(1 December–28 February)

The season's weather was diverse.  December offered mainly moderate conditions; January was colder than most recent Januaries and saw several periods of snowfall and snow cover, many of them occurring on Thursdays; February offered up a period of flooding brought on by three consecutive days of moderate to heavy precipitation beginning Valentine's Day; at least 9 inches of rain fell on many parts of the Region, causing some local flooding.  The water and turbidity levels of many of the Region's lakes rose dramatically  in the aftermath of this heavy rainfall, perhaps causing displacement of some species (e.g., grebes) requiring clear water for foraging.

    This winter's characteristics in terms of the avifauna are hard to summarize.  Despite bitter cold in January, an Allen's Hummingbird managed to survive quite nicely at a feeder in Smith Co., TN, and was visited by over a hundred observers by season's end.  Boreal invaders were scarce, but not entirely absent, as a Rough-legged Hawk in Bledsoe Co., TN, and a Northern Saw-whet Owl in Pulaski Co., KY, testify; boreal finches were way down in numbers (Purple Finch) or nearly absent (Pine Siskin and Evening Grosbeak).  Numbers of species and individuals on various counts made during the course of the season showed no alarming decreases or absences in species previously considered common.  All in all, it was, like most previous winters, another winter with its own unique identity, but much about that identify is hard to quantify or specify.

    As is usual each winter, Christmas Bird Count (CBC) data account for much of the information gleaned about the populations of most uncommon, fairly common, and uncommon bird species around the Region  Results of the five Regional CBCs may be viewed at the following links:

• Somerset (Pulaski Co., KY) CBC (1 January 2003)
• Wayne County (KY) CBC (14 December 2002)
• Clay County (TN) CBC (18 December 2002)
• Cookeville (Putnam Co., TN) CBC (14 December 2002)
• Warren County (TN) CBC (28 December 2002)

    Some data regarding birds seen at feeders and in yards were collected during January and February 2003; February data were mainly collected as part of the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC; 14-17 February 2003).  To access these data, click on the following links:

• February 2003 FeederWatch Results
• January 2003 FeederWatch Results

Note: Several observers in Somerset, KY, used GBBC methodology to conduct a fairly extensive bird count in that county 15 February 2003 (GC, GH, AM, RMD).  The results of this GBBC-related and innovative count may be accessed at the following link:

• GBBC data from Pulaski Co., KY

Acknowledgments: Special thanks are due to the compilers of the above-mentioned CBCs--Roseanna Denton, Terry Campbell, and Doug and Crystal Malone--for organizing the counts and sharing the resulting data.  Thanks are also due the agency personnel who conducted the Mid-winter Eagle Surveys, especially Gregg Nivens and Stephen Hurst (both with the Army Corps of Engineers).  Those who shared digital photographs (Betty Bright/Harold Bright, Terry Campbell, Kathy Harville, Nell Moore, Michael Todd, and Carol Williams) deserve special thanks as that form of documentation is one of the best means of validating records of unusual birds.  To the many participants of the Great Backyard Bird Count who offered copies of their data, I am also grateful.  Finally, I thank everyone who shared any form of bird data during the season; without your generosity, this report would not have been possible.

Abbreviations and Symbols: * = documentation form provided in support of bird record; BSFNRRA = Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area; CBC = Christmas Bird Count; DBNF = Daniel Boone National Forest..

Waterfowl

A Greater White-fronted Goose appeared at Harvest Farms Lake during the Warren Co., TN, CBC 28 December 2002 (DM, CM, MM, RAH), providing a first record for that county and that CBC; an incorrect date for this sighting was included in a summary of seasonal sightings for middle Tennessee (Casteel 2003b).

    A white form of  Snow Goose was noted at Cooley's Pond, Wayne Co., KY, 14 December 2002 (RMD), while another at the Oneida City Park, Scott Co., TN, 11 January 2003 (NM) may have been the same bird seen at Lake Elizabeth, Scott Co., TN, last November (NM).  Two adults and two immatures of the white form of Snow Goose visited Cane Creek Park, Putnam Co., TN, 20 January 2003 (SJS); two adults of the white form of Snow Goose were at nearby Boring Pond, Putnam Co., TN, both before and after the Cane Creek Park sighting. 

