We started up Dry Creek Road, making a lot of stops along the way just to listen for birds.  We have to admit we heard a whole lot more birds, rather than actually sighting them.  But we did finally get some sightings and the most important sighting of all.  We had a couple of members who had never seen the Swainson’s Warbler.  We heard at least seven of them, but they are very skulky birds.  We finally were successful and had several birders who obtained great camera shots of the Swainson’s Warbler.

It was a great group of people who enjoy birding no matter the conditions and I was so happy we could get that target bird for birders who needed it as a “lifer”.  It was a fun outing and I want to thank everyone who came out.  We had birders from different clubs, visitors, and more which is always great.

Thanks everyone.  We will do another trip soon.

Below is the list and number of species we located:

Wild Turkey – 1

Downy Woodpecker – 2

Pileated Woodpecker – 2

Eastern Phoebe = 2

Blue-headed Vireo – 8

Red-eyed Vireo – 5

Blue Jay – 5

American Crow – 5

Carolina Chickadee – 2

Tufted Titmouse – 3

Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 1

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – 1

Carolina Wren – 3

Wood Thrush – 2

American Goldfinch – 8

Eastern Towhee – 1

Brown-headed Cowbird – 1

Ovenbird – 14

Worm-eating Warbler – 2

Louisiana Waterthrush – 4

Black-and-white Warbler – 5

Swainson’s Warbler – 7

Hooded Warbler – 13

Northern Parula – 7

Black-throated Blue Warbler – 1

Black-throated Green Warbler – 6

Scarlet Tanager – 4

Total number of species reported – 27

Debi Campbell

President, Bristol Bird Club

Five BBC members (Larry McDaniel, Harry Norman, Debi Campbell, Roy Knispel, and Rob Biller) + 2 guests ( Marion Bond and her almost 9 year old, Joshua Bond) met at the Weir Dam, next to South Holston River to bird the Holston Valley Area. Immediately, young Joshua was calling out every bird (correctly, I might add) and rushing toward the songs he was hearing to try and see the bird. We walked up the trail next to the river (in the direction of the dam) and turned onto the road at the small boat ramp into the river. We were hearing common birds, plus returning migrants such as Yellow-throated Warbler, Northern Parula, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

As we approached the road, Joshua yells out, “I’ve got an Osprey sitting on a nest!” Being well downriver from the known nest, we started following his direction to where he was looking. Sure enough, he had found a second Osprey nest in the Weir Dam area! We walked down TVA Road South (A) to get a better look at the nest and observed 2 Ospreys still building the new nest.   Also down this road we got to look at a Northern Parula and listen to a Pine Warbler farther out at a distance. Later in the day we found out first for the season, Broad-winged Hawk on a side road just upriver from the Weir Dam. At daybreak I heard a Common Yellowthroat at the Weir Dam area, and listened to a singing Brown Creeper. Roy Knispel also heard a singing House Wren here.

We then decided to go on to Flatwoods road in the hopes of having new migrants still singing. We quickly heard Blue-headed Vireos and a Louisiana Waterthrush. A little farther down the road we were delighted to hear our first of the season Hooded Warblers! We tried our best to find one of the Hooded Warblers for Joshua, but they were very elusive! We also heard, at a distance, a fairly early Eastern-wood Pewee which sparked much discussion. After the 3rd time hearing it from a far distance we made the call.

We ended the day at Musick’s Campground at the edge of Sullivan County and it did not disappoint. We first spotted a large raft (~75) of migrating Double-crested Cormorants. Then Larry McDaniel found a fairly large raft (25) of Red-breasted Mergansers right behind the Cormorants. A little bit later, Larry found 3 Horned Grebes in breeding plumage way out on the lake.

It was a great day of birding and I thank everyone who showed up! The complete lists are below!

Apr 13, 2024
12 Canada Goose, 2 Mallard, 21 Bufflehead, 4 Great Blue Heron, 3 Turkey Vulture,
4 Osprey — 2 on reoccupied nest from last year – another 2 observed building a new nest found by 8-year old birder Joshua Bond!
1 Broad-winged Hawk, 2 Belted Kingfisher, 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker
2 Eastern Phoebe, 3 Blue Jay, 2 American Crow, 6 Carolina Chickadee, 4 Tufted Titmouse, 20 Tree Swallow
8 Northern Rough-winged Swallow, 1 Brown Creeper, 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 1 House Wren, 3 Carolina Wren
1 Eastern Bluebird, 10 American Robin, 2 House Finch, 4 American Goldfinch, 2 Chipping Sparrow
4 Eastern Towhee, 3 Brown-headed Cowbird, 1 Common Yellowthroat, 3 Northern Parula, 1 Pine Warbler
4 Yellow-throated Warbler, 5 Northern CardinalNumber of Taxa: 33

