Yea! Finally saw the Eurasian Collared-Dove!

March 22, 2008
Tennessee - Hamilton County - Collegedale
Tufted Titmouse (2)
European Starling (2+1)
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Carolina Chickadee
Common Grackle
Northern Cardinal (2m, f)
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
American Robin (2)
Mourning Dove
Northern Mockingbird (1+1)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (f)
Eastern Towhee
American Crow (3)
Brown Thrasher
Mallard
Turkey Vulture

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Summit
European Starling (1+2)
American Crow (7)
Virginia Opossum - dead
Mourning Dove

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Chattanooga
European Starling (1+1+1)
Common Grackle (2+9)
American Crow (3+1+1)
Mourning Dove (2+4)
House Sparrow (2m, f)
Eastern Bluebird (f)
Northern Mockingbird (2+1)
Turkey Vulture (1+1)
Rock Pigeon - (15+) - I quit counting, probably more than 50.
Eurasian Collared-Dove - Life bird

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Chattanooga - Brainerd Levee
American Robin (8+)
European Starling (5)
Eastern Bluebird (3m, f) Thanks Marty, for the one you showed us. He was absolutely gorgeous!
Northern Mockingbird (2)
Eastern Towhee (m)
Mourning Dove (4)
Blue Jay
Red-tailed Hawk
Yellow-rumped Warbler (10+)
Eastern Phoebe
Ring-billed Gull
Northern Cardinal (2m, f)
Chipping Sparrow - year bird
Canada Goose (26+)
Mallard (m, f) several pair
Muskrat
Killdeer (4+)
Pectoral Sandpiper (3+) - year bird and maybe a lifer - Thanks Marty!
Green-winged Teal (5+) - year bird - Thanks Marty!
Least Sandpiper - year bird and maybe a lifer - Thanks Marty!
Northern Shoveler (2m, 2f)- year bird - Thanks Marty!
Blue-winged Teal (5+) Thanks Marty!
American Pipit - year bird and maybe a lifer - Thanks Marty!
Wilson's Snipe (5+) - year bird - Thanks Marty!
Lesser Yellowlegs (3) - year bird - Thanks Marty!
American Crow (5)
Tree Swallow (2)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - year bird
Pied-billed Grebe Thanks Marty!
Northern Flicker [yellow-shafted]

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Chattanooga State TCC
Wood Duck (m) - year bird
Canada Goose (17+)
Great Blue Heron (9 at the rookery, 3 others)
Eastern Bluebird (f, m)

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Chattanooga - Amnicola Marsh
American Crow
Eastern Towhee - heard
Canada Goose (7)
Mallard (m, f)
Red-winged Blackbird - heard
Red-shouldered Hawk
Chipping Sparrow (2)

Thanks to Marty Paige for the great looks through his scope at Brainerd Levee. Without his help I would not have had a chance of identifying the shorebirds.

2 State Parks and 3 Year Birds

March 21, 2008
Tennessee - Hamilton County - Collegedale
Eastern Towhee (m)
American Crow
Brown Thrasher
European Starling (3)
Mourning Dove (2)
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Northern Cardinal (3m, f)
Eastern Cottontail
American Robin (2+1)
Common Grackle (3)
Mallards
Black Vulture

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Harrison
Mallard (2)
Canada Goose (22+)
Virginia Opossum - dead
American Crow (2+2 harassing a Red-tailed Hawk)
Red-tailed Hawk
American Coot (90+)
Mallard (5m, 4f)
Great Blue Heron (2)
Ring-billed Gulls
Northern Mockingbird (2)
Turkey Vulture (2)
American Robin

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Chattanooga
Northern Mockingbird
American Crow (2+3+1+3)

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Booker T. Washington State Park
American Crow
Mallard (2m, 2f)
Eastern Bluebird (2m, f)
American Coot (2+76+15)
Canada Goose (2)
Belted Kingfisher
Barn Swallow
Ring-billed Gull
Common Loon - 3 in breeding plumage, 1 in intermediate plumage, 2 in non-breeding plumage - year bird
Turkey Vulture
Tufted Titmouse
American Robin
Carolina Chickadee (3)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (f)
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker (m, f-excavating nest hole. She could fit about half-way in.) - seems to be a year bird
Northern Cardinal - heard

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Harrison Bay State Park
Dark-eyed Junco [slate-colored] (5)
Tufted Titmouse (5)
Carolina Chickadee
Blue Jay
European Starling
Eastern Phoebe (2)
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Ring-billed Gull (2+)
Canada Goose (3)
Mallard (12+)
American Coot (25+)
American Crow (4+2+3)
Pied-billed Grebe (2+3)
Turkey Vulture (3)
American Black Duck - year bird
Great Blue Heron
Eastern Bluebird (f, m)
Barn Swallow

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Ooltewah
Rock Pigeon (7)
House Sparrow (m)
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling

Read This!

