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

sstedman@tntech.edu

                                                        "As a close approximation, counting birds is the defining activity of a field ornithologist."  Marc Kery

Introduction

Summer in the Upper Cumberland Region (Figure 1) resulted in a fairly large number of interesting reports; read on.

Weather

    Weather during the season began with a quite unseasonably warm week in early June and then moderated by mid-month. Unseasonably warm weather then prevailed during the last ten day of June, followed by a cool spell near the Fourth of July.

Survey Efforts

    Breeding Bird Surveys, point counts, and other bird-monitoring efforts were continued in the Region this season.  For a look at some of the monitoring results from this season (summarized for some species in the accounts below), click on an appropriate link below:

• Frozen Head State Natural Area Cerulean Warbler Survey 2008
• Point Counts for CERWs in Western Putnam County 2008
• UCR Breeding Bird Survey Data 2008

DeKalb County Foray

    Results of the 2008 UCR Foray in DeKalb County (23-26 May 2008), chronologically an event that occurred during the previous season, are discussed in this report when they are relevant to the breeding season; for foray results relevant to the spring migration, see the Spring 2008 UCR Bird Report. A link to the foray results, including numerous maps, is provided below:

• Results of 2008 UCR Foray in DeKalb County

Onset of the Fall 2008 Migration

    Arrival dates for some fall migrants, especially among the shorebirds, occur as early as July, sometimes even late June; a page with early dates of arrival for migrant species during "fall" 2008 may be viewed at the following link:

• Early and Late Dates of Arrival and Departure for Fall 2008

Abbreviations:  † = written documentation provided; ad = adult; BBS = Breeding Bird Survey; BSFNRRA = Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area; CTSP = Cumberland Trail State Park; DBNF = Daniel Boone National Forest; KY = Kentucky; NPS = National Park Service; OWSR = Obed Wild and Scenic River; SNA = State Natural Area; SRS = Summer Roadside Survey, Putnam County, Tennessee; TN = Tennessee; UCR = Upper Cumberland Region; USGS = United States Geological Survey; y = young. 

Acknowledgments

    Many thanks to the observers cited below who provided records directly or indirectly for this report.

    To the following for assistance with the DeKalb County Foray, many thanks are especially due: Douglas A. Downs, Marti C. Downs, Judy C. Fuson, Michael J. Hawkins, Edmund K. LeGrand, John H. Noel, Michael P. O'Rourke, Stephen J. Stedman (co-coordinator), Helga Thompson, Winston A. Walden, Melinda Welton, Carol D. Williams (co-coordinator), and Don Williams.

    Many thanks are also due to Keith Pardieck (Breeding Bird Survey, USGS) and other USGS personnel who provided basic materials to those conducting federal BBSs in the Region; and thanks are also due to the USGS  for maintaining the BBS website where many BBS data (collected by many dozens of volunteer route runners) are accessible to those interested in the breeding status of Kentucky and Tennessee birds.

    It is good to report that bird-monitoring efforts going back to the early 1990s in the Daniel Boone National Forest, KY, commenced again during summer 2008.

Waterfowl through Gallinaceous Species

Loons through Herons

Somewhat unusual for the Cumberland Plateau during mid-summer, a Pied-billed Grebe was observed on Meadow Park Lake, Crossville, Cumberland Co., TN, 11 July 2008 (EKL); this species has appeared somewhat irregularly but persistently during summer in the Region in the past couple of decades and is decidedly less common at higher than at lower elevations.

    A Double-crested Cormorant on Meadow Park Lake, Crossville, Cumberland Co., TN, 3 July 2008 (EKL) was somewhat out of the ordinary for a site on the Cumberland Plateau, though the species has become regular during summer at low elevation sites in the Region during the past decade or so.

    The first post-breeding disperser of the season Regionally, a Great Egret was found and photographed on McWilliams Rd., Bledsoe Co., TN, 1 July 2008 (EKL photo, SJS); a single Great Egret was present at a pond on Black Oak Rd., White Co., TN, 9 July 2008 (DAD), while three individuals were found at separate sites in that county 12 July 2008 (DAD, SJS); three Great Egrets at the Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY, 10 July 2008 (RMD) were earliest ever during fall in that county; at least one Great Egret was noted during a kayak trip along the Green River, Adair Co., KY, 12 July 2008 (RMD).

