(1 December–29 February)

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

Introduction

The Region (Figure 1) experienced another winter that led to the accumulation of many significant data about its birdlife. Birds of the season were probably two largish swans found briefly at General Burnside Island State Park in Pulaski County, Kentucky, 8 January 2008; photographs (see below for a link to these) of these swans indicated that they may have represented hybrids between Mute and either Trumpeter (more likely) or Tundra (less likely) swans.  Two swans found to the east of the Region in London, Kentucky, a week or two later were probably these same birds; the London swans stayed in that area for more than  a month and allowed considerable observation of their features and behaviors, including being fed close at hand, prompting many observers to conclude that they had considerable genetic material of the Trumpeter and/or Mute kind.

Weather

    Temperatures throughout the winter tended to swing from quite cold to warmish and back to quite cold again at intervals of several days to about a week each.  Little snow cover was present most of the season and none for an extended period of time; a snow event resulting in 3-4 inches on the ground for two days in Cookeville with greater amounts experienced on the plateau and to the north during late February was about the most impressive frozen-precip event of the season.  Rainfall was no more than average for winter in the Region, and perhaps a bit below average, continuing the long-term drought conditions that have prevailed for over a year (coinciding with the latest Pacific La Nina event).

Wild Food Crop

    Consequences of the Easter freeze of early April 2007 were evident in a very poor fruit crop and fairly poor berry crop in the Region this winter, causing lowish numbers of some frugivores to be present, although no frugivorous species was entirely absent.  The nut crop may also have been lowish but hard to be sure, although the lowish numbers of Red-headed Woodpeckers in some Regional counties late in winter may have indicated that was the case.    

Results of Organized Bird Counts

    One of the more significant bird-related achievements this winter was the first Regional Christmas Bird Count (CBC) to surpass the 90-species barrier; this event took place 22 December 2007 when 92 species were counted during the second annual Crossville, Cumberland Co., TN, CBC; congratulations to all who took part in that first-ever event.  Data from the record-breaking Crossville CBC and all other Regional CBCs--on which, collectively, at least 109 species were recorded--are, or soon will be, available via the link below:

    As during the past few years, Great Backyard Bird Count data for the Saturday (16 February 2008) of that count's period were pooled for several counties of the Region, leading to many useful data about 105 species present during late winter in the Region.  To view data from this year's GBBC Pooled Data Event, click on the following link:

Abbreviations and Symbols: † = documentation form provided in support of bird record; BSFNRRA = Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area; CBC = Christmas Bird Count; CTSP = Cumberland Trail State Park; DBNF = Daniel Boone National Forest; GBBC = Great Backyard Bird Count; m. ob. = many observers; OWSR = Obed Wild and Scenic River.

Waterfowl and Gallinaceous Species     

An immature Greater White-fronted Goose flying with a flock of Canada Geese at Boiling Pond, White Co., TN, 20 December 2007 (EKL) during the White County CBC provided the first record for that CBC, the first record for that county, and just the 15th Regional record; another immature White-front was nicely photographed at Twin Lakes, Pulaski Co., KY, 26 January 2008 (RMD photo), providing the second record for that county and the 16th Regionally, and it may have been the same bird found in that county along Rt. 636 on 16 February 2008 (RMD) during the GBBC there.

    Three white morph Snow Geese were noted about 5 km (3 mi) north of Smithville on Rt. 56, DeKalb Co., TN, 8 December 2007 (CDW photo), while two white morph Snows remained south of Smithville on Student's Home Rd. 8-10 January 2008 (JuF); two white morph Snows were noted at the Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY, 11 December 2007 (RMD); a single blue morph Snow was present at Monterey Lake, Putnam Co., TN, 16 February 2008 (BHS) during the GBBC there; eight Snows, including 4 white morph and 4 blue morph individuals, were noted at Cooley's Pond, Wayne Co., KY, 29 February 2008 (RMD).

    Two "huge" swans at General Burnside Island State Park, Pulaski Co., KY, 8 January 2008 (RMD photo photo) turned out not to represent a new species for that park because the best analysis of their identity pointed toward their being Mute X Trumpeter swan hybrids; many thanks to DLR and several others for critical analysis of the photos of these swans.  Two swans that were probably these same birds showed up near London, KY, to the east of the Region, a week or so after their appearance in Pulaski County and stayed at that location for more than a month (after having apparently also stayed part of the previous winter at the same London site).