    Eight Mute Swans were reported from Granville, Jackson Co., TN, 28 December 2002 (TC, VC), providing the first record for the county; several of these swans were photographed 26 January 2003 (CDW photo, DW).  Following the extremely heavy rainfall taking place 14-17 February 2003, eight Mute Swans were sighted near Lillydale, Dale Hollow Lake, Clay Co., TN , on the latter date (TMC), providing a first record for that county; these were probably the same birds that had been present at Granville, displaced by the flood conditions.

    A male Blue-winged Teal found 26 February 2003 on the lake at Cane Creek Park, Putnam Co., TN (SJS, JCF) was earliest ever in spring in that county by twelve days.

    Two male Canvasbacks showed up briefly 11 February 2003 on the lake at Cane Creek Park, Putnam Co. (SJS), and two more males were on the lake at Oneida City Park, Scott Co., the same day (NM photos), probably providing a first record for the latter county.  Another Canvasback was seen in Pulaski Co., KY, 16 February 2003 (fide RMD), during an effort by the Somerset Bird Club to use the Great Backyard Bird Count as an organized bird count in that county. Three Cans were noted 26 February 2003 on the sewage lagoons in Celina, Clay Co., TN (TMC).

    Redheads are always worth reporting because this species seems to have a smaller continental population in most years than many other diving ducks and because this small population is often declining in numbers; three were found 11 January 2003 in Somerset, Pulaski Co., KY (RMD); two of each sex were noted on Lake Catherine, Fairfield Glade, Cumberland Co., TN, 9 February 2003 (EKL), probably providing the first record with details for that county; seven males were noted in Pulaski Co., KY, 15 February 2003 (RDM et al.), while seven (including five males and two females) and nine visited Cane Creek Park, Putnam Co., TN, 25 and 27 February 2003 (SJS), respectively; a flock of 11 was noted 28 February 2003 near Smithville, DeKalb Co., TN (MJH). The largest group reported during the season occurred 26 February 2003, when 24 were counted at Cane Creek Park, Putnam Co., TN (SJS, JCF).

As is expected each winter, a few to a dozen or so Common Loons wintered on Center Hill and Dale Hollow lakes, DeKalb and Clay/Pickett counties, respectively; one at the Floating Mill Recreation Area, Center Hill Lake, DeKalb Co., TN, 17 February 2003 (SJS) had not been displaced by the rising water levels and turbidity levels occurring there.  Another loon found 25 January 2003 at the Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY (RMD), provided evidence that this diver winters in the Kentucky portion of the Region, at least in some years.

   About 220 Horned Grebes were present at the Floating Mill Recreation Area, Center Hill Lake, DeKalb Co., TN, from the beginning of the period until the mid-February deluge (SJS).  Immediately after this event, no grebes could be located, perhaps indicating that they temporarily dispersed to other sites not so much affected by rising lake levels, but by 21 February 2003 at least 71 were noted at the site.  A Horned Grebe that showed up on Cane Creek Park lake, Putnam Co., TN, 17 February 2003 (SJS) was three days earlier than any previous February sighting in that county (and may have been one of the grebes from Floating Mill?).  A flock of 39 was noted 6 December 2002 at the Waitsboro Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY (RMD), while two at Conley Bottoms, Lake Cumberland, Wayne Co., KY, 8 January 2003 (RMD) offered more evidence that the species winters in small numbers in the Kentucky portion of the Region.

    About a dozen Great Blue Herons were noted standing near or on nests at Lee's Ford, Fishing Creek, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY, 15 February 2003 (RMD et al.) during bird counting associated with the Great Backyard Bird Count, indicating the onset of breeding at about the usual time for this behavior to begin.  Several Great Blues were noted near or on nests at the Floating Mill Recreation Area, Center Hill Lake, DeKalb Co., TN, about 10 February 2003 (CDW, DW); when the big rains of mid-February 2003 brought the level of Center Hill Lake up more than 20 feet, the island where the rookery is situated was inundated, leaving only the tips of the tallest limbs of the nest tree were above water; however, two Great Blue Herons were perched on these limb tips 20 February 2003 (SJS) in expectation of falling water and breeding opportunity.  Any information about heronries in the Region is welcome; see the Spring 2003 UCR Bird Report for further details about this colony.

