Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

 

Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis)

 

Abundance: Very Uncommon (Spring) and Occasional (Fall): at least 24 records in 11 Regional counties, 4 in Kentucky and 7 in Tennessee (Map of UCR Distribution); data from the Regional bird-monitoring efforts are too few to determine a trend in the population migrating through the Region (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Transient during spring (at least 23 records) and fall (1 record); sight and sound records only

Regional High Count 2 (119 May 1990; City Lake, Putnam County, Tennessee; Stephen J. Stedman; Stedman 1993; and 119 May 1990; Barnes Hollow, Putnam County, Tennessee; Richard W. Simmers, Jr.; Vogt 1989c; Stedman 1993).

Information on Records: 

6 October 1983 (1) Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, Russell County, Kentucky (William Zwartjes), an eBird record (S5087394) discussed by Roseanna M. Denton with the observer.

15 May 1986 (1) Barnes Hollow, Putnam County, Tennessee (Richard W. Simmers, Jr.; Stedman 1986c; Stedman 1993).

19 May 1989 (1) Barnes Hollow, Putnam County, Tennessee (Richard W. Simmers, Jr.; Vogt 1989c; Stedman 1993).

19 May 1990 (1 singing) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Stedman 1993).

19 May 1990 (1) Barnes Hollow, Putnam County, Tennessee (Richard W. Simmers, Jr.; Stedman 1993).

11 May 1991 (1singing) Oil Center, Lake Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr., Brainard Palmer-Ball, Jr.; Stamm and Monroe 1991c).

16 May 1991 (1singing) City Lake, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Stedman 1993).

14 May 1994 (1) near Barnes Hollow, Putnam County, Tennessee (Richard W. Simmers, Jr.), a Spring Bird Count record.

28 May 1994 (1) Lake Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.[notes]; Stamm 1994a [cites incorrect date]).

16 May 1998 (1singing) City Lake, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Barbara H. Stedman).

9 May 1999 (1) Barnes Hollow, Putnam County, Tennessee (Richard W. Simmers, Jr.).

19 May 1999 (1singing) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Ginger K. Ensor; Fekel 1999c).

21 May 2002 (1) Lake Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton; Busroe 2002c).

8 May 2004 (1singing) Lilly Bluff, Obed Wild and Scenic River, Morgan County, Tennessee (David J. Trently; Knight 2004c), a Spring Bird Count record.

13 May 2006 (1singing and seen) Campground Rd., eastern Putnam County, Tennessee (Barbara H. Stedman), a Spring Bird Count record.

30 April 2007 (1) near Mayland, Cumberland County, Tennessee (Joseph E. Mast), a Spring Bird Count record.

25 May 2008 (1 presumptive female) Ard's Farm, Mount Zion, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton), an eBird record (S3891328).

26 May 2008 (1singing) Butternut Valley, DeKalb County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman et al.), a DeKalb County Foray record.

12 May 2009 (1singing and seen) Leffle Webb Rd., Cumberland County, Tennessee (Edmund K. LeGrand).

25 May 2009 (1singing) Mt. Union Rd., Pickett County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman), a Pickett County Foray record.

15 May 2010 (1singing) Hinch Mountain, Cumberland County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Knight 2010c), a Spring Bird Count record.

14 May 2012 (1singing) Pointer Creek Rd., Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton), an eBird record (S10742397).

2 June 2012 (1singing) southeastern Wayne County, Kentucky (Stephen J. Stedman), a Wayne County Foray record.

29 May 2014 (1singing) stop 47 on Hegira BBS, eastern Monroe County, Kentucky (Stephen J. Stedman), a Breeding Bird Survey record.

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Spring: 30 April 2007 (Cumberland County, Tennessee; Joseph E. Mast)2 June 2012 (Wayne County, Kentucky; Stephen J. Stedman).

    Fall: 6 October 1983 (Russell County, Kentucky; William Zwartjes (eBird).

Habitat: Fairly mature woodlands with thick understory vegetation adjacent to open areas in the understory.

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: No registrations.

