Department of English, Box 5053
Tennessee Technological University
Cookeville, TN 38505

sstedman@tntech.edu

The greatest good a human can do is to operate as a bird detection and monitoring device.

Introduction

A new chapter in the history of Regional marsh birds was opened this season with the advent of field trips into the Heritage Marsh, a large (500+ acres), private wetland located in northern White County, Tennessee.  Several unusual marsh species were found in this marsh during trips this summer, indicating that the site has the potential to substantially change the Regional status of those and other marsh species as additional trips are made into this marsh in the future.

    Weather this season was slightly wetter and milder than the average for these meteorological factors.

    Breeding Bird Surveys and other bird-monitoring efforts were continued at many Regional sites this season.  For a look at some of the results, click on an appropriate link below:

• DBNF  BBS Data  (Wolf Knob)
• DBNF  BBS Data (Little Lick)
• Frozen Head State Natural Area Cerulean Warbler Survey
• BSFNRRA BBS Data 2004
• OWSR Point Count Data 2004
• UCR Breeding Bird Survey Data 2004

Abbreviations:  * completed documentation form provided; BBS = Breeding Bird Survey; BSFNRRA = Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area; DBNF = Daniel Boone National Forest; KY = Kentucky; NPS = National Park Service; OWSR = Obed Wild and Scenic River; TN = Tennessee; UCR = Upper Cumberland Region; USGS = United States Geological Survey. 

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to the observers cited below who provided records directly or indirectly for this report. Many thanks also go to Kathryn Huie and other U.S. Forest Service personnel, including Joe Metzmeier and James Kiser, for coordinating the breeding bird surveys in the Stearns and Somerset Ranger Districts, DBNF, and for providing logistical support to persons running routes in those districts.  Thanks are also due to Leslie Smith for similar support in the BSFNRRA and to various personnel in the OWSR for support in that National Park Service unit.  Keith Pardieck (Breeding Bird Survey Program, USGS) provided basic materials to those conducting federal BBSs in the Region; to him thanks are also due, and thanks and full credit also go to the USGS  for maintaining the BBS website where many BBS data (collected by many dozens of volunteer route runners) are accessible to those interested in the breeding status of Kentucky and Tennessee birds.

    Special thanks are offered to Mr. Harold Evans for permission to survey birds on his property in White County, Tennessee.

 Waterfowl through Gallinaceous Species

An adult Snow Goose (white form) stayed the summer at the Swafford Pond, Bledsoe County, TN (SJS, m. ob.); the bird was apparently injured.

    A pair of Blue-winged Teal with at least four young was noted on a pond near the intersection of Will Thompson and Pollard rds., White Co., TN, 20 June 2004 (DAD), providing a rare breeding record for this duck in the Region; this is the same site where a male Blue-winged Teal was noted 22 May 2004 (see the Spring 2004 UCR Bird Report).  A basic-plumaged Blue-wing at Boiling Pond, Pete Felton Rd., White Co., TN,  26 July 2004 (SJS, DAD) was only about 1.5 km from the site where the four young were seen, so it was more likely one of the birds from that group than an early fall migrant.

Loons through Herons

An immature Double-crested Cormorant at Cane Creek Park, Putnam Co., TN, 2 June 2004 (SJS) provided a new late "spring" departure date in that county.

    An American Bittern was flushed from the Heritage Marsh, White Co., TN, 1/4/9/11/20 July 2004 (SJS, DAD/EKL, SJS/DAD/WAW, SJS/SJS, DAD); these sightings suggest possible local breeding.  Breeding records of this ardeid in the Upper Cumberland Region are few, perhaps limited to a record involving 2 nests with small young found in a marsh near Morrison,  Warren Co., TN, 26 May 1935 (Ganier 1935b).

    The first Great Egret of the post-breeding season showed up on Ninemile Crossroad, Bledsoe Co., TN, 2 July 2004 (EKL); Great Egrets were noted soon thereafter in several other UCR counties: 1 in DeKalb Co., TN, 7-31 July 2004 (ZF, JCF); 2 in White Co., TN, 8 July 2004 (DAD); and 2 in Adair Co., KY, 10 July 2004 (RMD).  Toward the end of the month Great Egrets were also noted in Clay Co., TN (TMC), and Pulaski County, KY (RMD).

