(1 December–28 February)

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

Introduction

The winter of 2006-2007 was a good one for birds in the Upper Cumberland Region (Figure 1).  Records of a number of Regional rarities were made, while the Regional CBC network was improved by the addition of two new count circles.  Read on.

Weather

    The season began with the arrival of a fairly strong northwesterly cold front on the night of 30 November /1 December; this front brought subfreezing night-time temperatures for five days with at least one night (3/4 December) when temperatures dropped into the teens F.  Then, after a night (5/6 December) with temperatures in the mid-30s, another strong frontal passage came through from the northwest during the day of 7 December, bringing a dusting of snow that day and extremely low temperatures for a couple of nights thereafter, including an all-time record low temperature for the date of 8 December of 9 degrees F (lower by some estimates) in Crossville, Cumberland, Co., TN.  Temperatures gradually warmed up during the next week with daytime highs in the 60s being reached during many days during the period of 13-20 December.  Then the passage of a cold front during the night of 20/21 December dropped temperatures to more seasonable levels 22-25 December.  Rain and temperatures in the mid-30s F came 26 December, followed by mainly clear, calm days 27-30 December.  Moderate rain fell across the Region 31 December, while New Year's Day was overcast and blustery; then a clearing trend set in 2 January, lasting until mid-afternoon 4 January, when another rain system began to pass over the Region; this system brought light to moderate rainfall until the late morning of 5 January.  Still another rainy system passed through the Region 7 January, bringing heavy rainfall and bringing most Regional rivers up to fairly high levels by the time it ended late in the afternoon that day.  Cold air pushed in 8-9 January, bringing light snowfall across most of the Region on the latter day.  Then unseasonably warm conditions returned for about a week until January 16, when a blast of cold air entered the Region.  The last two weeks of January were seasonably cold most of the time with the exception of the nights of 28/29 and 30/31 January, which witnessed temperatures dropping into the low teens, or even single digits, F on the Cumberland Plateau and Highland Rim.  Cold conditions continued for the next week with most nights seeing the temperature drop into the teens F; a snowfall of 0.5 (Highland Rim) to 2 (Cumberland Plateau) inches occurred on the night of 1/2 February, and this snow remained on the ground for several days.  A brief warm spell with rain occurred 12-13 February; it was followed by another bout of seasonably cold days that lasted until 19 February; included in this bout of cold weather was a snow event 17 February--the day of the pooled data effort of the GBBC--that put 1.5 inches of snow on the ground in Cookeville and 3.5 inches of snow on the ground in Crossville.  Starting 20 February a period of warm conditions returned to the Region, lasting over a week.

Wild Food Crop

    At best, the soft mast crop (fruits and berries) for the season was a modest one, especially when compared to the excellent soft mast crop present the preceding winter; moderately low to average numbers of frugivores on many Regional CBCs seemed to confirm this estimate.  The hard mast crop (nuts and seeds) seemed to have been a better than average one, to judge from good numbers of Red-headed Woodpeckers on some, but not all, Regional CBCs, as well as by the presence of at least six Red-headeds in Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park, Van Buren Co., TN (see below), a site with few records of this acorn- and hickory-loving woodpecker.

Results of Organized Bird Counts

    As during most winters for the past few decades, Christmas Bird Counts were conducted at a number of Regional sites. This year's total of ten Regional CBCs exceeds the previous highest total of CBCs ever conducted Regionally in one CBC season. A hearty "Welcome!" goes to the Crossville, Cumberland Co., TN, CBC, and to the Russell Co., KY, CBC, each conducted for the first time this season.  A summary of results of the Regional CBCs may be accessed via this link:

    As during the past few years, Great Backyard Bird Count data for the Saturday (17 February 2007) of that count's period were pooled for several counties of the Region, leading to many useful data about species present during late winter in the Region.  To view this year's pooled GBBC data, click on the following link:

       Abbreviations and Symbols: * = documentation form provided in support of bird record; BSFNRRA = Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area; CBC = Christmas Bird Count; CTSP = Cumberland Trail State Park; DBNF = Daniel Boone National Forest; GBBC = Great Backyard Bird Count; m. ob. = many observers; OWSR = Obed Wild and Scenic River; WRS = Winter Roadside Survey, Putnam County, Tennessee (SJS and BHS).

