Results of the 37th Putnam County, Tennessee, Spring Bird Count—8 May 2010

Only one Loggerhead Shrike was found during the Putnam County SBC, further evidence of this species' continuing decline as a breeder in the county; photo Carol D. Williams in DeKalb County (3 May 2010).

 

Conducted on a day with blustery winds that persisted all day long, the 37th Putnam County Spring Bird Count (SBC) nonetheless resulted in the observation of 136 species, a total that is toward the higher end of the range (125–141) of species totals that have occurred since 1992, when the "modern" era of the SBC in Putnam County began.  No species heretofore unrecorded on the Putnam County SBC was found, so the overall species total remained at 204.  However, record high counts were achieved for a number of species, as itemized below (Table 1).

    Many thanks are due to the 21 field observers and 5+ feeder/yard watchers who participated in this count, which continues to provide useful information about the status of many species breeding in and migrating through the county, as well as about some late-lingering winter species.

    Access to some relevant pages dealing with SBCs is provided via the following links:

 

Table 1. Results of 37th Putnam County Spring Bird Count.

Location W NW N NE E Cumb. Cove SE SW F/YW Total
Party Leaders SJS MJH GKE WAW BHS JEM DAD EKL
Party Members CDW JWB NSL TMS JCF RJY MCD DLC HO
SEP LH MPO BKC plus 3 MR
BWN DN
BD
BB
                     