    A count of 600+ Turkey Vultures at Barren River Reservoir, Barren Co., KY, 2 December 2002 (DLR) did not quite equal the high count from that site last winter, but it was still impressive.  The vulture roost at City Lake, Putnam Co., TN, harboring both Turkey and Black Vultures, was active till mid-January 2003 with about 250 birds being the highest number present (SJS, BHS), but after mid-January's very cold weather the roost was abandoned for over a month; the new roost site for these vultures was never located. A roost harboring at least 500 vultures was discovered on Center Hill Lake, DeKalb Co., TN, in mid-February 2003 (CDW, DW); it was possibly composed of vultures that were part of a group of about 450 sighted at Floating Mill Recreation Area, Center Hill Lake, in late November 2002 (see Fall 2002 UCR Bird Report) since the roost found in February 2003 was also active the preceding winter (fide CDW); however, on 20 February and thereafter, this roost was not in use (fide CDW).

Raptors

An Osprey on Barren River Reservoir, Barren Co., KY, 9 December 2002 (DLR; Busroe 2003b) was quite late and therefore notable.

    The annual Midwinter Eagle Survey (fide GN) in Tennessee and Kentucky is conducted by personnel from a number of state and federal agencies each year; this year it included coverage of Dale Hollow (AB, GB, BB, TMC, KC, TM, CN, GN, RM, MW, RW), Cordell Hull (fide SH), and Center Hill (SB, SF, BH, MH, TM, GN) lakes 10-14 January 2003.  Results for Bald Eagle, deemed a bit low for Dale Hollow but about normal for Cordell Hull and Center Hill, are provided in the following table:

Winter eagle data from the big lakes in the Kentucky portion of the Region are generally hard to come by, so a count of four Bald Eagles in Russell Co., KY, presumably near Lake Cumberland, 18 January 2003 (RMD) was most welcome.  Two Bald Eagle nests were also located in Jackson Co., TN, during January 2003 (SH).  No reports about eagle nests on Dale Hollow Lake, Center Hill Lake, or at any other site in the Region have thus far come in.

    A Rough-legged Hawk was noted near the intersection of Nine Mile Rd. and East Valley Rd. in the Sequatchie Valley, Bledsoe Co., TN, 11 January 2003 (DRJ); this is one of the few regular wintering sites in the Region for this scarce boreal raptor.

    Two Golden Eagles, a presumed pair, are still being reported in Jackson Co., TN (SH); their new nest site has not yet been discovered, but a search for it has been underway since the destruction of the old nest by an ice storm last winter. 

  A Merlin appeared 6 December 2002 on Old Mill Rd., Putnam Co., TN (SJS).  Another was observed in Pulaski Co., KY, 8 & 11 December 2002 (RMD).  Taken together, these sightings might suggest a late movement of this scarce falcon in the Region, but the presence of Merlins at the Ano strip mines, Pulaski Co., KY--where one bird was noted 12 January 2003 (CSN, WWN) and where two were present the next day (CSN, RMD)--indicates that those birds were possibly spending the winter.  January sightings of Merlin are rare Regionally, as are sightings involving more than one bird.

Cranes through Gulls

See the Fall 2002 UCR Bird Report for records of southward migrating Sandhill Cranes during December 2002 and January 2003; late sightings occurred 5 January 2003 when a flock of 65+ was noted near the Lovelady community, Pickett Co., TN (RCH), 6 January 2003 when a flock of 50 was noted on R. D. Anderson Rd., Putnam Co., TN (WB, SB), and 7 January 2003 when a flock was heard near Buck Mt., Putnam  Co., TN (MPO); still later flocks were noted 17 January 2003, when 150 southbound birds were counted at Dale Hollow Dam, Clay Co., TN (RDS), and when a flock was heard only in north Cookeville, Putnam Co., TN (JCF), but the very last evidence of southerly migration came 22 January 2003 from Bledsoe Co., TN (DG fide JCF).  Northbound cranes flights were first noted beginning 22 January 2003 when a flock of  59 was sighted in Smithville, DeKalb Co., TN (MJH).  Largish northbound flights were noted 2, 5, 13, especially 19, and 23-24 February 2003 (see Appendix A below).