    Two Blue-winged Teal on Barren River Reservoir, Barren/Allen counties, KY, 11 December 2007 (DLR) were latest reported during fall.

    Ten Greater Scaup were noted at the Waitsboro Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski Co., KY, 29 February 2008 (RMD), while a single Greater was observed at Cooley's Pond, Wayne Co., KY, on the same date (RMD).

    Three Surf Scoters, a male and two females/immatures, at the Wolf Creek Dam, Russell Co., KY, 14 December 2007 (RMD) during the 2nd annual Russell County CBC provided the 39th Regional record of this most common of the scoters in the Region; these birds were the first of their kind to be recorded during a Regional CBC.

    Three Black Scoters of unspecified age and/or sex were observed 14 December 2007 at the Wolf Creek Dam, Russell Co., KY (RMD), providing just the 12th Regional record and the latest during fall ever in the Region; they were also the first of their kind to be recorded during a Regional CBC.

    A female Long-tailed Duck was present at the Floating Mill Recreation Area, DeKalb Co., TN, 7 December 2007 (SJS), providing the first record for that county and just the 15th for the Region.

    As has become usual, few reports of Ruffed Grouse were submitted, a single found near Mayland, Cumberland Co., TN, 16 February 2008 (JEM) during the GBBC there being a prominent exception.

    Wild Turkeys were registered on nine of the Region's ten CBCs, the best showing ever on CBCs.

A juvenile Red-throated Loon was reported on Barren River Reservoir, Barren/Allen counties, 11 December 2008 (TAH), the 10th Regional record and 8th during late fall/early winter.

    A count of at least 10 Horned Grebes on Barren River Reservoir, mainly Barren Co., KY, 29 December 2007 during the Glasgow CBC (m. ob.) and a count of at least 8 on the reservoir 12 January 2008 (DLR) probably represented a small overwintering group on that body of water, while a count of 180--all in basic plumage except a lone bird that appeared to be changing rather early into alternate plumage--at Lillydale, Dale Hollow Lake, Clay Co., TN, 19 January 2008 (SJS, EKL) was about "normal" for that site during mid-winter, as was a count of 250--all in basic plumage--at the Floating Mill Recreation Area, Center Hill Lake, DeKalb Co., TN, 3 February 2008 (SJS); a count of 219 Horned Grebes at Rowena Rd., Lake Cumberland, Russell Co., KY, and another 12 at the nearby Wolf Creek Dam 23 February 2008 (RMD) was somewhat greater than usually counted at those sites during late winter and perhaps indicated some migratory movement had already been undertaken.

    The first Great Blue Herons observed at nests in a rookery during "spring" 2008 were found on Dry Valley Rd., Putnam Co., TN, 7 February 2008 (SJS), a little earlier than the usual date for the first observation of Regional breeding activity for this fast-increasing Regional breeder.

    The last report of Great Egret during the "fall" came 2 December 2007 when a flyover was seen along Rt. 56 about 10 km (6 mi) south of Smithville, DeKalb Co., TN (TMS, SJS photo).

    A Cattle Egret at a pond on Will Thompson Rd., White Co., TN, 16 February 2008 (WB†) during the GBBC there established the first winter record for the Region, in keeping with the species' increasing presence in the Region.

Two Bald Eagles, an adult and a subadult, were noted three times engaging in this species' talon-clenching courtship behavior in Cumberland Co., KY, 11 December 2007 (PS), suggesting that a nest is located, or will soon be located, somewhere in that county.  An eagle nest photographed in Allen Co., KY (DLR photo), was close enough to Barren County that the adult birds undoubtedly foraged in that county some of the time; this nest replaced one that was used during the previous breeding season (see Summer 2007 UCR Bird Report) but that fell or blew down during fall 2007 (DR fide DLR).  Results of January 2008 eagle surveys on Regional lakes follow (courtesy DLR, SGS, MW):

    The light morph ("Krider's") Red-tailed Hawk that spent the past two winters near the intersection of Rt. 56 and Vaughn Lane in DeKalb Co., TN, was back for at least the third winter when found 26 January 2008 (JuF photo) on the same power pole where it was photographed during March 2006 and December 2006, an indication of the powerful winter philopatry (site fidelity) exhibited by Red-tails; let's hope this individual will return for at least as many years as the dark morph B. j. harlani that returned to Putnam Co., TN, 10 or more consecutive winters from the late 1980s to the late 1990s.