Waterfowl and Gallinaceous Species     

The only report of a Greater White-fronted Goose came 18 February 2007 from the Obey River Recreation Area, Dale Hollow Lake, Pickett Co., TN (RCH) where an adult was noted with a flock of Canada Geese, providing the first record for that county and the only Regional report this winter.

    A count of 45 Snow Geese flying over Mt. Zion, Pulaski Co., KY, 1 December 2006 (RMD) provided the high count for the season.  Three blue morph geese (2 adults and 1 immature) were noted near Mayland, Cumberland Co., TN, 28 January 2007 (JEM), providing one of very few records for that county; eight Snows of unreported morph were noted near The Narrows, Barren Co., KY, 14/16 February 2007 (DLR/DRB, RB).

    An adult Ross's Goose was present at Conley Bottom, Lake Cumberland, Wayne Co., KY, 19 December 2006 (RMD photo) during the Wayne County CBC, providing the first record for that CBC and that county and just the ninth record Regionally.  Two very small white geese were noted 22 January 2007 on Allen's Ferry Rd., DeKalb Co., TN (CDW, JCF, MJH); photos (JCF) and descriptions (JCF, MJH) of these birds support an identification of Ross's Goose, two records of which have occurred previously in DeKalb County in recent winters during January, suggesting the the same small flock of birds may be involved in those sightings and this one.

    A smallish Canada Goose with a leg band was found at the Burnside Marina, Pulaski Co., KY, 3 December 2006 (RMD photo); it had been originally banded in Ontario, Canada (of course), during June 2005 (fide USFWS personnel); most Canada Geese banded outside of the Region originate from that part of the breeding range.

    Two Mute Swans were noted 16 February 2007 on Barren River Reservoir, Barren Co., KY (DLR photo), while 12 Mutes appeared in a slough connected to Cordell Hull Reservoir, Jackson Co., TN, 21/23/25 February 2007 (DS fide TMC; SJS photo/HG photo/NSL, JL); fewer reports of this species were made this winter than last with no Mutes at all being noted on any of the Regional CBCs..

    An immature Tundra Swan was briefly present at Twin Lakes, Pulaski Co., KY, 7 December 2006 (RMD photo), the fourth record for that county and the 12th Regionally; another immature Tundra Swan showed up at the Wolf Creek Dam, Russell Co., KY, 15 February 2007 (RMD), the first record of its kind in that county and 13th Regionally.

    Seventy American Black Ducks on the Somerset CBC, Pulaski Co., KY, 30 December 2006 (fide RMD) were considered noteworthy.

    The first Blue-winged Teal of the "spring" Regionally was a male that showed up at the Celina Wastewater Treatment Plant, Clay Co., TN, 10 February 2007 (TMC, JT).

    Fifteen Canvasbacks at the Wolf Creek Dam, Russell Co., KY, 7 February 2007 (RMD) and nine at the Celina Wastewater Treatment Plant, Clay Co., TN, 11 February 2007 (TMC, JT) represented the beginnings of a small invasion of this handsome duck during mid- to late February around the Region; 20 Cans at Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam Co., TN, 17 February 2007 (JaF) during the GBBC provided the second highest count for the Region during this invasion, with 22 at the Waitsboro Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY (RMD), being the high count Regionally during the season; two (during the GBBC) and six at the Livingston Reservoir, Overton Co., TN, 17 and 23 February 2007 (SJS), respectively, provided the first records for that county.

    Two Greater Scaups on Lake Holiday, Cumberland Co., TN, 8 February 2007 (JEM *) were the first ever for that county; two other Greaters were noted on Barren River Reservoir, Barren Co., KY, 14 February 2007 (DLR).