    An immature Little Blue Heron at the Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY, 10 July 2008 (RMD) was earliest ever during fall in that county, as well as the first post-breeding disperser of the season Regionally; 2  immatures were found at Randolph Pond, Walter Stone Rd., White Co., TN, 12 July 2008 (DAD, SJS); and 1 immature was observed along the Green River, Adair Co., KY, 19 July 2008 (RMD).

    At least four Black-crowned Night-Herons, including 1 adult and 1 second-year/subadult,  were present along the Green River, Adair Co., KY, 12 July 2008 (RMD); this site probably hosts a small breeding population of Black-crowns, but no evidence of a rookery has been found at this site, or at any other site in the Region.

Vultures through Coot

Seldom discovered and even more seldom reported Regionally, a nest of Turkey Vulture with one large young, photographed, was found on Leffle Webb Rd., Cumberland Co., TN, during May 2008 (EKL photo [27 May 2008]).

    Of the five known Osprey nests in Jackson Co., TN, four had young in or near the nest on 27 June 2008 (NSL, JL), the nest at the Jackson County High School being the only site where no young were noted.  Two adults and a half-grown young bird were noted 14 July 2008 at the nest in Smith Co., TN (SJS, EKL).

    An adult Sharp-shinned Hawk was observed on Rocky Point Rd., Putnam Co., TN, 26 June 2008 (BHS). A Sharpie carrying prey was noted on Big Spring Gap Mountain Rd., Bledsoe Co., TN, 1 July 2008 (SJS, EKL).

    Single American Coots that were probably injured or ill were noted 12 July 2008 at Randolph Pond, Walter Stone Rd., White Co., TN (DAD), and 13 July 2008 at Cane Creek Park, Cookeville, Putnam Co., TN (SJS).

Shorebirds through Terns

The first windbird to be reported around the Region this "fall" was a juvenile Spotted Sandpiper noted along the Green River, Adair Co., KY, 12 July 2008 (RMD).

    The earliest Solitary Sandpipers of the "fall" Regionally involved six noted 19 July 2008 along the Green River, Adair Co., KY, (RMD).

    Earliest this fall Regionally was a Pectoral Sandpiper at Thurston's Pond, Wayne Co., KY, 22 July 2008 (RMD); a dowitcher sp. was also noted at the same site on that date (RMD).

    A Black Tern on Barren River Reservoir, Barren/Allen counties, Kentucky, 20 July 2008 (DLR, JR) was earliest ever in the Region during "fall."

    Four Forster's Terns along the Green River, Adair Co., KY, 19 July 2008 (RMD) were the earliest found this "fall" Regionally and very early by any standard.