    A light morph Rough-legged Hawk was briefly but well observed 22 December 2007 along Ted Davis Rd., Cumberland Co., TN (HEL, EKL), during the Crossville CBC; it was the first Rough-leg to be reported from that county in several decades.

    An adult Golden Eagle was observed on Procter Creek Rd., Clay Co., TN, and at two other nearby sites 18 December 2007 (RMD photo, AMM) during the Clay County CBC, providing the first record for that CBC and the first record of a non-captive Golden Eagle in Clay Co., TN; as a result of this sighting, Clay became the 14th Regional county with a record of this impressive raptor.

    A female or immature Merlin was photographed 3 January 2008 near Cooley's Pond, Wayne Co., KY (RMD photo) during the Wayne County CBC, the second time that this probably increasing winter resident of the Region has been detected during that CBC but the first time as a count-day bird; a similarly plumaged Merlin was observed at the same site 29 February 2008 (RMD).  Another female or immature Merlin was observed at the Pulaski County Park, Pulaski Co., KY, 16 and 24 February 2008 (RMD, LM, CGH, GC), providing a nice record for the GBBC there on the first date, as well as establishing the first record for that park.  Although still best considered to be very uncommon, Merlins continue to appear fairly regularly around the Region during mid-winter and seem to be an increasing component of the Region's winter avifauna.

Cranes through Gulls

The best day of migration for Sandhill Cranes this "spring" came 7 February 2008 when 3500+ were very conservatively estimated flying northnorthwestward over Overton, Putnam, and White counties, TN (m. ob.).  Overall, the spring crane flight appeared to be an excellent one, but it is hard to know if the quality of the recorded flight reflected more cranes than usual or more observers than usual or some combination of the two.  See Appendix A (below) for a listing of all crane reports for the season.

    This year's ultralight-led training flight of 17 juvenile Whooping Cranes arrived in Russell Co., KY, 4 December 2007 and continued on to Cumberland Co., TN, 6 December 2007, rather later than the arrival at those sites during previous "fall" seasons; the Whooper flight attempted to depart Cumberland County on the morning of 17 December 2007 (fide EKL, DJS photos), but adverse weather conditions aborted this attempt, which was rescheduled for 29 December 2007, on which date the flight was able to continue its southeasterly progress, photographically documented by a number of Crossvillians (including JM, KS).

    Two Killdeers at the Visitor Center for Frozen Head State Natural Area, Morgan Co., TN, 13 February 2008 (MEH, DME) were the first to be reported at that site.

    Eight Least Sandpipers at Plum Point, Green River Lake, Adair Co., KY, 1 December 2007 (RMD) were late, but the last Leasts of the season to be reported Regionally were two at Cooley's Pond, Wayne Co., KY, 11 December 2007 (RMD).

    Six Dunlin were at the Walnut Creek area of Barren River Reservoir, Barren/Allen counties, KY, 11 December 2007, the latest of the "fall" to be reported Regionally at a site where the species often lingers into winter; seven Dunlins at that site  7 January 2008 (DLR, TAH)  and two there 12 January 2008 (DLR) provided yet another winter record for the site, about the only one where Dunlins occur during mid-winter Regionally.

    A Herring Gull at Lake Tansi, Cumberland Co., TN, 7 December 2007 (EKL) was the first for that county.

