May 9 - FOS May Beetle

May 9, 2008
Roan Mountain, Carter County, Tennessee
American Crow - home place (2); elsewhere (2)
American Goldfinch - feeder (m, f); elsewhere (m, 3f)
American Robin - yard (1); elsewhere (8)
Barn Swallow (2)
Blue Jay - yard (1); elsewhere on the home place (4)
Brown Thrasher - home place (1); elsewhere (2)
Carolina Chickadee - feeder
Chestnut-sided Warbler - yard (m)
Chimney Swift - heard on the home place
Common Grackle (2)
Dark-eyed Junco - feeder (2)
Eastern Bluebird - yard (f)
Eastern Phoebe - home place (1); elsewhere (2)
Eastern Towhee - feeder (m); elsewhere (f)
European Starling (5)
Mourning Dove - feeder (2); elsewhere on the home place (1); elsewhere (2)
Northern Cardinal - yard (f); elsewhere on the home place (2m); elsewhere (m)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Red-winged Blackbird (2m, f)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - feeder (m)
Song Sparrow - home place (1); elsewhere (1)
Tufted Titmouse - feeder
White-breasted Nuthatch - immature & adult
Wood Thrush - heard at home

Bullfrog - pond (3)

May Beetle - bathroom window, First of Season
Pipevine Swallowtail - yard

Chipmunk
Raccoon - porch (2)

Six-spotted Fishing Spider - pond (2)

May 8 - Wish I could SEE what I hear!

May 8, 2008
Roan Mountain, Carter County, Tennessee
American Crow - heard at home; elsewhere on the home place saw (2); elsewhere saw (5)
American Goldfinch - feeder (f)
American Robin - yard (1); elsewhere (1)
Blue Jay - heard at home; elsewhere on the home place saw (1)
Canada Goose - heard at home
Carolina Chickadee - feeder (2)
Chestnut-sided Warbler - heard at home
Common Yellowthroat - heard at home
Dark-eyed Junco - feeder (2)
Eastern Phoebe - on the home place (1)
Eastern Towhee - feeder (m)
Gray Catbird - on the home place (1)
Hooded Warbler - heard at home
Mourning Dove - yard (2)
Northern Cardinal - feeder (f, m)
Pileated Woodpecker - heard
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - yard (m); elsewhere on the home place (m)
Song Sparrow - on the home place (2)
Tufted Titmouse - feeder
Wood Thrush - heard on the home place

Bullfrog - pond (5)
Salamander - pond (2)

Silver-spotted Skipper - yard
Tiger Swallowtail - yard
Unidentified damsel fly - pond - 1.25 - 1.5 inches long, very pale blue
Water Strider - pond (3) two of which were mating

Six-spotted Fishing Spider - pond (3)

May 7 - FOS Silver-spotted Skipper

May 7, 2008
Roan Mountain, Carter County, Tennessee
American Crow - home place (1); elsewhere (5)
American Goldfinch - feeder (2m, 2f)
American Robin - village (2)
American Robin - yard (2); elsewhere (2)
Barn Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Blue Jay - yard (1); elsewhere on the home place (4)
Brown Thrasher - yard
Carolina Chickadee - heard at home
Commond Grackle - yard
Dark-eyed Junco - feeder
Eastern Bluebird - yard (f, m)
Eastern Phoebe - home place
Eastern Towhee - feeder (m)
European Starling (18)
Gray Catbird - pond
Mourning Dove - yard (1); elsewhere on the home place (1); elsewhere (1)
Northern Cardinal - feeder (f); yard (m)
Red-breasted Nuthatch - heard at pond
Red-winged Blackbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - home place (m)
Song Sparrow - home place (3)
Tufted Titmouse - feeder (1); elsewhere on the home place (1)
Bullfrog - pond (4)
Green Frog - pond
Salamander - pond
Silver-spotted Skipper - home place, First Of Season
Tiger Swallowtail - feeder (1); yard (1); elsewhere on the home place (2); elsewhere (1)
Water Strider - pond
Chipmunk - middle of yard, ran under the apple tree to get away from the mower
Racer (snake) - driveway
Six-spotted Fishing Spider - pond

Roan Mountain State Park, Carter County, Tennessee
American Crow (2)

Banner Elk, Avery County, North Carolina
American Crow (2)
Mourning Dove
Raccoon - baby - dead

Beech Mountain, Avery County, North Carolina
American Crow - heard
Blue Jay
Carolina Chickadee

