2008 WINTER MEETING AT PARIS LANDING

February 8-10

The Tennessee Ornithological Society 2008 winter meeting was held at Paris Landing State Park Friday, February 8 through Sunday, February 10. Twenty-nine TOS members and guests, including 3 Kentucky folks and one TOS member from Florida attended. Birding areas included Paris Landing State Park, and the Pace Point and Britton Ford areas of Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge. The bird list for the weekend totaled 94 species, with 85 recorded on Saturday and 9 more added on Sunday.

Winter meeting attendees birding at the Britton Ford area of Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge. Photos by Richard Connors.

Saturday weather was about ideal for February with sunny skies and light winds. Few rarities were found but clear air and good light meant that good looks were had most of the species seen. The main field trip on Saturday went to the Britton Ford, Pace Point, and nearby areas of Kentucky Lake. One trip highlight was a long, "30 minute glimpse" of a distant soaring Golden Eagle. Good looks at Barred Owl, Bald Eagle, Pintail, Redhead and Ring-necked Ducks, Snow, Ross's and Greater White-fronted Geese, good rafts of Canvasbacks and innumerable American Coots. Loon numbers were noticeably low, with only Common Loon seen.

The Britton Ford area was re-visited on Sunday with several species added to the weekend list. Sunday highlights included Lesser Black-backed Gull, scope views of Red-headed Woodpecker, and 2 early Tree Swallows. On Sunday afternoon the remaining small group of birders found a first year male White-winged Scoter at Eva Beach recreation area, Nathan Bedford Forest State Park. List count was 85 species on Saturday, with 9 more added on Sunday. Ninety-four species is not a bad total for a TN winter outing.

Many thanks to TOS member Mike Todd for leading and acting as local guide. His knowledge of the area and area birds helped make it a successful weekend.

Submitted by TOS President Richard Connors.

Weekend Bird List
Rare and unusual species are in upper case, and all observations are from Henry County except for the Scoter which was in Benton County.

Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Ross's Goose
Canada Goose
CACKLING GOOSE 2
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER 1
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Wild Turkey
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
American White Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
GOLDEN EAGLE 1
American Kestrel
PEREGRINE FALCON 1
American Coot
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL 1
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Barred Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE 1
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
TREE SWALLOW 2
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

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