    A Spotted Sandpiper present at the National Fish Hatchery in Celina, Clay Co., TN, 5-23 December 2002 (TMC) was registered on the Clay Co., TN, CBC 18 December 2003 (TMC), providing one of few CBC records for the northern tier of counties in the state; the last date of occurrence may be later than any other UCR winter observation.

    A count of 35 Wilson's Snipes at the Stone Farm near Celina, Clay Co., TN, 16 February 2003 (TMC) represented the best total for the season, exceeding the total counted on each of the Regional CBCs.

    American Woodcocks were fairly well represented in the reports that accumulated, especially late in the  season when the aerial courtship display of this pudgy shorebird attracts many observers.  See Appendix B below for a summary of these reports.

    Counts of large numbers of gulls are generally scarce each winter in the Region, except from Barren River Reservoir; however, no counts from that site were made, or at least reported, this season, though some nice counts came from other sites, including 400+ Ring-billed Gulls at the Floating Mill Recreation Area, Center Hill Lake, DeKalb Co., TN, 6 January 2003 (MJH) and February 2003 (SJS).  A count of 526 Ring-bills on Lake Cumberland, Russell Co., KY, 18 January 2003 (RMD) was also noteworthy.

Owls through Lark

A calling Northern Saw-whet Owl was heard 12 January 2003 in the Little Lick area of the DBNF, Pulaski Co., KY (RMD); saw-whets are also found at this site last winter (see Spring 2002 UCR Bird Report).).

    The immature male Allen's Hummingbird noted in the Fall 2002 UCR Bird Report was banded (CAS, PM) and photographed (MT photo, photo) in Smith Co., TN, 26 January and 2 February 2003, respectively; it survived several cold spells, including one that saw the night-time temperature fall to near 0 degrees Fahrenheit, during a stay that lasted into March 2003 (KH); see the Spring 2003 UCR Bird Report.

    Regional reports of Loggerhead Shrikes included one in northeastern Pulaski Co., KY, 12 December 2002 (CSN) and another at Mt. Zion in the same county 9 January 2003 (RMD). Two were located during the Cookeville, Putnam Co., TN,  CBC 14 December 2002, one on Paragon Rd. (RWS) and the other at Shipley Farm (GKE, DAD, MJH); the former of these was relocated 20 December 2002 near the same site where found during the CBC (WB), and the latter was possibly the same bird seen 5 January and 26 February 2003 about a mile away near the intersection of Gainesboro Grade and County Farm Rd., Putnam Co., TN (MJH).  A shrike was noted on the Clay Co., TN, CBC 18 December 2002 (GC, BS); another was found during the Warren Co., TN, CBC 28 December 2002 (SJS, WAW, MPO); and still another was present during the Somerset CBC, Pulaski Co., KY, 1 January 2003 (RMD, SD). See Appendix C below for a summary of all Regional reports, surprisingly few, for the season.

    A flock of 120-150 Horned Larks was noted on Old Mill Rd., Putnam Co., TN, 6-7 December 2002 (SJS, WAW), by far the largest flock reported during the season; larger flocks have been reported in that county during the winter of 2000-2001 only.  A flock of 50 in Pulaski Co., KY, 8 December 2002 (RMD), when considered in connection with the foregoing record, perhaps reflected a modest irruption of the species into the Region in early December.

Swallows through Warblers

Red-breasted Nuthatches were in short supply this winter with just a few reported here and there in the Region.  Of the five Regionl CBCs conducted, the Cookeville CBC was the only one to record this irregularly irruptive species, and only a single bird was noted (DLC et al.).

    A House Wren found at the Cooper Power Plant during the Somerset, KY, CBC 1 January 2003 (SJS, MY, JY) was the first noted on that CBC during its 7-year history.

    An Orange-crowned Warbler found at Mt. Zion near Science Hill, Pulaski Co., KY, 16 December 2002 (RMD*) provided one of few Regional winter season records.

    An early returning Pine Warbler made an appearance 25 February 2003 at City Lake, Putnam Co., TN (SJS, BHS).

