Amy Tipton commented on my post.

“We spotted some in our backyard over the weekend and then again today,” she wrote. “A very welcome sight!”

Bryan Stevens • The male red-winged blackbird has an apt common name.

I’ve long associated red-winged blackbirds as a sign indicating progress toward spring. The visitors I saw recently are probably the vanguard of large numbers of red-winged blackbirds that return in impressive numbers every March.

The showy and loud red-winged blackbirds make themselves at home at my fish pond and adjacent stands of cattails, producing quite a commotion. “The kon-ke-ree song of the male red-winged blackbird is a sure indication that spring is on the way,” according to a profile of the species located at the Tennessee Watchable Wildlife website. At this time of year, the male red-winged blackbirds seek elevated perches to display and vocalize.

Red-winged blackbirds are tied to the rhythms of wetlands. In these environments, they are common birds. In Northeast Tennessee, any stands of cattails in a marshy area is likely to attract at least a few members of this species.

The male red-winged blackbird is a very aptly named. Glossy black males sport red wing patches that are often trimmed with a narrow band of yellow feathers. By contrast, female red-winged blackbirds are mostly brown birds that could easily be mistaken for large sparrows. Both sexes have sharply pointed bills.

Bryan Stevens • A male red-winged blackbird sings from a post.

At my home, red-winged blackbirds are fond of visiting my feeders. They will feast on sunflower, suet cakes, or both when they’re available.

These active, noisy birds apparently love company. Red-winged blackbirds roost in flocks throughout the year, according to the website All About Birds. The website also noted that winter flocks can be especially impressive, consisting of congregations of several million birds, including other blackbird species and starlings.

All About Birds also noted that the oldest red-winged blackbird on record lived to be at least 15 years and nine months old. The bird, originally banded in New Jersey in 1967, was found alive, but injured in 1983. The good news? The bird recovered from its injuries and, in all likelihood, continued to live in U.S. wetlands, adding some more longevity to its lengthy lifespan.

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

 

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.

Black-and-white warbler won’t be confused with other birds

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Photo by Hans Toom/Pxabay A black-and-white warbler would be almost impossible to confuse with any other bird.

I’m thinking that most people have probably heard of a “gaggle” of geese or a “murder” of crows as a way to describe a flock of these particular birds. Warblers also have their collective names. A flock of warblers is often referred to as a bouquet, a confusion, a fall, a cord or a wrench of warblers, according to the Birdorable Blog.

I personally like “wrench” of warblers. It has alliteration and describes how these amazing little songbirds can definitely “wrench” one’s attention from other matters. That’s been happening a lot at home. Since arriving in early April, the resident warblers have added their songs to the soundscape that makes the woodlands surrounding my home come alive every morning.

I wrote last week about the sad incident of a male Northern parula killed after an impact with a window. I wondered if I’d have to go the spring and summer season without hearing the excitable little trill of syllables that comprises this warbler’s song. I’m happy to report that less than a week passed before another male Northern parula showed up and began adding his song to the daily chorus. The circle of life continues.

On Saturday, May 3, I got to branch out from the handful of warbler species in residence around my home to warblers in other locations. I birded with Chris Soto, a Johnson City resident and fellow member of the Elizabethton Bird Club, on Holston Mountain and Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park as part of the annual Spring Bird Count conducted by the EBC. Despite some rain while conducting our survey of Holston Mountain, we encountered a variety of warbler species.

We didn’t observe any large warbler flocks, or wrenches, but we did find numerous species, including ovenbird, worm-eating warbler, Louisiana waterthrush, black-and-white warbler, Swainson’s warbler, hooded warbler, American redstart, Cape May warbler, Northern parula, yellow warbler, chestnut-sided warbler, black-throated blue warbler, yellow-throated warbler, black-throated green warbler and Canada warbler.

We added most of these species to the list by hearing them singing their springtime songs, including the “squeaky wheel” of the black-and-white warbler and the loud, ringing notes of the Louisiana waterthrush. If the latter wants to be heard, it is essential that it produce a loud song. The waterthrush resides near rushing mountain streams, which could easily overpower songs projected at a lower volume.

The black-and-white warbler is arguably the most aptly named of all the warblers. Both males and females have glossy black and white plumage. That’s it – there are no other colors present in the bird’s feathers.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A black-and-white warbler creeps over the bark of a pine in search of insect prey.

The black-and-white warbler breeds in northern and eastern North America. It ranges from the Northwest Territories to the northwest and Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, to North Carolina to the southeast and Texas to the southwest. This species is migratory, wintering in Florida, Central America, the West Indies and northern South America down to Peru.

