Wood Thrush Notes

Update on Mysterious Bird Deaths

Last week we reported on the mysterious bird deaths taking place north of us and in Mid-Atlantic states. We have had no reported sightings of sick or dying birds from customers here in Nashville but we do recommend being vigilant. The TWRA has collected some specimens for testing and will make a statement next week regarding their findings. At this time the TWRA is recommending that feeders be taken down if you witness a dead or obviously sick bird. As reported last week the species most affected thus far have been Robins, Blue Jays, Common Grackle, and Starlings. I wish we could offer more detailed and definitive information; however, there is still much to be learned. As information from credible sources is gathered we will promptly share it with our customers.

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Bald Cardinals

I have seen a number of Northern Cardinals recently that are partially to totally bald. They do look odd but it is normal and temporary. After the breeding season and usually beginning in mid-summer birds begin molting. Northern Cardinals and Blue jays often lose all of their head feathers at once rather than a little at a time like most other songbirds making their molt mostly unnoticeable. Sometimes the feather loss can be the result of a feather mite but this particular molt pattern for Cardinals and Jays is considered normal. If you see what appears to be a Cardinal with a black head grab some binoculars and look a little closer. It’s slightly disturbing at first but it does offer an interesting glimpse at the position of the ear which is below and back of the eye.

Wood Thrush Notes

Update on Mysterious Bird Deaths

By now I’m sure many of you have heard the reports of birds inexplicably dying over the last several weeks in areas north of us including, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Specimens of Blue Jays, Grackles, Starlings, and Robins (the most prevalently affected species) tested have turned up no clues as to what is killing them. Several illnesses have been ruled out including, Salmonella, several varieties of viruses, and Trichomonas parasites. Scientists are still scratching their heads trying to figure out the cause or causes. It has been recommended that people in the mentioned states take down feeders and birdbaths, or eliminate anything that contributes to birds congregating. There has been no known connection, however, to bird feeders and baths.

Because this issue has been widely reported on, sometimes irresponsibly, we wanted to offer some information to help make you aware and to be vigilant. If you encounter a sick or dead bird please contact us, or Ellington Agricultural Center. In the past week reports of dying birds have slowed and whatever has been affecting birds may be concluding. There have been no reports of dead birds with the specific symptoms of eyes crusted over and possible neurological issues in Tennessee. As always we recommend cleaning your feeders regularly. Make sure your backyard birds are being offered the best environment possible.

Here is a link to an article from Science Magazine that we found to be helpful on the subject.

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Rare Bird Sighting

In Trousdale Co. this week a Roseate Spoonbill was reported and confirmed. The bird was seen in the company of Egrets. The Roseate Spoonbill is a pink bodied bird with red highlights, a long spatulate bill, and a grayish to green colored featherless head. Spoonbills feed in shallow water sweeping their bills from side to side. This bird is fairly common along the Gulf coast.

Wood Thrush Notes

Another Rare Bird Sighting in Nashville

In the past year, TN has seen quite a few rare birds pop up all around the state.

By now some of you have heard about the Green-tailed Towhee recently discovered in East Nashville. It’s not the first time this species has been seen here, however, nearly 60 years have passed since the last sighting.

This bird is typically a summer-breeding resident of New Mexico north to Montana, and west to the Sierras of California. Its non-breeding, winter range is from mid Texas down into Central America. The other interesting thing about where this bird has been seen is its habitat preference tends to be in areas of dense brush on mountainsides and high plateaus. Not exactly East Nashville habitat.

Keep the binoculars handy because clearly any one of us may have a rare visitor at any time.

Green-tailed Towhee

Spring and Early Summer Hummingbirds

All of our summer resident Ruby-throated hummingbirds are here now and beginning, or well into, their first nesting of the season. Like Bluebirds they all don’t start nesting at the same time. There could be as much as a month difference in the first nesting phase of the earliest arrivals in March and April and the later arrivals as late as mid-May.

There have been a lot of concerns voiced by customers regarding hummingbirds this spring, more so than usual. “I usually have them by tax day”, or “I’ve only seen one weeks ago and none since”. The nesting phase is one of the reasons people usually see far fewer hummingbirds now as opposed to July through September. Hummingbird feeders are not in high demand at this time and will serve only for quick visits and a brief drink.

I’ll admit sightings of hummingbirds have been fewer based on personal experience and customer feedback; however, there can be a number of factors that would contribute to either seeing more or less hummingbirds during spring. Seeing fewer hummingbirds now can be viewed as a potentially good thing. It has been a cool spring with good amounts of rain meaning nectar producing plants are doing very well and hummingbirds do not see the feeders as necessary. In years past when we experienced early hot and dry conditions there was more early activity at feeders. Let’s see what happens when temperatures get into the 90’s next week with little rainfall. That may inspire a little more action at the feeders.