Doves through Shrike

Nine Eurasian Collared-Doves were observed along Rt. 83  about 2.5 km south of Rt. 70S, DeKalb Co., TN, 2 December 2007 (SJS, TMS), and five were found in that vicinity 27 December 2007 during the DeKalb County CBC (CDW, NSL); six collared-doves were found in western Cookeville, Putnam Co., TN, 15 December 2007 (BHS) during the Cookeville CBC, including a calling bird in Cane Creek Park, the first sighting made there; 16 collared-doves were counted, mostly around Sparta, White Co., TN, during the White County CBC 20 December 2007 (BHS, JEM, AFM), a high count for that county; 13 collared-doves were counted in Monticello, Wayne Co., KY, 3 January 2008 (SJS) during the CBC in that county, probably also a high count for that site; two collared-doves at Vervilla, Warren Co., TN, 5 January 2008 (SJS) during the CBC there indicated continued presence of a small number of birds; three collared-doves, including a calling bird, at Jaybird Rd., Overton Co., TN, 19 January 2008 (EKL, SJS) indicated continued presence at that site, the longest known to be occupied in the Region; also long occupied is the area around Pikeville, Bledsoe Co., TN, where 12 collared-doves, at least one of which was calling, were found 21 January 2008 (SJS, EKL).

    At least two Northern Saw-whet Owls were heard calling in the vicinity of Little Lick, DBNF, Pulaski Co., KY, 30 January 2008 (RMD), a site that has become fairly regular for this species in the past decade or so.

    The adult female Rufous Hummingbird present since early last fall on Creed Rd., Van Buren Co., TN, remained there until 29 February 2008 (JW), surviving several bouts of subfreezing conditions and being recorded on all four dates of the GBBC; see the Spring 2008 UCR Bird Report for the last date of this hummer's Regional stay this winter.

    All reports of Loggerhead Shrike around the Region during the season are noted below (Appendix C).

Vireo through Warblers

The earliest Purple Martins this "spring" were three noted in Alexandria, DeKalb Co., TN, 27 February 2008 (JBT fide JuF).

    The Red-breasted Nuthatch irruption into the Region last fall resulted in a small-to-moderate number of individuals' remaining at a wide variety of sites until the CBC season when all ten of the Regional CBCs registered this species in single-digit numbers, the best showing, albeit only a modest one, in recent years. However, during the Pooled Data Event of the GBBC Red-breasts were recorded, again in single-digit numbers, in only two of five counties taking part in that survey, suggesting a possible decrease in their numbers during the course of the winter.

    Four Brown-headed Nuthatches were found at the Cookeville Golf Course, Putnam Co., TN, 15 December 2007 (MPO, TMS) during the Cookeville CBC, providing a high count of that species for that CBC and indicating continued presence of this rare species at that site, the only one of its kind Regionally; four Brown-heads were also noted at a feeding station adjacent to the Cookeville Golf Course 7 February 2008 (DN), while three were heard on the golf course 16 February 2008 (SJS) during the GBBC.

    Sixty Horned Larks on Student's Home Rd., DeKalb Co., TN, 2 December 2007 (TMS, SJS) provided a highish count for that county and for the Region--except for winters when larks "irrupt" into the Region, usually as a result of heavy snowfall to the north; fifty or more larks in the same area 7 January 2008 and at least 30 there 16 February 2008 (JuF) during the GBBC indicated persistent presence of a this moderate-sized flock throughout the winter; see also the account (below) for Lapland Longspur in this report.

    Unique to the Region was a Yellow-rumped "Audubon's" Warbler flocking with a group of eight Palm Warblers (see below) on Old Mill Rd., Putnam Co., TN, 16 February 2008 (SJS†) during the GBBC.

    A group of eight Palm Warblers on Old Mill Rd., Putnam Co., TN, 16 February 2008 (SJS) during the GBBC provided the high count for the season Regionally; it was at least an average winter for this species, which was recorded on four CBCs.

Sparrows through Blackbirds

Quite rare during winter, especially in the Kentucky portion of the Region, a Vesper Sparrow was seen and well described at the McCreary County Airport, McCreary Co., KY, 1 January 2008 (LMM†, TBM†), providing the first record for that county and one of very few winter records Regionally.

    Twenty Fox Sparrows at the Pumphrey Farm, Pulaski Co., KY, 4 December 2007 (RMD) represented a nice total.

    A single Lapland Longspur associated with a flock of Horned Larks on Student's Home Rd., DeKalb Co., TN, 9 February 2008 (JuF†), and two Laplands were noted with larks at the same site 19 February 2008 (JuF†, CDW†); the former sighting provided the first record of this sparrow in DeKalb County and was just the 10th record Regionally, while the latter sighting established a new late "spring" date Regionally.

