Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) Walking Survey in Frozen Head State Natural Area, Morgan County, Tennessee, 1993–2008

 

This Cerulean Warbler walking survey was conducted using a nonstandard protocol.  I walked at 3–4.5 km/h, following the route described below and counting all birds heard and seen. I note the time and survey segment where all Cerulean Warblers are located; I usually complete the survey in 4–4.5 h, but sometimes when I have company, I take up to 6 h to conduct the survey.  

Note: Standard point counts are also conducted in this park by other individuals; if data from their point counts are ever made public (a consummation devoutly to be wished), it will be interesting to see if the trends in their data are similar to the trend derivable from the data presented below.

Partial Survey A (1993–2008): From campground  to upper connection with Bird Mountain Trail on the jeep road (c. 4.5 km [3 mi]).

Partial Survey B (1994–2008): From upper connection with Bird Mountain Trail on jeep road to North Old Mac Trail (NOMT); down NOMT  to trailhead; and back to campground (c. 11.5 km (7 mi]).

 

Date Observers    Partial     Survey A       Partial      Survey B    Complete
 Survey
Start–End EDT CERWs       CERWs      CERWs   
4 June 1993 SJS, BHS 29 -- 29
1515–1845
4 June 1994 SJS 28 78 106
1145–1545
4 June 1995 SJS, RGE 31 56 87
1135–1725
5 June 1996 SJS 32 53 85
1120–1513
6 June 1997 SJS 26 59 85
1000–1400
3 June 1998 SJS 19 27 46
1026–1426
4 June 1999 SJS 21 52 73
1020–1430
4 June 2000 SJS, DLC, SHF, 18 35 53
1039–1639         ILC
3 June 2001 SJS 16 43 59
1018–1428
2 June 2002 SJS 16 44 60
1027–1442
1 June 2003 SJS 18 34 52
1040–1432
6 June 2004 SJS, DME 10 33 43
1027–1557
5 June 2005 SJS, DME 13 42 55
1015–1540
4 June 2006 * SJS, DME 11 22 33
1030–1545
3 June 2007 SJS 13 22 35
1034–1449
5 June 2008 SJS 10 29 39
1029–1520

* Unlike weather on all previous surveys, weather on this date probably affected the bird count in a negative manner; rain fell for 0.5 h while we walked between the Coffin Spring Trail and the NOMT (c. 1300–1330 EDT), and moderately high wind (Beaufort 2–3) persisted after the rain passed.

Key to Observers:  

DLC  Daniel L. Combs
ILC     Ivan L. Cordrey
DME David M. Engebretson
RGE Robert G. Emmott
SHF Susan H. Ford
BHS Barbara H. Stedman
SJS  Stephen J. Stedman

    Directions: Park in the Trailhead parking lot; walk up the main park road to the road on the left to the Big Cove Camping Area and take that road to the gated jeep road at the far end of the camping area.  Walk the jeep road (noting time arriving at Linlog Branch, the upper connection to the Bird Mountain trail, the trail on the left to Squire Knob, the trail on the left to Coffin Spring, and the NOMT on the right) to the NOMT.  Then walk down the NOMT (noting time arriving at the intersection with the Panther Branch Trail) to the main trail from the trailhead parking lot and continue on the main trail to the trailhead.  This route is about 16 km (10 mi) long.  Try to cover it in four hours, but if you have company you can take as long as six hours.

    During the 2007 survey, most CERWs were counted on the jeep road from Linlog Branch to the upper connection to the Bird Mountain Trail (12) and from the top of the NOMT down to a point about a mile from the main trail (17); only a few CERWs (5) were counted along the jeep road from the Bird Mountain Trail to the NOMT; and one CERW was counted a few hundred meters below Linlog Branch on the jeep road.

    For a complete list of species found on each of the walking surveys conducted 1994–present, go to this link:

 

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