Once arriving for the spring, these warbler go about the business of nesting. The female black-and-white warbler selects a well-hidden nesting location at the base of a tree, rock, stump or fallen log, or under a bush or shrub, according to the website All About Birds. I discovered a black-and-white warbler nest, quite by accident, several years ago. The nest was wedged in a crevice beneath a large fallen pine resting on a steep ridge. Besides being rather inaccessible, I had no wish to disturb the nest so I enjoyed watching the birds through binoculars from a distance.

Photo by Hans Toom/Pxabay • A male black-and-white warbler sings its squeaky wheel song.

In its tendency to hug the trunk of trees as it seeks out insect prey, the black-and-white warbler is similar to unreleased species such as brown creeper and white-breasted nuthatch. In fact, an old common name for this bird was black-and-white creeper. It does venture farther out into a tree than the trunk, however, and will flit among branches as good as any other warbler.

For beginners just getting into the hang of birding, the black-and-white warbler is a dream when it comes to identification. It’s unlikely to be mistaken for any other bird. One good look through binoculars is usually all it takes to recognise the species. There’s no poring over the pages of a field guide for subtle field marks to help when trying to identify the black-and-white warbler. The same is true for the bird’s song, which is very similar in pattern to a squeaky wheel spinning round and round.

Enjoy the springtime and get outdoors and see what feathered friends are winging their way into your neighborhood.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
A Black-and-white Warbler forages along a branch.

Tiny songbird’s collision with window leaves gap in spring soundscape

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Hans Toom/Pixabay • Male Northern paroles are a member of the warbler family. They are amazing vocalists producing an easily recognised trill of a song.

The male Northern parula is a persistent songster once arriving on its nesting territory each spring.

Since arriving in early April, a male Northern parula had been a tireless singer. I often heard the bird as I departed for work each weekday morning and was welcomed home in early evening by the bird’s song.

On April 29, I returned home. I followed my usual routine and dropped off my mother’s newspaper and mail at her home. Unfortunately, on her porch was the lifeless form of the Northern parula. I know it was “my” parula because the bird had been so faithful in its singing. I have not heard the song of a Northern parula in the days following the sad discovery.

Northern parulas sing two different types of songs, according to the website All About Birds. The most common is a rising buzzy trill with a final sharp note. This song rises up and pinches off sharply at the end. The second song has distinct pauses in between bouts of the rising buzzy trill. My parula had mostly sang the song best described as a rising buzzy trill, but it had also practiced at the second version, as well.

The tragic end for this little songster has really put a damper on my enjoyment of the spring season. Unlike many of our birds, this species of warbler has been thriving. Northern parulas are common, and their populations have actually increased by over 1% per year from 1966 to 2019 for a cumulative increase of about 47% according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey.

Bryan Stevens • This Northern parula died after a collision with a glass window.

But the incident is a reminder of the perils that our feathered friends face daily. An article titled “Getting Clear on Birds and Glass,” first published January 14, 2023, by Christine Sheppard and Bryan Lenz brings the detrimental impact glass has had on birds into focus.

The article noted that Smithsonian researches in 2014 attempted to determined how many birds are killed annually due to hitting windows. The study estimated, conservatively, that collisions with glass likely kill between 365 million and 1 billion birds annually in the United States. The authors of the article emphasized that they believe the number is closer to a billion birds, if not more, that die each year from hitting windows and other glass surfaces.

That’s a scary number, but also a testament to the resilience of birds. Of course, all living things have their limits, and we should try to do something to bring down this gruesome toll.

The little parula had struck a large picture window. We have placed decals in the window in an effort to break up the reflection, but the sun has bleached these over the years, and now it is evident they should be replaced. Clouds, sky or vegetation reflected in a window are perceived by birds as the real deal. A screen over a window or hanging strips or other items to break up the reflection will help birds avoid collision.

To examine a database with various possible solutions, please visit https://abcbirds.org/glass-collisions/products-database/

I am hopeful that another Northern parula will visit and find my yard to its liking. I’ve had Northern parulas residing consistently around my home from April to September for many years. The absence of this bird’s song from the daily soundscape has been distressing.

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Readers have continued to share their spring hummingbird sightings.

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Joe McGuiness in Erwin saw his first hummingbird back on April 9 at 5:45 p.m. Joe texted me that the bird came back to feed again around 7 p.m.

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Charlotte Carter, who resides in the Bloomingdale community in Kingsport, emailed me on Friday, April 25. “First hummingbird sighted at my home today at 12:45,” she wrote.

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Mack Hayes sent me a message on Facebook to report his first hummingbird arrived on Friday, April 25. “Saw first hummingbird this morning,” he wrote. He noted that he lives on the corner of Oakland Road and Bowmantown Road in Washington County.

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Hummingbirds are now back throughout the region. In the past couple of weeks the numbers have increased at my home. I have now seen as many as four hummingbirds at one time, and they duel all day long with each other, chasing each other from one corner of the yard to another. It’s good to have them back.

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