May 6 - Hitchhiking Yellow Jacket and Grasshopper

May 6, 2008
Roan Mountain, Carter County, Tennessee
American Crow - yard (1); elsewhere on the home place (1)
American Goldfinch - feeder (2m, 3f)
American Robin - yard (2); elsewhere on the home place (2)
Blue Jay - feeder (1); yard (3); elsewhere on the home place (3)
Brown Thrasher - on the home place
Carolina Chickadee - feeder
Common Raven - heard at home
Dark-eyed Junco - feeder
Eastern Phoebe - on the home place
Eastern Towhee - heard at home
Gray Catbird - pond (2)
Mourning Dove - yard (2); elsewhere on the home place, saw (1) and heard another
Northern Cardinal - feeder (m, f); pond (m, 3? - chasing each other through the brush and too much shadow to be sure of gender); elsewhere on the home place (m)

Song Sparrow - feeder (1); heard another elsewhere on the home place
Tufted Titmouse - feeder

Bullfrog - pond (9) new high count for year

big brown Cricket - escaping from the big, bad lawnmower
Grasshopper - rode on my left knee for about 5 minutes while I was mowing
Pipevine or Spicebush Swallowtail - various spots on the home place but could not get a good enough look to be sure which species

Tiger Swallowtail - feeder (1); elsewhere on the home place (1)
Yellow Jacket - rode on the hood of the mower for a while as I was mowing

White-tailed Deer - (6) on the home place, headed for the yard but couldn't see from where I was mowing if they made it there or not

Six-spotted Fishing Spider - pond

May 5 - All around the home place...

May 5, 2008
Roan Mountain, Carter County, Tennessee
American Crow - pond
American Goldfinch - feeder (2f, 2m)
American Robin - on the home place
Blue Jay - home place (4+)
Brown Thrasher - on the home place
Carolina Chickadee - feeder (1); elsewhere on the home place (2)
Dark-eyed Junco - feeder (2); elsewhere on the home place (2)
Eastern Towhee - heard on the home place
Gray Catbird - yard (1) plus three other sightings elsewhere on the home place but it could have been the same bird or it's mate thought we do have 3-4 individuals around

Northern Cardinal - feeder (m, f)
Northern Flicker - heard on the home place
Pileated Woodpecker - on the home place
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - on the home place
Song Sparrow - on the home place
Tufted Titmouse - feeder
Wood Thrush - heard on the home place
Bullfrog - pond (3)
Salamander - pond
Eastern Amberwing - pond [best match on eNature.com]
Pipevine Swallowtail - on the home place
Rambur's Forktail - pond [best match on eNature.com]
Tiger Swallowtail - on the home place
Water Strider - pond
Raccoon - porch
Six-spotted Fishing Spider - pond (4)

May 4 - Year birds #105-117

May 4, 2008
Roan Mountain, Carter County, Tennessee
American Crow - at home (4); Heaton Creek Road (1); Sugar Hollow Road (1); village (2)
American Goldfinch - feeder (2f); Heaton Creek Road (m)
American Robin - at home (1); Heaton Creek Road (2)
Barn Swallow - Heaton Creek Road (2+)
Belted Kingfisher - Heaton Creek Road
Black-and-white Warbler - at home
Blue Jay - at home (3); Heaton Creek Road (4); Sugar Hollow Road (1)
Canada Goose - heard at home
Carolina Chickadee - home
Chimney Swift - Heaton Creek Road (2)
Common Grackle - village
Dark-eyed Junco - feeder
Eastern Towhee - heard at home
European Starling - Heaton Creek Road (1); Sugar Hollow Road (1); Hwy 143 (2); village (1)
Gray Catbird - Home (1); Heaton Creek Road (1)
Hooded Warbler - heard at home
Mourning Dove - heard at home; Heaton Creek Road (4+)
Northern Cardinal - Hampton Creek Road (m)
Northern Flicker - Home (1); Heaton Creek Road (1) nesting
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - Heaton Creek Road (1); village (1)
Pileated Woodpecker - Dark Hollow Road
Red-Winged Blackbird - Sugar Hollow Road (m, f)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Home (m)
Song Sparrow - home (1); heard at village
Turkey Vulture - at home (1); village (6)
Wood Thrush - heard at home
Bullfrog - pond
Salamander - pond
Tiger Swallowtail - Hampton Creek Road (1); village (1)
Cottontail - at home
Virginia Opossum - Dark Hollow Road - dead
Six-spotted Fishing Spider - pond - probably a lifer

Roan Mountain State Park, Carter County, Tennessee
American Crow - Picnic Shelter #1 (4); elsewhere (2)
American Robin - campground (1); elsewhere (2)
Blue Jay - Picnic Shelter #1 (10-12); campground (1); elsewhere (1)
Common Yellowthroat - heard at Picnic Shelter #1 - year bird #106
Eastern Bluebird (f, m)
Eastern Phoebe - Picnic Shelter #1 (2); campground (1); elsewhere (1)
Eastern Towhee - Picnic Shelter #1
Gray Catbird - Picnic Shelter #1 (3)
Grey Catbird
Hooded Warbler - First sighting of the year! I've been hearing it since April 24. (year bird 100b?)
House Wren - heard at Picnic Shelter #1 - year bird #107
Magnolia Warbler - Picnic Shelter #1 (m) - year bird #108
Mourning Dove - heard
Northern Cardinal
Northern Parula - campground - year bird #109
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Palm Warbler -year bird #105
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Picnic Shelter #1
Song Sparrow - Picnic Shelter #1 (1); elsewhere (2)
Turkey Vulture - Picnic Shelter #1
Yellow-throated Warbler - campground
Eastern Chipmunk

