Results of the 35th Putnam County, Tennessee, Spring Bird Count—10 May 2008

Red-headed Woodpeckers were found in high numbers on the Spring Bird Count in Putnam County 10 May 2008; indeed, the number counted—25—tied the all-time high count for this species in the county; photo DJ Stanley (May 2008) in Cumberland County, Tennessee.

 

Despite lack of record-setting totals in any of the following categories—total party hours, total party miles, total parties in the field, total field observers, or total feeder/yard watchers—the 2008 version of the Spring Bird Count (SBC) in Putnam County managed to set a new record for total number of species recorded: 139.  A major factor in achieving this record total was weather that was very conducive to the presence of quite a few transient and late-lingering winter resident species. Rain on several days preceding the count, as well as light rain during the early morning hours of count day, undoubtedly helped more than hurt the results of this count.

    Besides setting a record for total species, this count also resulted in many highest ever counts (23 species) for the SBC in the county; additionally, this count also resulted in many highest ever counts (22 species) for the SBC that were also all-time high counts for the county.  Furthermore, two species never before recorded on a SBC in the county were found on the count; they are denoted in red below.

    Additional information about the Spring Bird Count in Putnam County may be viewed by clicking on the link below:

 

Table 1. Results of Spring Bird Count in Putnam County, Tennessee, 10 May 2008.

Location W NW NE E Centr. Plat. SE SW Feedw.
Party Leaders SJS DAD WAW RWS JCF JEM BHS DLC   Total
Party Members SEP NSL MPO RCF AFM DJS EKL BD
CDW TMS BM LKS MV HO
CRH MR
JO
CEW
[WAW]
Number Field Observers 3 2 3 1 2 3 4 3 0 21
Number Field Parties 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 6–8
Number Feederwatchers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5
Start CDT 0400 0415 0545 0505 0201 0330 0425 0201
End CDT 1730 1900 1645 1732 1445 1945 1800 1945
    Hours on Foot 1.5 4 0.5 6 5 2.75 3 6 0 28.75
    Hours by Car 12.25 10.5 10.5 2.25 0 6 8.5 5 0 55
Total Party Hours 13.75 14.5 11 8.25 5 8.75 11.5 11 0 83.75
     Miles on Foot 1 3 0.25 0.5 1.5 4.5 1.5 3 0 15.25
     Miles by Car 137 90 75.5 29 0 46 101 30 0 508.5
Total Party Miles 138 93 75.75 29.5 1.5 50.5 102.5 33 0 523.75
Owling Hours 1.25 1.25 0 0 0.25 2 1 0 0 5.75
Owling Miles 21 15 0 0 0 8 20 0 0 64
Feeder-watching Hours 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10.5 10.5
           
Low Temperature (F) 60 57 62 58 57
High Temperature (F) 75 75 80 81 81
Wind AM (mph) 0–5 0–5 0–10 0–10 0–10
Wind PM (mph) 0–5 0–5 0–10 0–10 0–10
Sky AM overcast overcast clo clo cloudy
Sky PM m cle  m cle cle m cle mostly clear
Precipitation AM misting misting none light rain misting
Precipitation PM none none none none none
Moon Phase near new near new near new near new
                     
