Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

Dunlin (Caladris alpina)

Dunlin [lateral view of basic-plumaged individual]: Photograph Credit: Roseanna M. Denton; Fishing Creek, Pulaski County, Kentucky; 21 October 2005.

Abundance: Uncommon during fall, Rare during winter and spring; at least 61 records in 10 Regional counties, 4 in Kentucky and 6 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 or wintering in the Region (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Transient during spring (6 records) and fall (at least 53 records); Visitor during winter (3 records); photograph (see above).

Regional High Count: 79 (6 November 2003; Pulaski County, Kentucky; Roseanna M. Denton; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2004a); CBC/CBB High Count: 4 (31 December 2010; Barren/Allen counties, Kentucky [Glasgow CBC]; David L. Roemer, Stephen J. Stedman).

Information on Records: 

30 October 1969 (10) Byrdstown, Pickett County, Tennesee (J. David Hassler, Robbie C. Hassler; Parmer 1969d; Nicholson 1982a [cites Parmer {1969d} with incorrect page number]).

28 April 1979 (1) Stockton, Fentress County, Tennessee (Robbie C. Hassler, J. David Hassler, Charles P. Nicholson; Nicholson 1981 [omits year in date of record]).

24 October/5/7 November 1979 (2/1/1) Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.; Stamm 1980a).

25 October 1981 (41) Green River Lake, Adair County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.).

31 October/28 November 1982 (8/1) Green River Wildlife Management Area (Casey Creek), Adair County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.).

8 December 1982 (1) Green River Lake, Adair County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.).

21 September/23 October 1983 (2/6) Casey Creek area, Green River Lake, Adair County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.).

9/18 November 1983 (1/1) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr. [notes]).

29 September/31 October 1984 (1/2) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr. [notes]; Stamm 1985a [cites first date only]).

22–27 October 1986 (2) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.; Stamm 1987a).

29 October–4 November 1988 (26) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr. [notes]).

2 & 4 November 1988 (1) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Stedman 1993).

6 November 1988 (4) Macedonia Pond, White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman).

Fall 1988 (26) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.; Stamm 1989a).

24 October 1990 (3) Thurston's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr. [notes]).

19 October 1991 (1) Burgess Fall State Natural Area, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman; Stedman 1993).

14/22 November 1991 (28/13) Pulaski County Park, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.; Stamm and Monroe 1992a).

20–23 November 1991 (25) Thurston's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr. [notes], Steve Kickert).

29 October 1992 (1) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

1 November 1992 (3) Martin's Creek, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Barbara H. Stedman).

31 October 1993 (10) Casey Creek, Green River Lake, Adair County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.; Monroe, Stamm and Stinson 1994).

20 November 1993 (3) Thurston's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.; Monroe, Stamm, and Stinson 1994).

26 October 1997 (5) Pulaski County Park, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

27 October/14 November 1998 (1/1) Cooley's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

27 November 1999 (1) Cooley's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

1 December 1999 (1) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton; Busroe 2000b).

13 May 2000 (1—alternate) Twin Lakes, Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

13 October 2000 (1) Cooley's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

15 November 2000 (2) Barren River Lake, Barren/Allen counties, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.; Busroe 2001a).

28 November 2000 (9) Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer).

23 October 2001 (7) Fishing Creek, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

26 November/12 December/14 December 2001 (4/5/1) Barren River Reservoir, Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer).

24–26/28 October/1 November 2002 (4/23/1) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton [first and third records]; Busroe 2003a [second record]).

1 November 2002 (16) Martin's Creek, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman).

2 November 2002 (6) Cooley's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

7 November 2002 (60) Walnut Creek, Barren River Reservoir, Allen/Barren counties, Kentucky (David L. Roemer).

21 March 2003 (1—basic) south of Smithville, DeKalb County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Carol D. Williams).

11 April 2003 (1—basic changing to alternate) Mt. Zion, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2003a).

5 May 2003 (1—alternate) Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman).

7 May 2003 (2—alternate) Hickey Ridge Rd., Putnam County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Daniel L. Combs).