Foray Results: A summary of data about late spring transients from UCR Forays follows (to view a map displaying foray data for a county or a sub-Region for this species, click on the name of an underlined county or state below):

County Dates when Foray Conducted Total Blocks
in County *
Total Blocks in which
Connecticut Warbler
Recorded
Total Transients
Recorded
         
Adair 816 June 2014 46 0 0
Barren 1–6 June 2013 54 0 0
Clinton 12–14 June 2009 24 0 0
Cumberland 1620 June 2014 35 0 0
McCreary 30 May5 Jun 2011 51 0 0
Metcalfe 812 June 2013 32 0 0
Monroe 1–12 June 2015 35 0 0
Pulaski 511 June 2010 72 0 0
Russell 1316, 2629 June 2012 31 0 0
Wayne 28 May3 June 2012 54 1 1
         
Kentucky   434 (408) 1 (0.23%) 1
         
Bledsoe 1824 June 2012 48 0 0
Clay 12–15 June 2010 30 0 0
Cumberland 29 May4 June 2010 75 0 0
DeKalb 2326 May 2008 40 1 1
Fentress 1117 June 2012 55 0 0
Jackson 29 May1 Jun 2009 40 0 0
Macon 1722 June 2013 32 0 0
Morgan 1–8 June 2014 58 0 0
Overton 2329 May 2011 47 0 0
Pickett 2225 May 2009 24 1 1
Putnam 6–12 June 2011 46 0 0
Scott 924 June 2016 62 0 0
Smith 1525 June 2015 37 0 0
Van Buren 13–15 June 2011 33 0 0
Warren 1–10 June 2016 47 0 0
White 1–6 June 2015 50 0 0
         
Tennessee   724 (651) 2 (0.27%) 2
         
Region   1158 (c. 1059) 3 (0.26%) 3

* Because some foray blocks fall into two or three counties, the total of blocks in the Kentucky or Tennessee portions of the Region is less than the sum of the blocks in the counties of each portion of the Region; similarly, because some blocks fall into both states, the total of blocks for the Region is less than the sum of the blocks in the two states.

RemarksA female Connecticut Warbler was found in Overton County, Tennessee, by Stephen J. Stedman during late May of 1986, but the exact date and site of this record are currently unavailable.  C. Douglas Malone reported Connecticut Warbler from Warren County, Tennessee, without being able to provide a date or site for the observation.

   Details about the Russell County, Kentucky, recordto date the only Regional fall recordare missing from the eBird record cited above, so some readers may wish to consider that record as hypothetical.

Check-lists of Birds for the Counties of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of each county of the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed by clicking on the links below. For each county, there are two check-lists: one list that shows the species that have been observed and where possible documented in the county within the larger list for the entire Region; and one list that includes only the species observed in the county with annotations for the date and observers for at least one sighting (the ultimate goal of the latter list will be to include annotations for the very first known Regional observation of each species in that county; this goal is probably one that will take many years to complete, if completion is even a possibility). To see if the species discussed in this species account has been observed in a county, click below or click on the link for the Map of UCR Distribution near the top of the page.

Barren Metcalfe Adair Russell Pulaski
Monroe Cumberland Clinton Wayne McCreary
Macon Clay Pickett Fentress Scott
Smith Jackson Overton Putnam Morgan
DeKalb White Cumberland
Warren Van Buren Bledsoe

Check-lists of Birds for Some Public Access Birding Sites of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of some public access birding sites within the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed via the links below. To see if the species dealt with in this species account has been observed within any of these sites, click on the appropriate link below. See the pages for each county within the Gazetteer for links to additional smaller public access birding sites with check-lists in progress.

Burgess Falls SP, Putnam/White Counties, TN Barren River Lake SP, Barren County, KY
Cumberland Mountain SP, Cumberland County, TN General Burnside Island SP, Pulaski County, KY
Edgar Evins SP, DeKalb County, TN  
Fall Creek Falls SP, Bledsoe/Van Buren Counties, TN Pulaski County Park, Pulaski County, KY
Frozen Head SNA, Morgan County, TN Waitsboro Recreation Area, Pulaski County, KY
Rock Island SP, Warren/White Counties, TN  
Standing Stone SP, Overton County, TN Big South Fork NRRA, KY and TN
   
Cane Creek Park, Putnam County, TN  
Roaring River Recreation Area, Jackson County, TN  

Literature Cited