Perhaps the heavy rains and high winds we experienced in May and June last year resulted in a fair amount of washed out nests meaning numbers of offspring were affected. The fact is we just don’t know at this point if there are fewer hummingbirds this year compared to last.

When nesting is near conclusion in mid to latter July hummers begin visiting feeders with frequency and intensity to fatten up for the long migration back to Central and South America.

With that in mind keep fresh nectar in the feeder but do not fill to capacity. Small amounts are recommended now to decrease waste and major cleaning of feeders. In warmer weather nectar is only good for about 3 days. The hotter the environment the shorter the life span of the nectar.

Bird Bio: Western Tanager

Just when I started to write off this winter as an uninteresting bird feeding season due to warm and wet conditions, our own Eli Haislip witnessed and photographed a Western Tanager at a feeding station. There have only been a handful of reported sightings in TN going all the way back to 1960 and this is the first ever reported in Davidson County! The bird appeared at a feeding station probably interested by the other bird activity. Like Bluebirds, Western Tanagers are primarily insect and fruit eaters but during winter may take advantage of “alternative” food sources like seeds out of the shell, suet, mealworms, or dried fruit.

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Female Western Tanager

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Western Tanager range map

This Western Tanager is truly out of its normal range which is well west of the Mississippi during the breeding season. See range map. During the non-breeding season these birds normally migrate to Central and South America, like our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. In the past ten or twenty years, however, it has become commonplace to see some western hummingbirds, like Rufous, Anna’s, Caliope, and Black-chinned migrate to this part of the country for the winter rather than to Central and South America. Why? There’s no absolute answer but it is interesting and gives one cause to pay closer attention. This is why bird researchers and banders encourage people to leave a hummingbird feeder up during winter months.

Adult male Western Tanagers are strikingly beautiful in breeding plumage sporting a red face and throat with yellow underparts and nape, which contrasts sharply with the black back, wings, and tail. As is the case with many bird species females are much less colorful. Female W. Tanagers have a yellow head and underparts while the back is olive-gray and wings are gray with white wing bars.

Keep an eye on your feeding stations. Winter is always a time when something “different” may appear. If anything looks a little different to you stop and take a closer look with binoculars. Let us know what you see.

Next week get ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count.

Fall Migration Notes

Fall Migration is underway and while your birdfeeders will slow down as we approach October birdwatching will only get more interesting.  Have your binoculars with you and ready because warblers are pouring through middle Tennessee stopping to feed in the early mornings on insects and berries.  Mornings are the best time to see lots of different species of warblers.  And mornings after a storm tend to be even better.  Make time to visit one of the many great local birdwatching areas this fall to see some of them.  For information about great places to birdwatch click on the links below…

• Tennessee Birding Trails is a great website for locating trails for specific types of birding.

• Tennessee Birding Facebook group has an active community of birders who post often.

• Tennessee Ornithological Society (TOS) Nashville Chapter is having their Radnor Lake Wed morning bird walks September 19th and continue each Wednesday through October 10th. Please meet in the west Parking lot outside the Visitor’s Center at 7:30am. Come rain or shine. With the exception of ongoing downpours or thunderstorms.

• TN-BIRD email list is a free list that allows you to get updates of bird sighting from other birders in the area. to receive emails simply click on “find and join” at the top right of the tn-bird page, search for list name tn-bird, and follow the instructions on signing up your email.

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One of the more interesting, easy, and fun things to see in the fall is the migration of Chimney Swifts and Common Nighthawks. In the evenings, particularly in areas where there is outdoor lighting, like high school football games and shopping malls, Common Nighthawks gather and feed on insects. Downtown areas tend to be very productive areas to see both.

The Common Nighthawk, a member of the Goatsuckers family, measures around 9 1/2 “in length. They are gray-brown with slim, long wings that have a distinctive white bar near the tips. They are most active at night but can be seen midday as well. They fly with long easy strokes but can quickly change direction and appear erratic as they catch flying insects. Male Nighthawks have a white throat and white band across a notched tail. Listen for the unusual “peent” call of the Nighthawk.

The Chimney Swift is a short swallowlike bird with long, slightly curved wings. Peterson’s field guide to Eastern Birds describes it as a “cigar with wings”. Always in motion, Swifts appear to continually fly never landing to rest and constantly “twitter”. They measure about 5 ½” in length and are uniformly grayish to brown. During migration Swifts have been known to roost together by the thousands in a single chimney. On more than a few occasions I have witnessed a “funnel” of swifts descending into the chimney of a downtown building while on my way to a Predators game. It is a fascinating sight.

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And About Hummingbirds

We may see Ruby-throated hummingbirds well into October so keep your feeders out with fresh nectar as there may be several waves of hummingbirds still coming through TN on their return to Central and South America. The belief that feeders should be taken down to cause the birds to migrate is incorrect.  They will leave when they are ready whether there is a feeder present or not.