Doves through Vireos

After having appeared last season in the Region earlier than ever before at the now traditional breeding location on Ninemile Crossroad (about 0.3 km east of Old Rt. 28), Bledsoe Co., TN (see Spring 2008 UCR Bird Report), Scissor-tailed Flycatchers proceeded this season to provide evidence of successful breeding at more sites than ever before in that county.  The pair at the traditional location (Site 1) once again engaged in breeding activity, being noteded 8 (CE, LE) and 13 (CDW, JCF) June 2008, with the female sitting on a nest on the former date; this nest apparently failed to fledge young on schedule due to an unknown factor (which may have also caused loss of one or more rectrices by the female of this pair), but renesting was inferred when the female (missing one or more rectrices) was observed sitting on the nest during the cool morning of 1 July 2008 (SJS, EKL) and the male was observed making frequent trips to the nest that afternoon, apparently provisioning small young; three fairly large young were observed in this nest 7 July 2008 (SJS, EKL).  Besides this nesting effort, Scissor-tails were noted at five other sites where the species has not previously been reported breeding in Bledsoe County; most of these sites lie within 4 km of the Ninemile Crossroad nest site, but one site was about 11 km distant from that site.  Site 2: on 8 June 2008 the Estes also observed a male Scissor-tail in a field on Old Rd. 28 about 0.3 km south of the traditional site and inferred it was the male from the Ninemile Crossroad nest, but an observation at this location 1 July 2008 (EKL photo, SJS) indicated that a different male was probably involved; this male displayed an imperfect tail, quite unlike the perfectly formed tail of the male on Ninemile Crossroad; in addition, a female with a perfect tail was observed attending three fledglings at this site 1 July 2008.  Site 3: on 1 July 2008 two adult Scissor-tailed were found together on Ninemile Crossroad (SJS, EKL) about 1 km east of the traditional site; these birds were observed only minutes after the male Scissor-tail was seen at the Ninemile Crossroad nest and neither was missing any rectrices, so it is certain that they represented a different pair than either the pair at the traditional site or the pair at the site on Old Rd. 28 south of Ninemile Crossroad; besides the presence of this pair, no indication of breeding was detected at this site.  Site 4: on 1 July 2008 two adult Scissor-tails and two fledglings were found at Brushy Cemetery on Old Rt. 28 about 1.5 km northeast of Ninemile Crossroad (EKL photo, SJS).  Site 5: on 8 June 2008 an adult Scissor-tail was observed on Slaughterhouse Rd. (CE, LE) about 4 km southwest of Ninemile Crossroad; this observation resulted from information provided to the observers by another observer (TVW); no further observations took place at this site although it was visited 13 June (CDW, JCF), 1 July (SJS, EKL), and 7 July (SJS, EKL)  2008.  Site 6: on 1 July 2008 an adult Scissor-tail, probably a male, was observed at the intersection of Upper East Valley Rd. and Akins Rd., about 11 km southwest of Ninemile Crossroad; a used nest was also found at this site, as well as a juvenile (SJS, EKL photos [of male, juvenile, and nest site]); an adult Scissor-tail and several fledglings were apparently noted a few weeks earlier at this site (CE fide TVW).  Still another likely breeding site was discovered early in the next season (see the Fall 2008 UCR Bird Report).

    Loggerhead Shrikes again nested, probably successfully, on County House Rd. and Student's Home Rd., DeKalb Co., TN (JCF), but no other reports of nesting activity came in, though the species was reported in several other counties during the season (see Appendix A below). However, see the Fall 2008 UCR Bird Report for information about confirmed breeding in Bledsoe Co., TN.

Corvids through Waxwing

Ninety-six Tree Swallows and 70 Barn Swallows near Creelsboro, Russell Co., KY, 23 July 2008 (RMD) provided likely evidence of early autumn mustering by those species.

    A singing Veery was heard on Dorton Knob, Brady Mt., Cumberland Co., TN, 27 May 2008 (EKL, JEM), indicating continued presence at this Regional breeding site, first discovered only a couple of breeding seasons ago.  A 16-km walking survey in Frozen Head State Natural Area, Morgan Co., TN, 5 Jun 2008 (SJS) failed to reveal any Veeries, the first time in 15 years that no registrations of this thrush were made during that survey.

    Still singing on 30 July 2008, a Louisiana Waterthrush on Broadwater Branch Rd., Putnam Co., TN (SJS, EKL, JaF) may have also provided a seasonal late date for that warbler in that county.

    Cedar Waxwings were widespread in moderate numbers this summer, eclipsing their abundance during most previous years on record; results from the 2008 UCR Foray in DeKalb County are fairly representative of the species' presence Region-wide this summer.

Warblers

Sparrows through Weaver Finch

Three Savannah Sparrows, including a singing male and a possible juvenile, were observed near the intersection of Rt. 206 and Snake Creek Rd., Adair Co., KY, 18 June 2008 (RMD photo [of juvenile?]), the first ever report of this species during the breeding season in the UCR; only two weeks later another breeding season record of Savannah took place when a singing male and probable mate were found 1 July 2008 on T. A. Swafford Rd., Bledsoe Co., TN (EKL photo, SJS); collectively, these observations suggest that Savannahs found conditions in the Region this summer to be at least minimally suitable for breeding.