Apr 13, 2024

1 Mallard, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, 1 Northern Flicker, 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee, 7 Blue-headed Vireo
1 Tufted Titmouse, 3 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 3 American Goldfinch, 1 Brown-headed Cowbird, 1 Louisiana Waterthrush
3 Black-and-white Warbler, 5 Hooded Warbler, 1 Yellow-throated Warbler

Apr 13, 2024

Downy Woodpecker  1, Blue Jay  3, Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1, White-throated Sparrow 1, Louisiana Waterthrush  1
Hooded Warbler  1, Yellow-throated Warbler  1

Apr 13, 2024

Great Blue Heron  1, Turkey Vulture  3, Osprey  1, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1, American Goldfinch  3
Louisiana Waterthrush 1, Northern Parula  3

Apr 13, 2024

Canada Goose  2, Red-breasted Merganser  25, Horned Grebe  3 (breeding plumage), Killdeer  1
Bonaparte’s Gull  45, Ring-billed Gull  6, Common Loon  1, Double-crested Cormorant  75
Black Vulture  2, Turkey Vulture  1, Osprey  1, Bald Eagle  2, Tree Swallow  6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  2, House Finch  1, White-crowned Sparrow  3

Rob Biller

Attendees were Rob Biller, Debi Campbell, J.G. Campbell, Anne Cowan, Ben Cowan, Jack Kinkade, Nancy Kinkade, Guy McCrane, Felicia Mitchell, Judy Moose, Debbie Shutterly, Cathy Spencer.

The Birds we saw are listed below:

Canada Goose – 21, Wood Duck – 1, Gadwall – 10, American Wigeon – 11, Mallard – 6, Lesser Scaup – 1, Bufflehead – 1, Hooded Merganser – 2

Virginia Rail – 1, American Coot – 8, Red-shouldered Hawk – 1, Belted Kingfisher – 1, Rock Pigeon (Feral) – 5, Mourning Dove – 6

Killdeer – 2, Great Blue Heron – 2, Black Vulture – 206, Turkey Vulture – 7, Red-tailed Hawk – 1, Peregrine Falcon – 1,
Red-bellied Woodpecker – 4, Pileated Woodpecker – 1, Northern Flicker – 4, Blue Jay – 8, American Crow – 7

Carolina Chickadee – 5, Tufted Titmouse – 3, Tree Swallow – 19, Ruby-crowned Kinglet – 5, White-breasted Nuthatch – 1

Carolina Wren – 9, European Starling – 2, Gray Catbird – 1, Brown Thrasher – 1, Northern Mockingbird – 1, Eastern Bluebird – 4

American Robin – 8, House Sparrow – 1, House Finch – 3, American Goldfinch – 21, White-throated Sparrow – 6, Song Sparrow – 8

Swamp Sparrow – 1, Eastern Towhee – 5, Red-winged Blackbird – 20, Brown-headed Cowbird – 6, Common Grackle – 7,
Yellow-rumped Warbler – 3, Northern Cardinal – 13

Total species for the day:  49

Thanks to everyone who came out for the walk.  We appreciate you!!!

President, Bristol Bird Club

Four members of the Lee and Lois Herndon Chapter and Bristol Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society participated in a field trip to Burke’s Garden, Virginia on February 10, 2024. Weather for the trip consisted of clouds with numerous rain showers and temperatures between 50-54°F. A total of 38 species were observed including Greater White-fronted Goose, Red-headed woodpeckers, Wilson’s Snipe, and a Bald Eagle.Here is the list of species identified.

Greater White-fronted Goose – 1, Red-headed Woodpecker – 1, European Starling -301, Canada Goose – 137, Red-bellied Woodpecker – 2
Field Sparrow – 1, Mallard – 21, Downy Woodpecker – 2, Dark-eyed Junco – 5, Wild Turkey – 7, American Kestrel – 3,
Song Sparrow – 18, Great Blue Heron – 5, Blue Jay – 7, Eastern Towhee – 2, Black Vulture – 3, American Crow – 83,
Northern Cardinal – 5, Turkey Vulture – 9, Common Raven – 6, Eastern Meadowlark – 12, Bald Eagle – 1, Carolina Chickadee – 4,
House Finch – 3, Red-tailed Hawk – 12, Tufted Titmouse – 4, American Goldfinch – 8, Killdeer – 9, White-breasted Nuthatch – 4,
House Sparrow – 11, Wilson Snipe – 40, Carolina Wren – 1, Rock Pigeon – 34, Eastern Bluebird – 6, Mourning Dove – 15,
American Robin – 85, Belted Kingfisher – 5, Northern Mockingbird

Thanks to all who participated (Larry McDaniel, Wes Anderson, Roy Knispel and Joe McGuiness)! Special thanks to Roy Knispel for keeping bird numbers and posting on Ebird! And last but certainly not least to Mattie, who served us a great lunch!

Joe McGuiness