Check out this way cool blog. The Nature of Things

In the interest of full disclosure, Nan is my sister and she did not ask me to post this. And yes it is a cool blog. Way cooler than this one! With pictures too.

6 Year Birds Including 1 Lifer

March 20, 2008
Tennessee - Hamilton County - Collegedale
Brown Thrasher
American Robin
American Crow (2)
Northern Cardinal (m) He was bald-headed except for his crest. He looked like he had a spiked mohawk!
Pileated Woodpecker
American Goldfinch (2)
Tufted Titmouse
Eastern Towhee (m)
White-throated Sparrow (2)
Carolina Wren
Eastern Gray Squirrel (2)
Blue Jay
European Starling
Common Grackle (12+)
Mourning Dove (2)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Turkey Vulture
Purple Finch (m)
Red-tailed Hawk mobbed by 2 crows. Can two crows be a mob? Maybe I should say harassed.
Brown-headed Cowbird
Mallard (5)
Yellow-rumped Warbler

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Summit
American Kestrel

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Tyner
Mallard (m, f)
European Starling

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Chattanooga
European Starling (30+)
Mourning Dove (7)
Great Blue Heron (2) Chattanooga State TCC rookery
Northern Mockingbird (2)
Common Grackle (9)
Eastern Bluebird
Canada Goose (4)
American Crow (4)
Northern Cardinal (m)

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Chickamauga Dam
Canada Goose (2+3+12)
American Robin (3)
European Starling (2)
Turkey Vulture (4)
Brown-headed Nuthatch - Life bird
American Coot (6)
Mallard (12)
Northern Mockingbird (2)
Ring-billed Gull - I was disinclined to count them.
Blue Jay - heard
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Chickadee
Eastern Bluebird (m, f)
Northern Cardinal (m, f)
House Finch (m, f)
Great Blue Heron (15)
Bonaparte's Gull - year bird
Black Vulture
Killdeer
American Crow (4)
Mourning Dove (5)
Barn Swallow (2)
American Goldfinch
Red-bellied Woodpecker - year bird
Eastern Cottontail
Common Grackle (6)
Downy Woodpecker
Great Egret - year bird
Bald Eagle - year bird
House Sparrow (4)
Tree Swallow

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Chattanooga - Tennessee Riverwalk - Amnicola Marsh
Red-winged Blackbird (2)
American Coot (8)
Great Blue Heron (3)
Canada Goose (16)
White-throated Sparrow (5)
Common Grackle (20+)
European Starling (50+)
Mourning Dove
Song Sparrow
Blue-winged Teal - year bird
Tree Swallow
Eastern Cottontail
Northern Cardinal (f)
Carolina Chickadee
Eastern Towhee
American Robin

3 More Year Birds Today!

March 19, 2008
Tennessee - Hamilton County - Collegedale
Brown Thrasher
American Robin
American Crow (2)
Carolina Chickadee - heard
Common Grackle (6)
Cooper's Hawk
Northern Cardinal (m)
Killdeer

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Summit
Rock Pigeon (2)
European Starling (3)

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Tyner
Mallard (m, f)
Mourning Dove
European Starling

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Standifer Gap Marsh
Barn Swallow (2)
American Robin (25+)
European Starling (25+)
Northern Flicker [yellow-shafted]
Carolina Chickadee
Eastern Bluebird (m. f)
Red-winged Blackbird (20+)
Eastern Towhee (m)
White-throated Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird (3+)
Eastern Cottontail - dead
American Crow (3)
Canada Goose (3)
Common Grackle (50+)
Brown Thrasher
Northern Cardinal (m, f)
Red-shouldered Hawk (2)
American Kestrel
Eastern Meadowlark
Killdeer (6)
Mallard (m)
Belted Kingfisher (2m, f)
Red-tailed Hawk
Song Sparrow (3)
Tree Swallow

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Chattanooga
European Starling (~30)
Mourning Dove (2)
American Crow (2)
Tree Swallow
Mallard (f, m)

The Barn Swallows, Red-shouldered Hawks and the Tree Swallows were year birds.

4 Year Bird Day All From One Yard

March 18, 2008
Tennessee - Hamilton County - Collegedale
Eastern Towhee (m)
American Crow (5)
Mourning Dove - (2)
American Robin (17)
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Northern Cardinal (2m, 2f)
Great Blue Heron
Red-tailed Hawk mobbed by 5 American Crows
Carolina Chickadee
Turkey Vulture
Tufted Titmouse
Song Sparrow
Eastern Bluebird
American Goldfinch
Common Grackle (15)
Eastern Gray Squirrel
European Starling
Carolina Wren
Downy Woodpecker
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Yellow-rumped Warbler
White-throated Sparrow (2)
Eastern Cottontail
Northern Flicker [yellow-shafted]

The Brown Thrasher, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Yellow-rumped Warbler and the Northern Flicker were all first of year birds for me.