    A female or immature Surf Scoter was noted at Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam Co., TN, 27 December 2006 (SJS), the 10th county and 36th Regional record of this, the most common of the scoters in the Upper Cumberland Region.

    White-winged Scoters appeared at two Regional sites during the GBBC week-end (18 February 2007): 2 at the Waitsboro Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY (RMD photo); and 3 at the Wolf Creek Dam, Lake Cumberland, Russell Co., KY (RMD photo).  These well documented records were the 11th and 12th Regionally; the birds from the former record were still present 27 February 2007 (RMD), and the latter record was a county first.

    Seventeen Common Goldeneyes on Lake Cumberland, Russell Co., KY, 10 February 2007 (RMD) provided a good count for the Region.

    A tally of 160 Hooded Mergansers on Barren River Reservoir, Barren/Allen counties, KY, 18 February 2007 (BP) provided the high count Regionally this season, considerably exceeding the highest counts on CBCs this season.

    Eight Common Mergansers including at least one male on Barren River Reservoir, Barren/Allen counties, KY, 18 February 2007 (BP) were the only ones reported this season Regionally.

    Four Red-breasted Mergansers at Dale Hollow Dam, Clay Co., TN, 14 December 2006 (SJS*) during the Clay County CBC were the first for that CBC (now in its eighth year of operation) and for Clay County; this piscivorous duck occasionally winters in the Region, so late dates of fall departure are not kept for it although these and most other December mergansers of this species are usually migrants.  Another Red-breasted Merganser was found in Wayne Co., KY, 19 December 2006 (RMD) during the Wayne County CBC (now in its fifth year of operation). Still another late-migrating flock of Red-breasted Mergansers included 13 at the Waitsboro Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY, 25 December 2006 (RMD), a nice xmas gift for a birder to find.

    Two Ruffed Grouse seen on Brady Mountain, CTSP, Cumberland Co., TN, 23 December 2006 (SJS) during the inaugural Crossville CBC were the first ever to be reported from a Cumberland Plateau site on a CBC in Tennessee.

A Red-throated Loon was discovered on Barren River Reservoir, Barren Co., KY, 16 February 2007 (DLR photo) during the GBBC and seen again 18 February 2007 (BP), the fifth record from that site and just the ninth Regionally; unlike this late winter record, all previous records of Red-throated Loon in the Region have taken place during late fall and very early winter (7 records) or during early spring (1 record).

    A count of 48 Horned Grebes near the Wolf Creek Dam, Lake Cumberland, Russell Co., KY, 7 February 2007 (RMD) indicated a good population overwintering at that site, while 320 at the Floating Mill Recreation Area, Center Hill Lake, DeKalb Co., TN, 17 February 2007 (MJH) provided the high count during the season for that site and for the Region (and was also the continental high count on the GBBC).

    Few Double-crested Cormorants appear during winter (and even fewer overwinter) in the Region, so one at Clifty Pond, Pulaski Co., KY, 11 January 2007 (RMD) was a noteworthy individual.  Another in Adair Co., KY, 10 February 2007 (RMD) was probably either an overwintering individual or an early spring arrival.

    The 2007 nesting cycle of Great Blue Herons in the Region began no later than 24 January 2007 when a lone Great Blue was observed perched in the top of a rookery tree that contained six or seven old nests; this bird was noted on Dry Valley Rd., Putnam Co., TN (SJS). On 27 January 2007 single Great Blues were noted standing on two of four nests located below Center Hill Dam, DeKalb Co., TN (SJS, WAW); also on that date a single Great Blue was perched on one of six nests located along the Caney Fork River near I-40, Smith Co., TN (CDW).  These dates are somewhat earlier than the dates when this behavior has been reported during previous winters in the Region.  The seasonably cold temperatures that returned to the Region in early February probably put a temporary halt to this behavior.

    A Great Egret visited City Lake, Putnam Co., TN, 4 December 2006 (BHS), the second latest fall departure date ever in that county.