Number Field Observers 3 2 3 4 3 2 2 2 0 21
Number Field Parties 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 7–8
Number Feederwatchers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 5
Start CDT 0440 0700 0545 0600 0415 0515 0445 0535 0530 0415
End CDT 1900 1900 2015 1915 1955 1230 1930 1935 1330 2015
    Hours on Foot 0.5 3 3.25 0.75 0 3 2 4 0 16.5
    Hours by Car 12.5 8 10.75 12.5 10.5 3.5 12 10 0 79.75
Total Party Hours 13 11 14 13.25 10.5 6.5 14 14 0 96.25
     Miles on Foot 0.5 2.5 3.5 1 0 4 2 2 0 15.5
     Miles by Car 138 62 47 88 95 10 118 103 0 661
Total Party Miles 138.5 64.5 50.5 89 95 14 120 105 0 676.5
Owling Hours 0.5 1.25 0.25 0.75 0 2.75
Owling Miles 14 9 5 12 0 40
Feederwatching Hours 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11.5 11.5
Low Temperature (F) 58 55 60 58 55
High Temperature (F) 66 68 68
Wind AM (mph) 0–20 0–15 0–20
Wind PM (mph) 0–30 0–25 0–30
Sky AM mcle mcle
Sky PM mcle mcle
Precipitation AM none none
Precipitation PM none none
Moon Phase last quart last quart
Total Species 100 83 80 99 95 64 87 90 36 136
Location W NW N NE E Cumb. Cove SE SW F/YW Total
Canada Goose 14 24 28 49 23 43 56 16 253*
Wood Duck 2 4 6 3 5 2 8 30
Mallard 2 10 3 23 3 18 1 60
Blue-winged Teal 1 4 2 1 8* (tie)
Northern Bobwhite 4 3 7
Wild Turkey 4 3 1 1 1 8 2 20*
Pied-billed Grebe 1 1
Double-crested Cormorant 2 1 3
Great Blue Heron 8 7 1 1 3 9 1 30** (tie)
Great Egret 1 5 6*
Green Heron 1 3 1 1 1 3 10
Black Vulture 44 1 4 8 7 64*
Turkey Vulture 29 14 28 14 11 1 35 21 153*
Osprey 1 1* (tie)
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 1
Cooper's Hawk 1 1 2 1 1 6
Accipiter sp. 1 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 7 1 3 2 1 1 2 17*
Broad-winged Hawk 3 1 2 6
Red-tailed Hawk 1 5 12 8 2 5 33*
Location W NW N NE E Cumb. Cove SE SW F/YW Total
Killdeer 5 10 7 3 4 10 7 46
Spotted Sandpiper 5 2 1 8
Solitary Sandpiper 4 1 1 2 8
Least Sandpiper 4 4
Peep sp. 6 6
Pectoral Sandpiper 3 5 8*
Rock Pigeon 5 2 11 2 8 11 5 44
Eurasian Collared-Dove 1 1
Mourning Dove 60 39 54 50 21 4 60 45 33 366
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 2 1 3 1 9
Barn Owl 1 1
Eastern Screech-Owl 1 1 1 4 7*
Barred Owl 1 1 1 1 2 6
Common Nighthawk 1 1 2
Chuck-will's-widow 1 3 4
Eastern Whip-poor-will 2 3 5
Location W NW N NE E Cumb. Cove SE SW F/YW Total
Chimney Swift 18 25 12 53 1 21 16 146
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 1 3 1 1 1 5 6 19
Belted Kingfisher 1 2 1 2 6
Red-headed Woodpecker 3 4 2 2 3 14
Red-bellied Woodpecker 17 9 21 15 4 9 6 17 2 100
Downy Woodpecker 6 2 2 1 3 1 3 4 9 31
Hairy Woodpecker 1 2 3 1 2 1 10
Northern Flicker 4 3 5 2 2 2 18
Pileated Woodpecker 9 1 5 9 4 3 9 3 2 45
American Kestrel 1 1 3 2 1 1 9
Eastern Wood-Pewee 15 2 8 17 3 13 12 5 75
Acadian Flycatcher 24 2 2 23 4 2 2 59
Empid sp. 1 1
Eastern Phoebe 17 5 12 9 17 3 13 5 81
Great Crested Flycatcher 4 4 14 5 1 4 7 10 49
Eastern Kingbird 14 12 20 18 6 4 17 16 107
Loggerhead Shrike 1 1
White-eyed Vireo 69 4 5 5 16 2 12 11 124
Yellow-throated Vireo 15 4 1 5 1 4 1 2 33
Blue-headed Vireo 6 8 3 17
Red-eyed Vireo 193 3 11 54 58 47 65 29 460
Location W NW N NE E Cumb. Cove SE SW F/YW Total
Blue Jay 17 28 28 19 26 6 13 17 21 175
American Crow 46 32 59 54 44 16 70 27 7 355* (tie)
Horned Lark 2 2
Purple Martin 5 10 17 18 22 70 24 166
Tree Swallow 3 16 12 10 11 17 5 4 78* (tie)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 6 8 3 9 12 5 8 51
Bank Swallow 7 7
Cliff Swallow 44 44**
Barn Swallow 24 25 32 65 42 1 60 34 283
Carolina Chickadee 28 14 21 16 10 13 11 16 3 132
Tufted Titmouse 38 15 29 39 10 17 39 30 5 222
White-breasted Nuthatch 2 3 6 7 5 3 7 33
Brown-headed Nuthatch 4 1 5
House Wren 3 2 1 7 2 1 5 21
Carolina Wren 60 13 20 30 16 5 26 27 4 201
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 66 5 16 33 4 7 16 10 157
Eastern Bluebird 29 27 35 74 17 5 60 23 3 273
Veery 4 4
Gray-cheeked Thrush 1 1
Swainson's Thrush 2 2 1 2 2 2 11
Wood Thrush 18 1 2 9 20 2 9 3 64
American Robin 58 65 60 85 82 45 40 36 471
Gray Catbird 4 3 4 4 1 16
Northern Mockingbird 26 26 53 32 5 23 27 6 198
Brown Thrasher 14 10 6 10 4 15 8 1 68
European Starling 63 220 233 260 70 270 290 22 1428
Cedar Waxwing 22 21 27 76 21 35 2 15 219
Location W NW N NE E Cumb. Cove SE SW F/YW Total
Ovenbird 3 4 30 22 11 3 73
Worm-eating Warbler 6 3 9 3 1 22
Louisiana Waterthrush 11 1 3 15
Northern Waterthrush 2 1 3
Blue-winged Warbler 12 1 1 14
Black-and-white Warbler 4 3 2 16 7 1 33
Prothonotary Warbler 5 5
Tennessee Warbler 5 1 6
Nashville Warbler 1 1
Kentucky Warbler 26 6 6 1 2 5 4 50
Common Yellowthroat 42 11 7 19 9 2 7 20 117
Hooded Warbler 21 4 8 16 16 14 2 81
American Redstart 20 1 1 1 2 2 27
Cape May Warbler 6 1 7
Cerulean Warbler 21 1 1 23
Northern Parula 29 2 6 1 6 44
Magnolia Warbler 1 2 1 2 2 1 9
Bay-breasted Warbler 1 1 2
Blackburnian Warbler 1 1
Yellow Warbler 12 4 1 1 1 19
Chestnut-sided Warbler 2 1 3
Blackpoll Warbler 6 2 1 1 2 3 15
Palm Warbler 1 1 2 1 5
Pine Warbler 5 6 3 2 6 2 1 25
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 4 5
Yellow-throated Warbler 6 1 7 12 2 11 11 7 57
Prairie Warbler 22 1 1 6 1 4 6 41
Black-throated Green Warbler 2 1 4 1 8
Canada Warbler 1 1 2
Yellow-breasted Chat 17 1 3 15 13 3 2 54
Location W NW N NE E Cumb. Cove SE SW F/YW Total
Eastern Towhee 50 7 17 22 15 6 13 16 4 150
Chipping Sparrow 42 16 15 37 24 6 40 17 2 199
Field Sparrow 36 2 12 10 3 2 10 27 102
Vesper Sparrow 2 2* (tie)
Savannah Sparrow 2 1 3
Grasshopper Sparrow 2 2
Song Sparrow 24 19 19 50 46 19 17 1 195
Lincoln's Sparrow 1 1
White-throated Sparrow 2 1 3
Summer Tanager 29 6 7 22 5 12 14 95
Scarlet Tanager 16 1 8 14 20 4 3 66
Northern Cardinal 88 30 53 72 35 5 23 36 22 364
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3 3 2 8
Blue Grosbeak 7 1 8 8 2 7 33
Indigo Bunting 115 12 21 55 31 7 27 48 316
Dickcissel 1 1
Red-winged Blackbird 34 51 42 91 89 90 125 11 533
Eastern Meadowlark 22 11 15 53 30 25 19 175
Common Grackle 22 35 1 20 2 15 28 123
Brown-headed Cowbird 42 10 35 54 3 2 19 34 2 201
Orchard Oriole 18 11 6 11 6 2 7 61
Baltimore Oriole 2 1 1 2 6
House Finch 3 2 11 7 7 4 3 7 44
American Goldfinch 9 4 5 41 6 16 5 18 20 124
House Sparrow 11 11 15 27 19 50 10 5 148
Total Individuals 2037 1018 1263 1932 1116 381 1610 1406 284 11047
Total Species 100 83 80 99 95 64 87 90 36 136
Location W NW N NE E Cumb. Cove SE SW F/YW Total