    Two juvenile Little Blue Herons at the Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY, 28 July 2004 (RMD) were the first to be reported this "fall."

    An adult Black-crowned Night-Heron visited the Hurricane Marina, Center Hill Lake, DeKalb Co., TN, in late July (TH fide CDW); this site also harbored at least one adult of this species during summer 2003; see the Fall 2004 UCR Bird Report for later developments at this site.

    Two juvenile and two adult Yellow-crowned Night-Herons were present on the Falling Water River between the dam and First Falls at Burgess Falls State Natural Area, Putnam Co., TN, 3 July 2004 (EKL photo, SL photo, SJS), more evidence of breeding at this site, first confirmed in 2002 but suspected since 1987; see the Spring 2002 and Summer 2002 UCR Bird Reports for details about the first confirmed nesting at this site.  One adult Yellow-crown was seen at Burgess Falls S.N.A., Putnam Co., TN, 27 July 2004 (GKE). An adult Yellow-crown was noted along the Caney Fork River below the dam in Rock Island State Park, Warren/White counties, TN, 26 July 2004 (SJS, DAD), the same site where an adult was observed during May 2004 (see Spring 2004 UCR Bird Report); Yellow-crowns have been reported at this site since at least the early 1980s, but evidence of breeding has not yet been discovered (or at least made known).

New World Vultures through Cranes

An Osprey at Rock Island State Park, Warren/White Co., TN, 3 July 2004 (GG fide DAD) suggests local breeding, not yet verified in the area.  Another Osprey nest was located in Jackson Co., TN, during the season (TMC), adding to two other nests known to me in that county.  It would seem that in another decade's time that the nesting Osprey population in Jackson County and along the Cumberland River in adjacent counties is likely to vie with the population on Watts Bar Lake, to the east of the Region.

    Cooper's Hawks continue to show many signs of increasing population numbers around the Region and in Tennessee (and probably in Kentucky).  One minor reflection of this increase was the nesting of a pair in or very near Walnut Park, Cookeville, Putnam Co., TN, where three begging juveniles were noted during late June and early July 2004 (SJS); this park is less than 1 km from the Putnam County Courthouse and closer still to "downtown" Cookeville.  However, Cooper's were not notably more registered on UCR BBSs this season than in past breeding seasons.

    A Virginia Rail was flushed from the Heritage Marsh, White Co., TN, 1 and 20 July 2004 (SJS, DAD); the habitat and dates suggest possible local breeding.

Shorebirds through Terns

The first Lesser Yellowlegs this "fall" Regionally appeared at the Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY, 30 July 2004 (RMD).

    The earliest Solitary Sandpipers of the "fall" Regionally were noted 20 (SJS, DAD) and 22 (RMD) July 2004 at Randolph Pond, White Co., TN, and Cooley's Pond, Wayne Co., KY, respectively.

    A Spotted Sandpiper found 21 July 2004 at Clifty Pond, Pulaski Co., KY (RMD) was the earliest reported Regionally this "fall."

    Three Semipalmated Sandpipers at Cooley's Pond, Wayne Co., KY, 22 July 2004 (RMD) were the earliest reported Regionally this "fall."

    Eleven Least Sandpipers at the Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY, 30 July 2004 (RMD) provided the early arrival date Regionally this "fall."

    A Pectoral Sandpiper at Clifty Pond, Pulaski Co., KY, 26 July 2004 (RMD) was the first "fall" migrant to be reported Regionally.

    Seven Common Terns on Barren River Reservoir, Barren Co., KY, 29 June 2004 (DLR) were quite early "fall" migrants of a species not frequently recorded in the Region.

    Fourteen Black Terns at the Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY, 30 July 2004 (RMD) provided the first record of the "fall" Regionally and a nice number for this rare but regular migrant.

Doves through Flycatchers

One Eurasian Collared-Dove was reported at the feed mill in Monticello, Wayne Co., KY, 22 July 2004 (RMD), a site where no collared-doves could be located 3 June 2004 (SJS).  Collared-doves were also scarce or absent from the co-op in Smithville, DeKalb Co., TN, during June and early July (CDW).  Collectively, the absence of doves from these "traditional" sites in June suggests that this exotic dove disperses from known concentration points during June but begins to return to them by mid-July.