An adult Bald Eagle was photographed 8 February 2007 at Leatherwood Ford, BSFNRRA, Scott Co., TN (ES photo fide RGE), a site where this raptor is seldom reported but where there might be or eventually might be a nest.  Three active nests were reported this season around Dale Hollow Lake (fide RDS).  Eagle surveys on the larger lakes of the Region resulted in the following data:

    Northern Harriers were registered on all eight of the Regional CBCs but in lowish numbers (i.e., 1-3); best non-CBC counts available for this season included six at the Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, White Co., TN, 20 January 2007 (DAD) and six at the Ano strip mines, Pulaski Co., KY, 28 January 2007 (RMD, SD), each a site offering almost ideal habitat  to harriers.

    The individual of the light morph of eastern Red-tailed Hawk (i.e., "Krider's" Red-tailed Hawk) that was present in DeKalb Co., TN, last winter returned to the same site by late December 2006 (JCF photo), providing another example of the tenacious winter site fidelity of many individuals of this raptor; see the Spring 2006 UCR Bird Report for a photo of presumably the same Red-tail on precisely the same power pole last winter.  An intermediate or dark morph individual of the calurus subspecies visited Mr. Zion, Pulaski Co., KY, 17 December 2006 (RMD), and an intermediate or dark morph individual of the harlani subspecies of Red-tailed Hawk was noted at Fishing Creek, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY, 27 January 2007 (RMD), the first of its subkind to be reported in that county.

    A juvenile Golden Eagle was observed in the Green River WMA, Adair Co., KY, 10 February 2007 (RMD), just the second record from that county and the only report around the Region this winter.

    During the Somerset CBC 30 December 2006 (LMM, TBM, GC, JK), a male Merlin was observed on Racetrack Rd. (of course!) in Pulaski Co., KY, the first of its kind to be reported from that CBC site; another Merlin (photographed while it was perched on a power line) was noted on Mark Wellborn Rd., Pulaski Co., KY, 19 February 2007 (RMD photo); these observations provided yet more evidence that Merlins are being found with greater frequency in the Region during winter than was true a decade or more earlier; the latter record involved a bird perched on a power line, one of few documented instances of this raptor so perched in my experience.

Cranes through Gulls

Several incidents of northbound Sandhill Cranes during December were reported, at least two of these involving multiple observations of presumably the same northbound flocks. Until this winter, the earliest occurrence of northbound flocks had been limited to early January. During mid- to late January considerable northward migration of cranes through the Region was noted, but when extremely cold temperatures invaded the Region from the north at the end of the month, southbound flocks were noted on a regular basis.  A considerable northward migration of cranes--totaling at least 2500 individuals--took place 10-12 February 2007 (m. ob.), and an even more considerable northward migration--totaling about 8000 individuals--took place 23-25 February 2007 (m. ob.).  The last noteworthy flight days occurred 8-9 March 2007, mainly in Cumberland Co., TN (JEM et al.), and the second-to-last report of the season was made in that county at Mayland when 12 were noted 18 March 2007 (JEM, AFM); see the Spring 2007 UCR Bird Report for the latest report of the season. A group of 57 cranes on the ground near the Narrows, Barren Co., KY, 27 December 2006 (DRB, RB) and a group of 70 cranes on the ground at the same site 24 January 2007 (DRB photo, RB) suggested the possibility of a wintering flock at that site (although it needs to be noted that these sightings came at the same times that migrant flocks of cranes were moving through the Region on a regular basis); another group of seven cranes on the ground at Cooley's Pond, Wayne Co., KY, 3 February 2007 (RMD) was also suggestive of overwintering (in this case it is intriguing to recall that a similarly small flock was noted in the same area on several dates last winter).  See the Fall 2006 UCR Bird Report (Appendix A) for a list of all records of southbound (and a few northbound) cranes during this season; and see Appendix A (below) for a list of all records of northbound (and not a few southbound) cranes during January-March 2007.

