Winter Migrants Arriving
Hard to believe that many of our “winter birds” are arriving and are being seen and heard in middle TN when you consider the summer like conditions we are experiencing. We are going to see an end to summer for sure this Sunday and Monday. This cold front will likely push out of TN any remaining Ruby-throated hummers and other tropical migrants and push in a lot of our northern migrants. A birdwatcher from Sevier County, TN reported a RTH hovering around some Pineapple sage blossoms and a White-throated sparrow Tuesday the 24th. Just this morning I heard a White-throated sparrow behind The Wood Thrush Shop as I pulled into my parking spot.
As feeding stations get busy again in the next few weeks and during winter look for the following list of birds to appear in your backyard:
Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown headed and Red breasted nuthatch if you have a lot of pine trees, Brown Creeper, Winter wren, Fox and White-crowned sparrow, Junco, and a handful of Warblers like Yellow-rumped, Orange-crowned, and Pine. See how many of these birds you can locate this autumn and winter. A few winters ago I had the pleasure of seeing this Western Tanager visit a suet feeder for most of the winter.
Most of these birds are likely to visit suet feeders, with the exception of the sparrows which would be seen foraging on the ground for seed.
As you go outdoors for fall and winter activities in the countryside and near lakes and rivers look for Loons, common and Red-throated, American White Pelican, Northern Harrier and Merlin.
You can always sign up to receive E-Bird alerts as to what birds are being seen and where in TN.
Remember, if you continue to offer a hummingbird feeder you may be one of a few people who get to see a wintering hummer, which most often is a western species known as the Rufous hummingbird. I have continued to offer a feeder well into fall for many years but have not been successful thus far. Maybe this will be my year.