    A "nest" of Chuck-will's-widow was present 8-17 June 2004 near Bullington Rd., Jackson Co., TN (NSL photo), perhaps the first verified nest record for that county ever, there having been no confirmed records of this nightjar registered in Jackson County during the Tennessee breeding bird atlas project (1986-1991; Nicholson 1997).

    Single singing Willow Flycatchers were heard 4 and 6 June 2004 at the McCreary County Airport, McCreary Co., KY (SJS), and at the pond at the intersection of Rt. 62 and the road to Frozen Head State Park, Morgan Co., TN (SJS), respectively.  No June reports of the Willow at Cane Creek Park, Putnam Co., TN, were forthcoming although a singing bird had been present during May 2004 (SJS).  Two Willow Flycatchers singing in the Heritage Marsh, White Co., TN, 1 July 2004 (SJS, DAD) provided the first record with details for that county, and a single singing Willow on Miller Rd., Creelsboro, Russell Co., KY, 22 July 2004 (RMD) was the first reported from that county and the latest reported singer of the season.

    A pair of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers nested on Ninemile Crossroad., Bledsoe Co., TN, this season, being reported there 13 June 2004 (DS, RS); two adults and four young were present at this site 2 July 2004 (EKL photo [fledgling], SL photo); one adult and four young were noted at this site 5 July 2004 (EKL); three individuals were reported at this site 6 July 2004 (DH); two birds, probably an adult with juvenile, were noted there 15 July 2004 (MR).  This spectacular flycatcher also nested in Bledsoe County during June–July 2000 (Knight 2000d).

Shrike through Waxwing

A pair of Loggerhead Shrikes fledged at least three young from a nest on Student's Home Rd., DeKalb Co., TN, where a fledgling was photographed 25 June 2004 (CDW photo, JCF) and where three fledglings were photographed 29 June 2004 (JCF photo).  Two shrikes found in southwestern White Co., TN, 26 July 2004 (SJS, DAD) were the only others reported during the season (see Appendix A below) except for a shrike noted 10 July 2004 at Hogue, Pulaski Co., KY,  (RMD), a traditional site for this declining species.

    A singing Blue-headed Vireo was heard at stop 26 on the Oliver Springs BBS west of Coalfield, Morgan Co., TN, 6 June 2004 (SJS) at a fairly low elevation, the first such registration on this BBS during the four decades it has been conducted.  This record adds weight to the argument that the Blue-head is expanding its population Regionally and elsewhere by increasing the area where it breeds, mostly by descending in elevation to occupy previously unoccupied habitat.  Twelve Blue-heads were counted 4 June 2004 along a 12.8-km long stretch of Wolf Knob Rd., DBNF, Whitley Co., KY; three were counted the next day at 16 stops of the Wolf Knob BBS route along exactly the same 12.8-km stretch of road; this site is slightly east of and outside the Region.

    The Red-eyed Vireo is so common in the woodlands of the Region that little attention is often paid to its population status, but some evidence suggests it may be undergoing a decline in numbers at some locations and perhaps Regionally.  A 100-stop BBS has been conducted in the BSFNRRA since 1994; results from the 2004 BBS in the park reveal that Red-eyes were registered on fewer than 90 stops of that BBS for the first time; additionally, the number of individuals registered was the lowest recorded during the decade that the BBS has been conducted, although the reduction in numbers from the previous season was slight.  Regional BBS data for 2004 remain incomplete, but the data currently available suggest that the number of Red-eyes registered on the eight federal BBSs in the Region also declined slightly in 2004.

    Tree Swallows are among many species undergoing range expansion or population increase (or both) in the Region.  This season's BBS results point to the continuing increase in numbers and in breeding sites of this handsome swallow: Trees were found on three BBS routes for a total of six individuals, both highest since 1998 though too small to be statistically meaningful yet.  Only a decade ago, however, no Tree Swallows at all would typically be registered on the eight federal BBS routes in the Region.

    A Sedge Wren sang copiously 20 July 2004 in the Heritage Marsh, White Co., TN (SJS, DAD), where no evidence of its presence had been detected on four visits to the same area earlier in the month; the sudden appearance of singing Sedge Wrens in the wet meadows of the Region during late July and early August is an expected occurrence every few years; usually no breeding evidence is found in conjunction with these sightings, but see the Fall 2004 UCR Bird Report for some startling later developments at this site.