    Migrating with a flock of 200 Sandhill Cranes, a Whooping Crane was observed near Mayland, Cumberland Co., TN, 27 February 2007 (JD), one of few instances of joint migration of these species on record for the Region.

    The training flight of 18 juvenile Whooping Cranes that arrived in the Region during late November 2006 (see Fall 2006 UCR Bird Report) departed the Region 2 December 2006--after a 10-day stay in Cumberland Co., TN--for Hiwassee Refuge southeast of the UCR and eventually for their wintering site in Florida. [Sadly, all but one of these young Whoopers were killed during a severe storm that occurred at their wintering site during early February 2007.]

    All reports of American Woodcocks are listed in Appendix B (below); the many reports of courting males during mid- to late December were probably quite normal for this species when warmish, clear, calm conditions prevail during that month.

    The second Franklin's Gull (a first-winter bird) ever for Pulaski Co., KY, was found 1 December 2006 at the Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland (RMD photo); this gull also provided just the fifth Regional record of this gull.

    High counts of Ring-billed Gulls this winter included 700 at Wolf Creek Dam, Lake Cumberland, Russell Co., KY, 7 February 2007 (RMD) and 1000+ at Barren River Dam, Barren Co., KY 17 February 2007 (DLR); each of these counts considerably exceeded the highest counts made on Regional CBCs this winter.

    An immature Herring Gull at the Floating Mill Recreation Area, Center Hill Lake, DeKalb Co., TN, 26 December 2006 (SJS*) was the first of its species to be observed on a DeKalb County CBC.

Doves through Shrike

Two Eurasian Collared-Doves were found on Holly Branch Rd., Clay Co., TN, 14 December 2006 (BHS*) during the Clay County CBC, the first collared-doves to be reported from that county (and from that CBC), making Clay the 15th Regional county to host this species.  Collared-doves were also counted on the Cookeville, DeKalb County, and White County CBCs (see the summary of CBCs for this season, link above).  Twenty-three collared-doves in Bledsoe Co., TN, 28 December 2006 (SJS, WAW) indicated that a sizable population of this invading exotic remained in that county. A single collared-dove on Jaybird Rd., Overton Co., TN, 31 December 2006 (SJS) indicated this columbid continues to be represented in that county, the first Regional county in which this dove was discovered (in 1995).

    An adult female Rufous Hummingbird was present on Creed Rd., northern Van Buren Co., TN, 1 December 2006-28 February 2007 and for an undetermined period of time before that during late fall 2006, probably since mid-October (JW, BW, SJS, DAD; see Fall 2006 UCR Bird Report and Spring 2007 UCR Bird Report); this hummer--banded and identified 11 December 2006 (MA)--provided the eighth Regional record of this species and first for Van Buren Co., TN; all these records have accumulated during the six most recent winters (another sign of global warming?).  See the Spring 2007 UCR Bird Report for the last date this individual was observed during that season. Also of interest is the fact that the hosts (BW, JW) of this hummer also hosted a hummer during the preceding winter, probably the same hummer banded this winter.

    An immature male Selasphorus sp. (very probably a Rufous Hummingbird) appeared 1 December 2006 at a feeder on Hurricane Ridge Rd., DeKalb Co., TN, (TLC photo, VC, CDW, JCF), the same site where an adult male Rufous Hummingbird spent the winter of 2004-2005 (see Winter 2004-2005 UCR Bird Report); this year's bird was last observed 11 December 2006 (TLC et al.), making it through the frigid night of 7/8 December 2006 just fine.  The unidentified hummingbird (not a Rufous/Allen's and probably not any Selasphorus sp.) that was present at the end of the fall (see Fall 2006 UCR Bird Report) on Woodlawn Ave., Jamestown, Fentress Co., TN, remained until 3 December 2006 (LL, SJS), when subfreezing night-time temperatures perhaps hastened its departure.