    Henslow's Sparrows were noted at three new sites, as well as the previously discovered County House Rd. site, in DeKalb County as a result of the foray effort there 23-26 May 2008 (SJS); the new sites--Smith Fork Rd. (Liberty 3 block), Moller Rd. (Short Mt. 4 block), and Seven Springs Rd. (Dibrell 4 block)--held only one or two Henslow's each, but they collectively suggest that this reclusive species may be more common than suspected in suitable habitat, much of which was present in that county in late May and in many other counties around the Region.  Henslow's continued to be reported at the  Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, White Co., TN (SJS, DAD) during the season, as well as at the Campbell Farm near Mayland, Cumberland Co., TN (JEM fide EKL), and the Ano strip mines in Pulaski Co., KY (RMD, SD).

    Two singing Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were heard on Dorton Knob, Brady Mt., Cumberland Co., TN, 27 May 2008 (EKL photo, JEM); used as a likely breeding location in the recent past by Rose-breasts, this site is one of few in the Region to host that species.

    A noteworthy concentration of Dickcissels was found in south-central DeKalb Co., TN, during the 2008 UCR Foray there 23-26 May 2008 (m. ob.); in all 54 Dickcissels were counted in six of the county's 40 foray blocks with 53 being counted in five blocks clustered southsoutheast of Smithville.  Three Dickcissels were registered along the Union Hill BBS in western Clay Co., TN, 2 June 2008 (SJS), a site where they have been reported in low single-digit numbers quite often in the past 40 years.  During the period of 6-27 June 2008 Dickcissels were found at four sites in Pulaski Co., KY (RMD)--singles at two sites in Mt. Zion 6 & 27 June 2008, at Cains Store in extreme western Pulaski County 8 June 2008, and at the Pumphrey Farm in extreme northeastern Pulaski County 11 June 2008; and two on White Rd. 13 June 2008, a site where 2 singers had been noticed 11 May 2008 (RMD et al.).  Nine Dickcissels along the Sulfur Lick BBS in Monroe and Metcalfe counties, KY, 14 June 2008 (SJS) represented a fairly "normal" number for that route, which usually offers the highest number of Dickcissels among the Region's eight federal BBS routes.  A pair was noted 1 July 2008 at the east end of Melvin Crossroad, Bledsoe Co., TN (SJS, EKL photo), and the male was still singing there 7 July 2008 (SJS, EKL).  A single singer was noted near the intersection of Ball Hill Rd. and Medley Rd., Putnam Co., TN, 6 July 2008 (BHS), a site where two had been noted during the SBC in that county 10 May 2008 (see Spring 2008 UCR Bird Report) and where 1-5 singing Dickcissels have been reported during a number of breeding seasons since 1991, and a single singer was noted on Overlook Circle near Brotherton in that county 14 July 2008 (KLM), a site where this species has not been previously reported.  In White Co., TN, at least 2 Dickcissels were noted on Frank's Ferry Rd. 9 July 2008 (SHF), and 7--including 2 singers and 1 female (with food for young) at Macedonia Pond, 1 singer at Randolph Pond on Walter Stone Rd., and 3 singers near the intersection of Black Oak and Duck Pond rds.--were noted 12 July 2008 (SJS, DAD).  A Dickcissel was present at Cooley's Pond, Wayne Co., KY, 22 July 2008 (RMD).

Observers: Roseanna M. Denton (RMD), Steve Denton (SD), Douglas A. Downs (DAD), Chuck Estes (CE), Lola Estes (LE), Janie C. Finch (JaF), Susan H. Ford (SHF), Judy C. Fuson (JCF), James Layzer (JL), Nancy S. Layzer (NSL), Edmund K. LeGrand (EKL), Joseph E. Mast (JEM), Susan N. McWhirter (SNM), Kenneth L. Morgan (KLM), Barbara H. Stedman (BHS), Barbara H. Stedman (BHS), Stephen J. Stedman (SJS), Tom Van Winkle (TVW), Carol D. Williams (CDW).

Literature Cited

Appendix A: Reports of Loggerhead Shrike during Summer 2008 in the Upper Cumberland Region.

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