    All reports of Rusty Blackbirds, a declining breeder of the boreal forest that now appears to winter somewhat sparingly in the Region, are listed in Appendix D (below) for this season and for the spring 2008 season; the Regional high count was just 100, tabulated 16 February 2008 (EKL) during the GBBC in Cumberland Co. TN.  See the Fall 2007 UCR Bird Report for all reports from that season.

    Four Brewer's Blackbirds on Old Mill Rd., Putnam Co., TN, 9 December 2007 (SJS, TMS) were the first of the "fall" for that species Regionally.

Finches through Weaver Finch

Purple Finches had another down year, at least to judge from the rather low numbers recorded on Regional CBCs.

    The minor irruption of Pine Siskins into the Region last fall petered out pretty quickly with very few birds remaining to be found on Regional CBCs and fewer still remaining into mid-winter or later.

Observers: Nan E. Beesley (NEB), Kris Bolin (KB), Sharon Brines (SB), Wally Brines (WB), Greg Brown (GB), Chester Bush (CB), Margie Buxbaum (MB), Granville Cox (GC), Daniel L. Combs (DLC), Linda Craiger (LC), Julie Denton (JuD), Roseanna M. Denton (RMD), Janet Dowlen (JaD), Jeff Dowlen (JeF), Douglas A. Downs (DAD), Patricia Elliott (PE), David M. Engebretson (DME), Art Evans (AE), Annell Field (AF), Walt Fields (WF), Janie C. Finch (JCF), Richard C. Finch (RCF), Susan H. Ford (SHF), Judy C. Fuson (JuF), Dana Girard (DG), W. Howard Groce (WHG), Jim Hazard (JH), Hope High (HH), A. Margo Hinkle (AMH), Michael E. Hodge (MEH), C. Gay Hodges (CGH), Caleb R. Hubbard (CRH), T. Aaron Hulsey (TAH), David Hume (DH), Peggy Kilgore (PK), James Layzer (JL), Nancy S. Layzer (NSL), Edmund K. LeGrand (EKL), Harry E. LeGrand (HEL), Anita F. Mast (AFM), Joseph E. Mast (JEM), Linda McClendon (LM), Jim McCullough (JM), Lynda M. Mills (LMM), Thomas B. Mills (TBM), Kenneth L. Morgan (KLM), Arlene M. Morton (AMM), Jim McCullough (JM), David Narrie (DN), Connie S. Neeley (CSN), Ken Oeser (KO), Michael P. O'Rourke (MPO), Handley "Ozzie" Oswalt (HO), Susan E. Pirolo (SEP), Michele Ramsey (MR), Tim Riddle (TR), Dick Riesz (DRi), Deryck Rodgers (DR), David L. Roemer (DLR), Thomas M. Saya (TMS), Emily Sells (ES), Paul Shipley (PS), Richard W. Simmers, Jr. (RWS), Scott G. Somershoe (SGS--Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency), Jim Stafne (JS), DJ Stanley (DJS), Kay Stanley (KS), Barbara H. Stedman (BHS), Stephen J. Stedman (SJS), J. B. Taylor (JBT), Jacquie Wagner (JW), Mark Willis (MW--Army Corps of Engineers), Winston A. Walden (WAW), Carol D. Williams (CDW), Carol Wolf (CW).

Literature Cited

Appendix A.  Records of northbound (and some southbound) Sandhill Cranes in the Upper Cumberland Region during "Spring" 2008, including those seen January through March 2008; see the Fall 2007 UCR Bird Report for records of southbound  (and a few northbound) cranes during December 2007 and earlier). 

Appendix B.  Records of  American Woodcock in the Upper Cumberland Region during Winter 2007–2008 and Spring 2008.

Appendix C.  Reports of  Loggerhead Shrike during Winter 2007–2008 in the Upper Cumberland Region.

Appendix D.  Records of  Rusty Blackbird in the Upper Cumberland Region during Winter 2007–2008 and Spring 2008.

For more information about Rusty Blackbirds and about the Rusty Blackbird Technical Group, go to this website: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Research/Rusty_Blackbird/

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