    A gray morph Eastern Screech-Owl was again present in DeKalb Co., TN, 26 December 2006 (CDW photo, SEP) during the DeKalb County CBC; it was found in the same cavity where it, presumably, was also found 28 December 2004 and 27 December 2005 during the two most recent previous CBCs in that county.  Since gray morph screech-owls comprise a fairly small percentage--c. 13% in the Tennessee portion of the Region (as of December 2006; click on this link for details)--of the population of screech-owls, it is likely, but not certain, that the same individual was involved in each case.  Should this screech-owl continue to be found at the same site in future years and should it be shown to have been the same individual all along, it will begin to tell us something about the longevity of this species.  Quite a few road-killed screech-owls were reported from around the Region this season (especially during periods of prolonged cold), adding to the number reported Regionally during the past two years; see the information available via the link above for details about the screech-owl morph project.

    A brooding Great Horned Owl was noted 4 February 2007 along Clifty Creek, Pulaski Co., KY (RMD) on the same nest where a young Great Horned was photographed (RMD) during May 2006 (see Spring 2006 UCR Bird Report) .

    One of very few Regional "sightings" of Northern Saw-whet Owl resulting from hearing an unsolicited bird was made 19 December 2006 at Pickett State Park, Pickett Co., TN (JDF), where a saw-whet was heard "tooting" for two minutes between 1800 and 1830 CST.  Another saw-whet responded to a tape playback of its toot call in the Bear Creek area of BSFNRRA, McCreary Co., KY, 3 January 2007 (RMD, JD).

    Red-headed Woodpeckers were present in numbers (19) well above the long-term average on the Cookeville, Putnam Co., TN, CBC, probably reflecting a good hard mast crop; 25 on the inaugural Crossville CBC provided the largest number during the season Regionally, but this total was probably not unusual for the Crossville area, which has a denser population of this scarce woodpecker than most other parts of the Region; 6 counted along the Lower Overnight Loop Trail in Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park, Van Buren Co., TN, 20 January 2007 (SJS) provided one of few records for that park and also suggested a good hard mast crop was present there.

    All reports of Loggerhead Shrike during the season Regionally are presented in Appendix C (below).  As has been the case during several previous winters, many shrike reports this season were associated with CBC efforts, another indication of these CBCs' great importance to our understanding of the Regional avifauna.

Vireo through Warblers

The first Purple Martin of the "spring" Regionally showed up in southeastern Monroe Co., KY, 25 February 2007 (JT fide TMC).

    The earliest Tree Swallow of the "spring" Regionally appeared 25 February 2007 at Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam Co., TN (SJS); a count of 17 at Cooley's Pond, Wayne Co., KY, 27 February 2007 (RMD) indicated that the species had possibly arrived at that site earlier than that date.

    Red-breasted Nuthatches were scarce in the Region this winter; for example, only a single individual was recorded on just one (White County) of the eight (or nine) Regional CBCs.  One of these nuthatches was also observed on Bullington Lane, Jackson Co., TN, 8 January 2007 (NSL); three were found in White County 27 January 2007 (DAD, MD); one was found near the Hackworth Farm, Putnam Co., TN, 16 February 2007 (BHS); and two were found on Henry Rice Rd., Putnam Co., TN, 16 February 2007 (SJS); the latter two records resulted from GBBC efforts.

    Two Brown-headed Nuthatches were found at their traditional site in Putnam Co., TN, 16 December 2006 (WAW, MPO) during the Cookeville CBC and two were noted there 17 February 2007 (DN) during the GBBC, indicating continued presence at this location, the only known breeding site in the Region.

    House Wrens were seldom reported this winter, a single during count week of the Clay County, TN, CBC (BHS) and another on the Wayne County, KY, CBC (fide RMD) being the only ones reported.

    A Marsh Wren observed on Walnut Grove Rd., White Co., TN, 16 December 2006 (WB) during the Cookeville CBC was the first ever on that CBC; this record was also one of very few taking place during winter in White County or the Region, but it was quickly followed by another sighting of this rarely wintering Regional wren--a single found on Ninemile Crossroad, Bledsoe Co., TN, 28 December 2006 (SJS, WAW); this Marsh Wren provided the first record of which I am aware for Bledsoe County.