Total Species 102 90 93 82 53 90 117 102 48 139
Location W NW NE E Centr. Plat. SE SW Feedw.
Canada Goose 12 29 37 2 2 6 32 17 137
Wood Duck 2 5 2 4 13
Mallard 10 3 1 11 2 27*
Lesser Scaup 3 3
Northern Bobwhite 1 1 1 4 3 10
Wild Turkey 1 3 1 1 1 7
Double-crested Cormorant 16 16
Great Blue Heron 10 3 5 3 9 30**
Great Egret 1 1
Green Heron 3 6 3 3 4 1 20*
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1 1* (tie)
Black Vulture 12 7 3 2 1 25
Turkey Vulture 29 13 18 1 1 8 8 29 3 110
Cooper's Hawk 3 1 2 1 7* (tie)
Red-shouldered Hawk 3 2 1 1 3 1 2 13
Broad-winged Hawk 2 2 1 1 1 1 8
Red-tailed Hawk 3 8 3 2 6 22*
Location W NW NE E Centr. Plat. SE SW Feedw.
Sora 2 2
American Coot 1 1
Killdeer 11 10 5 1 2 21 12 62
Spotted Sandpiper 1 7 2 5 7 22*
Solitary Sandpiper 2 4 2 1 9*
Least Sandpiper 1 7 8* (tie)
American Woodcock 2 2
Rock Pigeon 2 15 2 6 12 6 43
Eurasian Collared-Dove 1 1
Mourning Dove 53 85 26 11 8 9 150 57 25 424*
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 1 1 4
Black-billed Cuckoo 1 1
Barn Owl 2 2* (tie)
Eastern Screech-Owl 1 2 2 5
Great Horned Owl 2 1 3
Barred Owl 2 1 5 8
Common Nighthawk 5 1 1 1 8
Chuck-will's-widow 3 2 6 3 14
Eastern Whip-poor-will 7 7 1 15
Location W NW NE E Centr. Plat. SE SW Feedw.
Chimney Swift 26 50 29 11 12 80 22 8 238*
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4 1 1 2 4 3 15
Belted Kingfisher 1 2 1 3 1 8
Red-headed Woodpecker 1 4 3 2 4 6 3 2 25** (tie)
Red-bellied Woodpecker 14 11 15 2 4 15 32 16 13 122*
Downy Woodpecker 1 4 2 1 1 3 27 2 3 44
Hairy Woodpecker 1 4 1 6
Northern Flicker 1 5 3 1 1 3 5 2 21
Pileated Woodpecker 9 4 4 3 1 4 12 8 1 46**
American Kestrel 3 1 2 3 9
Eastern Wood-Pewee 30 12 23 8 2 29 4 16 124
Acadian Flycatcher 32 9 3 2 14 11 71
Least Flycatcher 2 2**
Empid sp. 2 2
Eastern Phoebe 24 8 20 2 6 10 28 8 1 107*
Great Crested Flycatcher 17 8 5 2 5 12 4 18 1 72
Eastern Kingbird 26 16 13 1 8 40 26 130**
White-eyed Vireo 90 13 25 6 3 2 17 10 166
Yellow-throated Vireo 18 4 5 8 1 17 5 8 66**
Blue-headed Vireo 1 4 21 8 34**
Warbling Vireo 3 3* (tie)
Red-eyed Vireo 327 15 64 47 3 40 130 43 3 672
Location W NW NE E Centr. Plat. SE SW Feedw.
Blue Jay 21 22 18 4 11 25 75 21 21 218
American Crow 44 48 37 5 9 25 85 45 30 328
Purple Martin 18 11 10 4 2 156 26 3 230*
Tree Swallow 4 30 9 5 11 8 2 69*
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 6 15 8 8 9 2 48
Cliff Swallow 7 7
Barn Swallow 38 55 22 5 13 160 30 323**
Carolina Chickadee 20 5 19 5 2 26 45 7 6 135
Tufted Titmouse 28 24 37 9 9 39 57 22 11 236**
White-breasted Nuthatch 6 3 5 2 2 11 18 4 6 57*
Brown-headed Nuthatch 3 3
House Wren 4 7 7 2 1 12 7 5 45
Carolina Wren 65 32 24 14 7 6 35 23 7 213
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 87 13 25 2 2 9 60 25 3 226**
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 1 2*
Eastern Bluebird 54 32 47 2 3 11 140 53 342*
Veery 1 1 1 1 4
Gray-cheeked Thrush 1 1
Swainson's Thrush 5 4 4 4 5 3 3 5 33
Wood Thrush 43 8 13 8 4 21 65 16 1 179**
American Robin 49 250 47 17 11 24 175 57 26 656**
Gray Catbird 3 17 3 1 7 3 27 1 62**
Northern Mockingbird 33 46 27 1 2 8 57 39 6 219**
Brown Thrasher 11 10 10 3 3 17 42 11 4 111**
European Starling 156 390 180 20 7 27 550 137 31 1498
American Pipit 25 25
Cedar Waxwing 22 25 2 40 29 118
Location W NW NE E Centr. Plat. SE SW Feedw.
Ovenbird 4 1 8 10 51 18 92
Worm-eating Warbler 5 1 1 3 6 3 19
Louisiana Waterthrush 11 3 2 1 2 1 20
Northern Waterthrush 1 1 2
Blue-winged Warbler 11 1 1 13
Black-and-white Warbler 4 2 6 2 21 24 6 65
Prothonotary Warbler 8 8**
Tennessee Warbler 24 13 1 1 8 47
Nashville Warbler 1 1 1 3
Kentucky Warbler 45 5 19 9 2 8 11 99**
Common Yellowthroat 109 25 33 3 3 8 29 25 2 237
Hooded Warbler 18 7 12 10 37 14 4 102
American Redstart 30 6 1 3 1 13 4 58
Cape May Warbler 3 1 1 5
Cerulean Warbler 21 1 2 6 30
Northern Parula 40 1 1 3 10 55
Magnolia Warbler 3 3 1 4 8 8 2 1 30*
Bay-breasted Warbler 1 1 2 4
Blackburnian Warbler 1 1 2
Yellow Warbler 20 11 4 2 3 28 13 1 82
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1 2 6 9
Blackpoll Warbler 11 1 1 5 3 21
Palm Warbler 1 1
Pine Warbler 2 2 4 9 13 1 31
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 3 3 6 5 1 4 23
Yellow-throated Warbler 15 18 3 16 12 5 69**
Prairie Warbler 51 4 4 2 2 15 25 8 111
Black-throated Green Warbler 1 1 5 1 2 10
Canada Warbler 3 3 6
Wilson's Warbler 1 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 48 2 17 1 1 6 27 8 110
Location W NW NE E Centr. Plat. SE SW Feedw.
Eastern Towhee 64 25 32 11 8 19 52 15 12 238
Chipping Sparrow 42 23 37 6 2 25 105 25 2 267
Field Sparrow 68 15 32 6 1 14 95 27 1 259**
Savannah Sparrow 9 2 11
Grasshopper Sparrow 6 6 12**
Song Sparrow 28 59 31 18 23 35 26 4 224
White-throated Sparrow 2 1 2 5
Summer Tanager 48 10 13 5 3 1 25 9 114**
Scarlet Tanager 19 15 7 39 26 8 114**
Northern Cardinal 94 30 65 10 16 19 130 31 32 427
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2 3 2 7 9 1 17 41
Blue Grosbeak 7 1 11 2 1 8 15 45
Indigo Bunting 258 50 89 25 6 59 135 76 2 700
Dickcissel 2 2
Bobolink 2 5 7
Red-winged Blackbird 33 90 49 9 55 185 54 475
Eastern Meadowlark 24 64 22 4 1 18 68 47 248
Common Grackle 19 67 9 3 4 24 65 36 24 251
Brown-headed Cowbird 17 9 14 1 5 22 155 20 2 245
Orchard Oriole 25 6 7 2 5 5 10 60
Baltimore Oriole 1 1 1 1 1 5
House Finch 6 10 13 1 6 65 5 11 117*
American Goldfinch 20 13 20 1 4 5 80 26 15 184
House Sparrow 14 165 19 9 6 70 15 6 304*
Total Individuals 2789 2139 1524 398 215 1085 4123 1535 367 14175
Total Species 102 90 93 82 53 90 117 102 48 139
                   