Warblers

A visit to several sites where singing Golden-winged Warblers had been detected during May 2002 along Indian Knob Rd. and Rt. 478, DBNF, McCreary Co., KY, X June 2004 (SJS) resulted in the detection of no Golden-wings, but a singing Blue winged Warbler was present at a site on Rt. 478, not a good sign for the future success of Golden-wings in this area, since Blue-wings are known to exclude Golden-wings from breeding sites.

    As also occurred during Summer 2003, Pine Warblers were observed in the BSFNRRA at half the rate of registration occurring during the period 1997-2002 on a 100-stop BBS in that park (SJS).

    Monitoring of Cerulean Warblers continued at several sites in and near the Region this season, after some monitoring work late in the spring season.  Perhaps most illuminating of all the monitoring data was the Cerulean total accumulated during a walking transect conducted in Frozen Head State Natural Area, Morgan Co., TN, 6 June 2004 (SJS, DME).  The 11th consecutive annual 16-km transect conducted at that site, it resulted in a count of 43 Ceruleans, the lowest total since 1994.  During this walking transect no Ceruleans were detected below an elevation of 2100 feet, whereas during the mid-1990s registration of Ceruleans at elevations of 1500-2100 feet was fairly frequent. However, on 10 June 2004 two Ceruleans were detected at low elevation near the park entrance gate (DME), indicating that some use of this elevational stratum in the park continues, although it is apparently much less used than was the case a decade ago. The withdrawal of most Cerulean Warblers from the lower elevations of the park without any apparent cause suggests that there are simply fewer Cerulean Warblers present to fill the habitat in the park, a finding that is certainly supported by the greatly reduced numbers of Ceruleans now counted there during the walking transect compared to a decade ago (1994) when 106 were counted on the same 16-km transect.

    A 24-stop driving BBS has been conducted along Wolf Knob Rd., Whitley and McCreary counties, KY, within the DBNF since 1994.  A total of 14 Cerulean Warbler was registered 5 June 2004, also the lowest total achieved during the past 11 years. In addition to the driving survey of this BBS route, a walking survey was made 4 June 2004 along a 12.8-km section of the route where 16 of the 24 BBS stops are located; the walking survey resulted in a count of 35 Ceruleans, whereas 11 Ceruleans were noted a day later at the 16 stops (all in Whitley County) located along the same forest road.

    A 16-km walking transect around the Yahoo Arch Loop, lying partly in the BSFNRRA and partly in the DBNF, McCreary Co., KY,  was surveyed 14 June 2004 (SJS) with only one Cerulean Warbler being detected; this route yielded up to 15 Ceruleans on surveys conducted during the mid-1990s; however, most of the surveys in the mid-1990s were conducted in early to mid-May.

    Two adult Ceruleans were seen with a young bird on Hurricane Ridge Rd., DeKalb Co., TN, in early July (VC).

    Note: The time has undoubtedly come to conduct more serious monitoring of the Regional population of Cerulean Warbler.  Perhaps a good start could be made during late spring and summer 2005 simply by recording all sites where the species is known to occur; additionally, obtaining careful counts of birds present within discrete areas or along particular routes would also be part of a good start in improving the Regional effort to monitor this lovely but declining warbler.

    The number of sightings of Swainson's Warbler reported this season in the Region was about average; the only report from a new site in the Region involved a single singer at Natural Arch, DBNF, McCreary Co., KY, 11 July 2004 (RMD).  See Appendix B (below) for a list of all Regional reports this season.

    A Canada Warbler was noted in mid-July 2004 on Fork Mountain on the county line between Anderson and Scott counties, TN (Bulluck and Timpf 2005), not too far from Frozen Head State Natural Area where Canadas are known to breed; although this warbler was not observed within Scott County, its presence so close to that county still suggests the strong possibility that Canadas are a breeding species in the extreme southeastern tip of that county, making it just the second county of the Region with the potential to host this rare breeder in the Region, if so.