    Heard calling in the Heritage Marsh, White Co., TN, 21 December 2006 (SJS*, DAD) during the White County CBC, a Sedge Wren was just the second to be reported during winter in the Region, both records coming from this wetland site during this CBC, now in its third year of operation.

    There are few Regional winter records of Gray Catbird (2 CBC records for Putnam County, TN; 1 CBC record each for the Glasgow and Somerset, KY, CBCs), so a well seen individual in northern White Co., TN, 14 February 2007 (DAD) was quite a surprise.

    Most counts of Cedar Waxwings made this winter were in the low (i.e., 10-100 individuals) to moderate (i.e., 100-200 individuals) size range; a flock of 200 at Tennessee Tech University--which always draws in waxwing flocks because of the many old Foster-hollies decorating its campus--Cookeville, Putnam Co., TN, 30 January 2007 (MJH) was one of the largest reported.

    A lingering or wintering Pine Warbler was found at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, Russell Co., KY, 26 December 2006 (RMD, SD), and a few others were noted on CBCs in the Tennessee portion of the Region.  Overall, it was about an average winter for this semi-hardy warbler.  Probably an early "spring" returnee was a Pine Warbler on West Oak Dr., Cookeville, Putnam Co., TN, 3-4 February 2007 (WAW).

    At the Pumphrey Farm, Pulaski Co., KY, 5 December 2006 (RMD, CGH) a Common Yellowthroat was observed, the latest in the Region during the past "fall" and the latest ever in that county by over a month.

Sparrows through Blackbirds

An American Tree Sparrow at Quarry Beach, Barren River Dam, Barren Co., KY, 14 February 2007 (DLR photo) provided the only Regional record for the season and the first record since February 2001 (two tree sparrows found on the December 2004 Glasgow CBC were in Allen Co., KY--out of the UCR--not Barren Co.).

    A Lincoln's Sparrow found near Bennett Rd., Putnam Co., TN, 16 December 2006 (DLC, KBo) during the Cookeville CBC was the first to be recorded on that CBC, and this record also provided just the second winter record for that county.

    A count of 192 White-crowned Sparrows in Pulaski Co., KY, 30 December 2006 (fide RMD) during the Somerset CBC was by far the largest CBC total ever achieved for this handsome sparrow in the history of the Regional CBC effort; the largest previous CBC total for White-crowns Regionally was 98, counted exactly a half century earlier during the 30 December 1956 CBC in Glasgow, Barren Co., KY.

    A single Lapland Longspur flocking with 15 Horned Larks near Mayland, Cumberland Co., TN, 6 January 2007 (JEM * et al.) was the first of its kind to be reported in that county and the only one reported anywhere in the Region this winter; this record was just the eighth Regionally..

    Ninety-five Rusty Blackbirds were counted at the Cumberland Mountain Farm, Cumberland Co., TN, 23 December 2006 (DJT et al.) during the Cumberland County CBC, the largest total recorded on the Regional CBCs during this CBC season. Fifteen Rusties in Smith Co., TN, 27 January 2007 (SJS, WAW) were the first ever reported from that county.  See Appendix D (below) for a summary of all Regional reports of this declining blackbird.

    Flocks of 30 and 40 Brewer's Blackbirds in a large (5000) flock of icterids comprised mainly of grackles on Jernigan Rd., White Co., TN, 5 and 25 February 2007 (DAD), respectively, provided two of very few reports Regionally this winter and came from a county that has consistently harbored a few Brewer's during the past few winters; twelve Brewer's, including one female, were noted near Mayland, Cumberland Co., TN, 17 February 2007 (AFM, JEM) during the GBBC pooled data effort, the first record for that county.

Finches through Weaver Finch

Purple Finches were extremely scarce on the Regional CBCs, being found on just three counts in low numbers (1-4); thus, Purples  were even more scarce than they were two years ago when they were found on seven counts in quite low (1-11) numbers.  This "winter finch" continues to dwindle in overwintering numbers in the Region over the long term; is it perhaps an early respondent to global climate change?