28 October–5 November/6 November 2003 (1–11/79) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton [first record]; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2004a [second record]).

10/11 November 2003 (3/2) Clifty Pond, Mt. Zion, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

11/14 November 2003 (8+/1) Macedonia Pond, White County, Tennessee (Douglas A. Downs/Douglas A Downs, Stephen J. Stedman). 

16–30 November/8 December 2003 (1–6/1)  Walnut Creek, Barren River Reservoir, Allen/Barren counties, Kentucky (David L. Roemer), but see also Out-of-Season Records.

15 October 2004 (3) Randolph Pond, Walter Stone Rd., White County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman, Douglas A. Downs).

1/3/12 November 2004 (2/7/2) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2005a [last record only]).

7/8/10/13/16/23 November 2004 (18/17/29/20+/20/30) Dry Creek, Barren River Reservoir, Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2005a [last record only]).

21/23 October 2005 (1/1) Fishing Creek, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton photo [first date]).

15 November 2005 (1) Cooley's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

5 December 2005 (5) Walnut Creek, Barren River Reservoir, Barren/Allen counties, Kentucky (David L. Roemer).

13–14 October 2006 (1) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

19 October 2007 (1) Green River, Adair County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

24 October 2007 (44) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2008a).

25 October/10 November 2007 (15/1) Cooley's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

3 November 2007 (1) Sunset Recreation Area, Dale Hollow Lake, Pickett County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman).

4 November 2007 (1) Southeastern Tennessee Regional Correctional Facility, Bledsoe County, Tennessee (Edmund K. LeGrand).

14 November 2007 (1) Moss Island, Center Hill Lake, DeKalb County, Tennessee (Stephen J. Stedman).

16 October 2008 (12) Casey Creek, Adair County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

14 October 2009 (18) Plum Point, Adair County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

26 October 2010 (2) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton).

30 October/1 November 2010/15/31 December (17/3/4/4) Barren River Reservoir, Barren/Allen counties, Kentucky (David L. Roemer et al.), a CBC record on the last date.

Out-of Season Records:

4/9 January 2004 (4/1) Walnut Creek, Barren River Reservoir, Barren/Allen counties, Kentucky (David L. Roemer; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2004b).

7/12 January 2008 (7/2) Walnut Creek, Barren River Reservoir, Barren/Allen counties, Kentucky (David L. Roemer).

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Spring: 21 March 2003 (DeKalb County, Tennessee; Stephen J. Stedman, Carol D. Williams)–13 May 2000 (Pulaski County, Kentucky; Roseanna M. Denton).

    Fall: 21 September 1983 (Adair County, Kentucky; Jackie B. Elmore, Sr.)–15 December 2010 (Barren/Allen counties, Kentucky; David L. Roemer), but see also Out-of-Season Records (above).

    Note: General timing of spring arrival and departure cannot be reliably determined based on limited available data; fall arrival generally widespread by 1 November, while fall departure difficult to determine based on limited data. Regional dates of earliest reported spring arrival and latest reported spring departure, as well as earliest reported fall arrival and latest reported fall departure, for the migration seasons 2002–2011 follow:

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: No registrations.

Habitat: Usually prefers fairly large mudflats in open areas, such as are found under draw-down conditions at the Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky; at the upper end of Martin Creek, Cordell Hull Reservoir, Jackson/Putnam counties, Tennessee; and especially at Walnut Creek, Barren River Reservoir, Allen/Barren counties, Kentucky.  Also favors large ponds with a moderately large amount of exposed mudflat, as often occurs at Cooley's Pond, Wayne County, Kentucky, or Macedonia Pond, White County, Tennessee.  However, narrow, muddy shorelines of small farm ponds are occasionally attractive to this late migrating shorebird, which is sometimes even attracted to ephemeral wet areas created by rain on agricultural fields.

Remarks: Clearly, this shorebird is most likely to occur from about 20 October to 15 November, as indicated by the high count and by the fact that over 30 of the autumn records fall within that period.

    The general timing of the pre-nuptial molt is suggested by the records from spring 2003.

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.

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.

Literature Cited