Sparrows through Weaver Finch

Grasshopper Sparrows appeared to have a good breeding season Regionally with many reports coming from a variety of sites.  One barometer of the species' status Regionally this season was perhaps represented by sixteen Grasshoppers counted along the Sulfur Lick BBS route in Monroe and Metcalfe counties, KY, 19 June 2004 (SJS), the most counted on that route since regular annual surveys began there in 1998.  Additionally, a singing Grasshopper Sparrow at stop 46 of the Oliver Springs BBS between Wartburg and Lancing, Morgan Co., TN, 6 June 2004 (SJS) was the first registered on that route since the late 1960s.  A count of 25 Grasshoppers at the Ano strip mines, Pulaski Co., KY, 17 July 2005 (RMD) provided the highest total submitted during the season; it was one of the highest totals ever tabulated in one county in one day in the Region and was especially impressive because it was obtained by just a single observer.  Of interest also was a 50-km survey made by bicycle 17 July 2004 in south-central Putnam and north-central White counties (SHF), where five Grasshoppers were counted, 3 in the former county and 2 in the latter.

    Three singing Henslow's Sparrows were found in the Heritage Marsh, White Co., TN, 4 July 2004 (SJS, EKL), providing the first county record and the first breeding season record for a county in the Tennessee part of the Region; two singing Henslow's were found at the same site 9 July 2004 (SJS, CDW photo, DAD, WAW, JCF, NSL) and 11 July 2004 (SJS, WAW); four singing birds and two juveniles were carefully observed 20 July 2004 (SJS, DAD).  Other breeding season populations of Henslow's in Tennessee are few, being limited to Cheatham (Cheatham Wildlife Management Area), Coffee (Arnold Engineering and Development Center), Henry, Montgomery (Fort Campbell), Stewart (Land Between the Lakes), Weakley, and perhaps Lawrence counties, although there is also a summer record for Roane County from the 1950s.  The Upper Cumberland Region's largest known population of breeding Henslow's resides in Pulaski Co., KY, where another site was added this season to the half dozen breeding sites located during previous years. The new site is on Rt. 837 not far from the junction with Rt. 80 and near the county lines with Casey and Russell counties; two singing Henslow's were noted there 13 June 2004 (RMD). Other breeding sites in Pulaski Co. include the Ano strip mines, Beech Grove Rd., several sites near Mt. Zion, and Rt. 328 (fide RMD). At the first of these sites 22 Henslow's were counted 17 July 2004 (RMD); one adult was seen carrying food into low, dense vegetation, and then exiting without the food, so it was probably feeding young (RMD); two sparrows were considered to be juveniles--i.e., they exhibited buffy breasts without streaking (RMD).

    Dickcissels are localized breeders within the Region with the greatest known breeding density occurring in the northwestern sector along the Sulfur Lick BBS in Morgan and Metcalfe counties, KY, where 11 were counted 19 June 2004 (SJS), the highest count there since 1998.  At least one Dickcissel was singing in a field about 5 km south of Livingston and slightly east of Rt. 111 in central Overton Co., TN, 8 July 2004 (SHF), a site where the species was also recorded during summer 2002. Several Dickcissels continued to reside on Jim Fancher Rd., White Co., TN, during June and early July 2004 (DAD, SJS), after having been initially found there during May 2004; a Dickcissel was still singing at a different site in southwestern White Co., TN, 26 July 2004 (SJS, DAD).

Observers: Terry M. Campbell (TMC), Tommy L. Curtis (TLC), Virginia Curtis (VC), Roseanna M. Denton (RMD), Douglas A. Downs (DAD), David M. Engebretson (DME), Ginger K.Ensor (GKE), Carol Fegarido (CF), Susan H. Ford (SHF), Judy C. Fuson (JCF), Zack Fuson (ZF), Gregg Garrison (GG), Terry Hall (TH), David Hollie (DH), James Kiser (JK), Nancy S. Layzer (NSL), Edmund K. LeGrand (EKL), Steve LeGrand (SL), Michele Ramsey (MR), David L. Roemer (DLR), Debbie Shannon (DS), Roi Shannon (RS), Barbara H. Stedman (BHS), Stephen J. Stedman (SJS), Mark Vukovich (MV), Winston A. Walden (WAW), Carol D. Williams (CDW).

Literature Cited

Appendix A: Reports of Loggerhead Shrike during Summer 2004 in the Upper Cumberland Region.

Appendix B: Regional Observations of Swainson's Warbler during Summer 2004.

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