Burbank, Carter County, Tennessee
American Crow
American Robin (4)
Baltimore Oriole - year bird #111
Barn Swallow
Blue Jay
Common Grackle (2)
European Starling (8)
House Sparrow (m)
Indigo Bunting - heard
Northern Cardinal (m)
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-winged Blackbird (f, m)
Song Sparrow
Yellow Warbler - year bird #110

Golden-winged Warbler Curve, Hwy 143 climbing the Roan, Carter County, Tennessee
Chestnut-sided Warbler (2)
Golden-winged Warbler (m) - year bird #112 (lifer?)
Gray Catbird
Indigo Bunting (m)
Philadelphia Vireo - year bird #113 - Life Bird
Turkey Vulture

The group decided that the name of this pull-off should now be changed to Philadelphia Vireo Curve.

Hummingbird Hill, Hwy 143 climbing the Roan, Carter County, Tennessee
American Robin
Chipping Sparrow
Eastern Phoebe
Gray Catbird
Mourning Dove
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - year bird #114
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (f)

Canada Warbler Pull-off, Hwy 143 climbing the Roan, Carter County, Tennessee
Red-tailed Hawk
Verry - heard - year bird #115
Winter Wren - heard - year bird # 116 - (lifer?)

Yup, no Canada Warbler at Canada Warbler Pull-off!

Carver's Gap, Mitchell County, North Carolina
Dark-eyed Junco (2)

Carver's Gap, Carter County, Tennessee
Canada Warbler - year bird #117
Dark-eyed Junco
Eastern Towhee - heard
Red-breasted Nuthatch

Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area, Carter County, Tennessee
American Crow - heard
American Goldfinch (2m)
Barn Swallow (2)
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chimney Swift
Chipping Sparrow (2)
Common Yellowthroat (2)
Eastern Bluebird (f)
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Towhee (m, f)
Field Sparrow
Indigo Bunting
Mourning Dove - heard
Northern Cardinal - heard
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Yellow Warbler
Eastern Tailed-Blue - lifer
Meadow Fritillary (2+) - lifer
Pipevine Swallowtail (2)
Tiger Swallowtail (2)
Cottontail

Well, there you have it! A big birding day. Thirteen year birds, a lifer or two, and I finally got those 12 pages of field notes transcribed! Altogether I had 51 bird species, 2 amphibians, 4 butterflys, 3 mammals, and 1 spider. Definitely a day of intense intentionality.

May 3 - Owl, Owl, Where are you?

May 3, 2008
Roan Mountain, Carter County, Tennessee
American Crow
American Goldfinch - feeder (m)
American Robin (6)
Blue Jay - feeder (2)
Carolina Chickadee - feeder (2)
Dark-eyed Junco - feeder
Eastern Towhee - feeder (f, m); heard (1) elsewhere
European Starling (3)
Field Sparrow
Gray Catbird
Mourning Dove - yard
Song Sparrow
Tufted Titmouse - feeder
Wood Thrush - heard
Bullfrog - pond (2)

Roan Mountain State Park, Carter County, Tennessee
Eastern Phoebe

Went on an owl prowl with the folk from the naturalist's rally at the park. At Carver's Gap we tried for Northern Saw-whet, Eastern Screech, and Barred. Nada! Not a "peep".

At Twin Springs called for Eastern Screech, Barred and Great Horned. Nothing! Not a hoot, screech or anything!

Back at the Conference Center they tried calling in a Barred since some folk had heard one last night. A few thought maybe they heard a response but not me. Maybe I'm going deaf in my old age.

May 2 - Holding the Tiger

May 2, 2008
Roan Mountain, Carter County, Tennessee
American Crow
American Robin (3)
Blue Jay (2)
Brown Thrasher
Carolina Chickadee - heard at home (1); heard elsewhere (1)
Dark-eyed Junco - feeder (1); elsewhere (1)
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Towhee - at home (m) and heard another one elsewhere
Gray Catbird (2)
Mourning Dove - yard
Northern Flicker - heard
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - feeder (m)
Song Sparrow
Tufted Titmouse - heard at home
Wood Thrush - heard at home
Yellow-rumped Warbler (3+)
Tiger Swallowtail - on my fingers! (yard)