Location W NW NE E Centr. Plat. SE SW Feedw.

Key to Observers and Feeder/Yard Watchers (F/YW):

Initials Name
   
DLC Daniel L. Combs
DAD Douglas A. Downs
BD Bettie Doyle (F/YW)
JCF Janie C. Finch
RCF Richard C. Finch
CRH Caleb R. Hubbard
NSL Nancy S. Layzer
EKL Edmund K. LeGrand
BM Bo Magnuson
AFM Anita F. Mast
JEM Joseph E. Mast
MPO Michael P. O'Rourke
HO Handley "Ozzie" Oswalt (F/YW)
JO John Owens (F/YW)
SEP Susan E. Pirolo
MR Michele Ramsey (F/YW)
TMS Thomas M. Saya
RWS Richard W. Simmers, Jr.
DJS DJ Stanley
LKS L. Kay Stanley
BHS Barbara H. Stedman
SJS Stephen J. Stedman, compiler
MV Mark Vance
CEW Catherine E. Walden (F/YW)
WAW Winston A. Walden
CDW Carol D. Williams

Comments:

* = set or tied record high count for Putnam County Spring Bird Count (23 species); ** = set record high count for Putnam County Spring Bird Count and set or tied all-time high count for Putnam County (22 species).  Two species never before recorded on the Putnam County SBC are denoted in red, bringing the all-time species total for the Putnam County SBC to 203.

The Lesser Scaup (2 males and 1 female) were found on Cane Creek Park lake (DAD, NSL).

The Double-crested Cormorants were foraging together in the upper end of the Martin Creek embayment of Cordell Hull Reservoir (SJS, CDW, SEP).

The Great Egret was found in the southwest part of the county (DLC, EKL, MV).

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was an adult found along the Falling Water River below the dam in Burgess Falls State Natural Area (DLC, EKL, MV).

The Soras were found at the Burks Farm east of Monterey (JEM, AFM); this species was new to the Putnam County SBC.

The Black-billed Cuckoo was found along Meadow Creek Rd. east of Monterey (BHS, DJS, LKS).

The Barn Owls were found with a nest (5 eggs) at the traditional site in the county (DLC, EKL, MV).

One of the Least Flycatchers was calling behind the Upperman High School and along adjacent Cow Palace Rd. in Baxter (SJS, CDW, SEP); the location of the other could not be recalled.

One of the Warbling Vireos was located on a side road going east off of the road that leads south from Baxter and goes under I-40; the other two were along Rock Springs Rd. (SJS, CDW, SEP).

The Cliff Swallows were found along Martin Creek Rd. (4), Spring Creek Rd. (2), and at exit 268 on I-40 (1)--(SJS, CDW, SEP).

The Brown-headed Nuthatches were found at the Cookeville Golf Course (WAW, MPO, TMS).

The American Pipits were found along Old Mill Rd. (DLC, EKL, MV), setting a new late spring departure date for the county and providing the first SBC record for this species in the county.

The Prothonotary Warblers were found at the end of Water Plant Rd. (2) and around the lake above the dam at Burgess Falls State Natural Area (6), setting a new high count for the SBC and for the county.

The Wilson's Warbler was found at City Lake (BHS).

The Dickcissels were found along Ball Hill Rd. (DLC, EKL, MV).

One of the Baltimore Orioles had a nest along Rt. 62 well east of Monterey (BHS, DJS photo, LKS).

 

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