    Pine Siskins made almost no appearances Regionally this winter, two in Cumberland Mountain S. P., Cumberland Co., TN, 23 December 2006 (BG) during the inaugural Crossville CBC being the only ones found on any of the Regional CBCs and two on Walnut Grove Rd., White Co., TN, 16-18 February 2007 (WB) being the only ones found on any of the Regional GBBCs.

Observers:  Mark Armstrong (MA), Francis C. Baker (FCB), Kris Ballinger (KB), Nan Evans Beesley (NEB), Mary Bennett (MB), Kris Bolin (KBo), Betty Bright (BB), Sharon Brines (SB), Wally Brines (WB), David R. Brown (DRB), Greg Brown (GB), Rosemary Brown (RB), Frank Bulow (FB), Margie Buxbaum (MB), Terry M. Campbell (TMC), Leonardo Chavez (LC), Daniel L. Combs (DLC), Granville Cox (GC), Linda Craiger (LC), Tommy L. Curtis (TLC), Virginia Curtis (VC), Jonathan Dayton (JD), Julie Denton (JD), Roseanna M. Denton (RMD), Janet Dowlen (JD), Douglas A. Downs (DAD), Marti Downs (MD), Robert G. Emmott (RGE), Walt Fields (WF), Janie C. Finch (JaF), Richard C. Finch (RCF), Susan H. Ford (SHF), John D. Froeschauer (JDF), Eddie Fuson (EF), Judy C. Fuson (JCF), Bruce Gardner (BG), Dana Girard (DG), Heather Gothard (HG), Kathy Harville (KH), Robbie C. Hassler (RCH), Michael J. Hawkins (MJH), Jim Hazard JH), Margo Hinkle (MH), C. Gay Hodges (CGH), James Kiser (JK), James Layzer (JL), Nancy S. Layzer (NSL), Linda Lynch (LL), Scott Marsh (SM), Anita F. Mast (AFM), Joseph E. Mast (JEM), Hayden Mattlingly (HM), Mac McWhirter (MM), Susan N. McWhirter (SNM), Lynda M. Mills (LMM), Thomas B. Mills (TBM), Ginny Morton (GM), King Morton (KM), Allen Nabors (AN), David Narrie (DN), Deborah Anne Nelson (DAN), Michael P. O'Rourke (MPO), Brainard Palmer-Ball, Jr. (BP), Mark Pirolo (MP), Susan E. Pirolo (SEP), John Ramsey (JR), Michele Ramsey (MR), Timothy R. Riddle (TRR), David L. Roemer (DLR), Paul Shipley (PS), Richard W. Simmers, Jr. (RWS), Ronnie D. Smith (RDS), Etta Spradlin (ES), Barbara H. Stedman (BHS), Stephen J. Stedman (SJS), Danny Stone (DS), David J. Trently (DJT), Jason Troyer (JT), Jesse Troyer (JTr), Bill Wagner (BL), Jacquie Wagner (JW), Winston A. Walden (WAW), Carol D. Williams (CDW), and Reuben Yoder (RY).

Literature Cited

Appendix A.  Records of northbound (and some southbound) Sandhill Cranes in the Upper Cumberland Region during "Spring" 2007, including those seen January through March 2007; see the Fall 2006 UCR Bird Report for records of southbound  (and a few northbound) cranes during December 2006). 

Migrant Sandhill Cranes over Tucker Ridge Rd., Putnam County, Tennessee, 15 February 2007; photo Mark Pirolo.

Appendix B.  Records of  American Woodcocks in the Upper Cumberland Region during Winter 2006–2007 and Spring 2007.

Appendix C.  Reports of  Loggerhead Shrike during Winter 2006–2007 in the Upper Cumberland Region.

Appendix D.  Records of  Rusty Blackbirds in the Upper Cumberland Region during Winter 2006–2007 and Spring 2007.

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