    Ten Palm Warblers on Old Mill Rd., Putnam Co., TN, 7 December 2002 (SJS, WAW) constituted a large contingent for that time of year.

Sparrows

Two Vesper Sparrows observed 14 December 2002 at Cooley's Pond, Wayne Co., KY (RMD), provided one of few county and Regional winter records, though these birds may have been late migrants.

    A count of 13 Fox Sparrows near Flynn Creek, Jackson Co., TN, 26 February 2003 (MJH) was a good one for that widely but thinly distributed sparrow.  The total for each of the five CBCs conducted in the Region this winter was lower than this count.

    Two Lapland Longspurs found 6-7 December 2002 on Old Mill Rd., Putnam Co., TN (SJS, WAW), provided records of this scarce wintering species for only the second winter in the county's history, the first being the winter of 2000-2001 (see Winter 2000-2001 UCR Bird Report).

Blackbirds through Weaver Finch

A Rusty Blackbird showed up in a yard north of Smithville, DeKalb Co., TN, 21 February 2003 (CDW photo), providing the first record in the county with details.  Another was reported 18 January 2003 at Mt. Zion, Pulaski Co., KY (RMD).

    Three Brewer's Blackbirds near the Scott County, TN, airport 21 December 2002 (NM) were probably the first for that county.  Few reports typically occur each winter.  Always check dairies and feedlots for this rarish blackbird, which may be more of a migrant in the Region than a winter resident.

    It was not a winter for boreal finches.  A few Purple Finches were reported in scattered locations with numbers far below those of an "average" year; almost no Pine Siskins or Evening Grosbeaks made appearances.

Observers:  Andy Barlow (AB), Stephen Beason (SB), Gary Boles (GB), Sharon Brines (SB), Wally Brines (WB), Betty Bright (BBr), Harold Bright (HB), Brian Bullock (BB), Terry M. Campbell (TMC), Gary Casey (GC), Kenny Claywell (KC), Daniel L. Combs (DLC), Granville Cox (GC), Tommy Curtis (TC), Virginia Curtis (VC), D. Ann Davis (DAD), Roseanna M. Denton (RMD), Steve Denton (SD), Ginger K. Ensor (GKE), Scott Fanning (SF), Janie C. Finch (JCF), Dana Girard (DG), W. Howard Groce (WHG), Kathy Harville (KH), Robbie C. Hassler (RCH), Michael J. Hawkins (MJH), Bobby Hayes (BH), Ruth Ann Henry (RAH), Mark Herd (MH), Jane E. B. Herrin (JEBH), Margo Hinkle (MH), Gay Hodges (GH), Michael Hodge (MHo), Stephen Hurst (SH), James Layzer (JL), Nancy Layzer (NL), Edmund K. LeGrand (EKL), Doug Malone (DM), Crystal Malone (CM), Terry Martin (TM), Portia McMillan (PM), Max Medley (MM), Nell Moore (NM), Arlene Morton (AM), Connie S. Neeley (CSN), Wendell W. Neeley (WWN), Gregg Nivens (GN), Craig Norris (CN), Michael P. O'Rourke (MPO), Julie Pharr (JP), Jeanne T. Richardson (JTR), David L. Roemer (DLR), Boyd Sharp (BS), Richard W. Simmers, Jr. (RWS), Christopher A. Sloan (CAS), Ronnie D. Smith (RDS), Barbara H. Stedman (BHS), Stephen J. Stedman (SJS), W. Terry Thornton (WTT),  Michael Todd (MT), Anthony Trimboli (AT), Winston A. Walden (WAW), Carol D. Williams (CDW), Don Williams (DW), Mark Willis (MW), Rob Winsett (RW), James York (JY), Margaret York (MY).

Literature Cited

Appendix A.  Records of Northbound Sandhill Cranes in the Upper Cumberland Region during "Spring" 2003; see the Fall 2002 UCR Bird Report for Records of Southbound Cranes seen during this Winter.  See the Spring 2003 UCR Bird Report for additional  sightings of (mainly northbound) migrating cranes during that period.

Appendix B.  Records of  American Woodcocks in the Upper Cumberland Region during Winter 2002-2003.

Appendix C.  Reports of  Loggerhead Shrike during Winter 2002–2003 in the Upper Cumberland Region.

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