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

Initials/Code Name
JWB John W. Barthelme
BB Betty Bright [& Harold Bright] (F/YW)
DLC Daniel L. Combs
BKC Brenda K. Curtis
BD Bettie Doyle (F/YW)
DAD Douglas A. Downs
MCD Margaret C. Downs
GKE Ginger K. Ensor
JCF Janie C. Finch
MJH Michael J. Hawkins
LH Linda Henderson
NSL Nancy S. Layzer
EKL Edmund K. LeGrand
JEM Joseph E. Mast
DN David Narrie (F/YW)
BWN Barbara W. Novovitch
MPO Michael P. O'Rourke
HO Handley "Ozzie" [& Joan] Oswalt (F/YW)
SEP Susan E. Pirolo
MR Michele [& John] Ramsey (F/YW)
TMS Thomas M. Saya
BHS Barbara H. Stedman
SJS Stephen J. Stedman, compiler
WAW Winston A. Walden
CDW Carol D. Williams
RJY Rubin J. Yoder

 

Comments:

* = set or tied record high count for Putnam County Spring Bird Count (14 species); ** = set or tied record high count for Putnam County Spring Bird Count and set or tied all-time high count for Putnam County (2 species).  No species new to the Putnam County SBC was observed, leaving the all-time species total for this event at 204.

The Pied-billed Grebe was found on the lake at Cane Creek Park (MJH, JWB).

Two Double-crested Cormorants were found at the upper end of the backwaters of Cordell Hull Reservoir on Martin Creek (CDW, SEP, SJS), and one was observed flying over the water plant at the end of Water Plant Rd. (EKL, DLC).

One Great Egret was found at the upper end of the backwaters of Cordell Hull Reservoir on Martin Creek (CDW, SEP, SJS), two were found at Lexus Pond (MJH, JWB), and three were found at Cane Creek Park (MJH, JWB).

The Osprey was found at the upper end of the backwaters of Cordell Hull Reservoir on Martin Creek (CDW, SEP, SJS).

The Sharp-shinned Hawk was found at Dry Creek Meadows in the northern part of the county (GKE, NSL, LH).

The Eurasian Collared-Dove was found in the Silver Pt. area north of I-40 (SJS, CDW, SEP).

The Barn Owl was found at the traditional site in the county (EKL, DLC).

The Loggerhead Shrike was found in the Holly Springs subdivision off of Gainesboro Grade (GKE, NSL, LH).

The Horned Larks were found at the Hackworth Farm on Rt. 62 east of Monterey (BHS, JCF, BKC).

The Bank Swallows were found at the sandpits on Joe Jackson Rd. (DAD—good details provided; MCD)

The Cliff Swallows were found nesting under several traditional bridges in the western end of the county (SJS, CDW, SEP).

Four of the Brown-headed Nutatches were found at the Cookeville Golf Course  (WAW, TMS, MPO, BWN) and one at a feeder near the Cookeville Golf Course (DN).

The Veeries were found in Icy Cove (BHS, JCF, BKC, JEM).

The Gray-cheeked Thrush was singing at dawn on Martin Creek Rd. (SJS, SEP).

The Nashville Warbler was found along the trail out to Bee Rock (DAD—good details provided; MCD)

All the Prothonotary Warblers were found at Burgess Falls State Natural Area (EKL, DLC).

One of the Canada Warblers was found near Southern Hills Golf Course (EKL, DLC), and the other was found in or near Icy Cove (JEM et al.).

The Vesper Sparrows were found on Rt. 164 north of Monterey near the Overton County line (BHS, JCF, BKC).

The Savannah Sparrows were found at Monterey Lake (BHS, JCF, BKC) and along the road to a small cemetery near the intersection of Old Mill and Ball Hill rds. (EKL).

The Lincoln's Sparrow was found on Paragon Rd. (WAW—excellent details provided; TMS).

The Dickcissel was found on Bob Lynn Rd.  (GKE—good details provided; NSL—good details provided; LH).

One Baltimore Oriole was found on Campground Rd. (BHS, JCF, BKC), one was on Timber Trail (GKE, NSL, LH),  two were at Cane Creek Park (MJH, JWB), and two were in the Cumberland Cove area (JEM, RJY).

 

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