Trippin'

March 17, 2008
Tennessee - Carter County - Roan Mountain
Song Sparrow - yard; elsewhere (2)
Blue Jay - feeder (2)
Northern Cardinal - feeder (f)
Dark-eyed Junco [slate-colored] - feeder
American Crow (11, in five groups)
Carolina Chickadee - feeder (2)
Tufted Titmouse - feeder
Eastern Phoebe - yard
Red-breasted Nuthatch - feeder
American Robin - yard
Mourning Dove (3)
White-breasted Nuthatch (2)
Pine Siskin - feeder (5); elsewhere (2)
European Starling (2)
House Finch - feeder (m, f)
American Goldfinch - feeder (2)
Eastern Towhee (m)
Virginia Opossum - dead [I sometimes list dead animals but only the first time I see the carcass]
Skunk - dead
Common Grackle (2)

Tennessee - Carter County - Roan Mountain State Park
White-tailed Deer (7)
American Crow

Tennessee - Carter County - Hampton
American Kestrel

Tennessee - Carter County - Valley Forge
American Kestrel
Rock Pigeon (5)

Tennessee - Carter County - Elizabethton
European Starling
Rock Pigeon (2)
Turkey Vulture

Tennessee - Washington County - Johnson City
Rock Pigeon (36, in seven groups)
American Crow (4, in three groups)

Tennessee - Washington County - Gray
Skunk - smelled [ok, maybe you think that's a stretch, but hey, it's my list] ;P

Tennessee - Sullivan County - Kingsport
American Crow (5, in two groups)
Rock Pigeon (11, in two groups)

Tennessee - Greene County - I81 corridor
American Crow (2)
Turkey Vulture (2, in two groups)
European Starling
Rock Pigeon (7, in two groups)

Tennessee - Greene County - I81S Baileyton Rest Area
American Crow (2)
Turkey Vulture

Tennessee - Hamblen County - I81 corridor
Turkey Vulture

Tennessee - Jefferson County - I81 corridor
Rock Pigeon (2)

Tennessee - Jefferson County - I81S Jefferson County Rest Area
Common Grackle (3)
American Robin
American Crow

Tennessee - Jefferson County - I40 corridor
Black Vulture (3)
Turkey Vulture (2)
The Black and Turkey Vultures were forming up a kettle. I think there were probably more out of my line of sight.

Tennessee - Sevier County - I40 corridor
American Crow (4, in two groups)

Tennessee - Knox County - Knoxville - I40 corridor
Rock Pigeon (more than 100 in many groups)
European Starling (more than 30 in several groups)
American Crow (7 in three groups)
Mourning Dove (2)

Tennessee - Loudon County - I75 corridor
American Crow
Northern Mockingbird
Common Grackle (10)

Tennessee - Monroe County - I75 corridor
Skunk - dead
Rock Pigeon

Tennessee - McMinn County - I75 corridor
Rock Pigeon (~20)
American Crow (14 in six groups)
Turkey Vulture (2)
White-tailed Deer (2)

Tennessee - Bradley County - Charleston
American Crow

Tennessee - Bradley County - I75 corridor
American Crow (3 in two groups)
Virginia Opossum - dead

Tennessee - Bradley County - Cleveland - I75 corridor
American Crow
American Kestrel
Mourning Dove
Rock Pigeon

Tennessee - Hamilton County - I75 corridor
American Crow

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Chattanooga - I75 corridor
American Crow
Common Grackle (7)

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Ooltewah
European Starling (4)

Tennessee - Hamilton County - Collegedale
Mallard (4+)
Mourning Dove
Eastern Towhee - heard
American Robin
Northern Cardinal - heard

Whew!

Carolina Wren - Grandfather Mountain, NC

From 2008_03_14_Gr...

My best photo from the March 14th trip. Click the photo to see it full-size.

Nest Building Time for Wrens

March 16, 2008
Tennessee - Carter County - Roan Mountain
Blue Jay - feeder
American Goldfinch - feeder
Pine Siskin - feeder (3)
Northern Cardinal - feeder (f, m); neighbor's (3m, 2f)
Carolina Chickadee - feeder (4)
American Crow - yard; from yard (4)
Dark-eyed Junco [slate-colored] - feeder; neighbor's (4)
Tufted Titmouse - feeder (2)
Carolina Wren - (2) 1 in the yard gathering nesting materials while another 1 was on the feeder
Red-breasted Nuthatch - feeder
House Finch - feeder (m); neighbor's (2m, 2f)
Song Sparrow - feeder; neighbor's (2)
American Robin - yard
Pileated Woodpecker - heard
Eastern Phoebe (2)
Eastern Bluebird (m)

Kind of a cold gray day but the sun did pop out a couple of times. The Carolina Wrens look to be building their nest on our house outside a kitchen window so hope we'll keep seeing a lot of them and their youngins.