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The 116th CBC in Tennessee
Thirty-two counts were conducted in Tennessee during the 116th CBC season, equaling the highest total number of counts conducted during any one CBC season of yore. Among counts conducted in recent years but missing from this year’s collection of counts were Cross Creeks N.W.R. and Clay County; a few other counts, some of which have been reported to the Audubon CBC database in the past, were conducted but not reported to Audubon this year; addition of some or all of these counts to those already being reported would further increase coverage of Tennessee’s winter bird populations in this longest-running of all bird surveys conducted in the New World.
The total number of species found during this season’s 32 counts was 160, slightly more than usually reported. One species (Black-capped Chickadee) was reported only as being observed as a count week species for the entire collection of counts. Twenty-two species were noted on just one count, while 24 species were noted on all counts.
Slightly over one-half million individual birds were counted during the 116th CBC, blackbirds not being present in the numbers (c. 2,200,000) reported during the 115th CBC.
Four counts exceeded 100 species this season with Reelfoot Lake (124; kudos!) taking the top spot and exceeding the previous all-time high species total by a considerable margin. Duck River (117), Big Sandy (112), Savannah (105) also exceeded the century mark with Knoxville (98) and Memphis (98) coming close.
Weather this season was generally conducive to counting birds across the Volunteer State. Twenty-eight counts experienced conditions that included no form of precipitation on count day. Only four counts reported light rain for part or all of the day, and no count reported hard rain. No count circle experienced snow on count day despite the fact that sub-freezing temperatures were noted on 21 counts conducted this season. Roan Mountain and White County reported the lowest temperature (19 degrees F) among the 32 counts, while Bristol reported the highest (77 degrees) with four other counts reporting high temperatures in the 70s F.
One species—Least Flycatcher—new to CBCs in Tennessee was discovered this season, so the all-time CBC species total rises to about 271. It should be noted that this species was located in the Kentucky portion of the Reelfoot Lake circle. In the past single Empidonax unidentified to species were reported on CBCs in Tennessee during the 87th, 93rd, 98th, and 114th CBCs; there have been no previous records of Empids identified to species in the history of counts in Tennessee.
Whistling-Duck, Geese, and Swan
A single Black-bellied Whistling-Duck was reported on the Memphis CBC, marking the fifth CBC season during which this whistling-duck has been reported in Tennessee. High counts were made at Reelfoot Lake for Greater White-fronted, Snow, and Ross’s geese, while Duck River accounted for the high counts of Cackling and Canada geese. The only swans of the season were single Mutes at Crossville and Memphis, sites where resident birds have been present for several to many years.
Dabblers and Diving Ducks
Wood Ducks turned up in mostly low numbers on 18 counts across the state, down from 24 counts during the previous season; the high count (22) this season was made at Savannah. Big Sandy listed almost 22,000 Gadwalls, the highest state-wide total, and an additional 10,000+ were reported during 23 other counts, making the 116th CBC season in Tennessee the most productive ever for this duck. Big Sandy also produced high counts for American Wigeon (1085) and American Black Duck (61), repeating last year’s performance in each case, but fell short of repeating as the site of the state’s high count for Mallard, Duck River’s total (28,785) topping the 31 counts that listed this nearly ubiquitous duck. Five Blue-winged Teal at Elizabethton and two at Duck River were the only individuals of this scarce winter duck reported during Tennessee counts. Duck River garnered the season’s high count honors for Northern Shoveler (442), Northern Pintail (3395), and Green-winged Teal (497).
Canvasbacks were reported on seven counts, with nearly 1600 at Big Sandy representing the season’s high count. Big Sandy also listed the state’s high counts for Redhead (137) and Ring-necked Duck (869); the former species was detected on 10, and the latter on 23, counts. Greater Scaup was tallied on six counts, with 20 at Duck River accounting for two-thirds of the state-wide total. Lesser Scaup was present on 11 counts, over 7800 at Reelfoot Lake being by far the highest total accumulated on a single count. A Surf Scoter on the Perry County CBC was the lone individual of this sea duck to be found across the state; Surf Scoter has been detected during 13 previous CBC seasons in Tennessee with the highest state-wide total for a single season being six (114th CBC season). After setting a record high count (600) for Bufflehead last season, Duck River shattered that record by listing 1045 this season. Big Sandy listed 648 Common Goldeneyes, nearly 88% of all goldeneyes listed in Tennessee during the 116th season. Hooded Mergansers were widespread as usual in small to moderate numbers, 209 at Crossville representing the high count among 25 counts listing this duck. Common Merganser was unrecorded this season, but Red-breasted Merganser showed up on nine counts with 62 at Big Sandy providing the season’s high count. Ruddy Ducks appeared on nine counts with over 9000 at Reelfoot Lake being the high count.
Gallinaceous Species
Northern Bobwhites were counted in numbers (53 on seven counts) almost identical to those counted last year (51 on seven counts plus a count week sighting), 16 at Big Sandy representing the high tally for the season. Last year’s meager Ruffed Grouse data (two at GSMNP plus count week sightings at Elizabethton and Roan Mountain) were eclipsed (anti-eclipsed? uneclipsed?) by even more meager data (1 at Roan Mountain plus a count week sighting at GSMNP) this year. Counter-balancing the poor news about the two preceding species, CBC results for the Wild Turkey remained good, nearly 2000 being tallied on 27 counts.
Loons and Grebes
Red-throated Loon was reported on three counts this season, two being noted at Big Sandy and one each at Hickory-Priest and Reelfoot Lake; this season was the 10th in Tennessee CBC history when this loon has been reported; prior to this season the highest state-wide total for this loon was three. Pacific Loon was represented by seven at Big Sandy, as well as by a count week individual at Hickory-Priest; prior to this season, this loon was represented only by singles reported during the 113th and 114th seasons. Pied-billed Grebes were again typically widespread, being reported on 30 counts and missed only on the counts at Great Smoky Mountains and Murfreesboro; just over 600 at Chattanooga provided the season’s high count. Chattanooga also generated the high count (365) for Horned Grebe. An Eared Grebe at Bristol and a Western Grebe at Big Sandy completed the grebe showing in Tennessee during this season.
Pelican, Cormorant, and Herons
Double-crested Cormorants were reported on 18 counts, and the state-wide total (3042) during this season has been eclipsed during only three earlier CBC seasons—53rd (4580), 54th (3063), and 114th (3762). Beginning with the 73rd CBC, American White Pelicans have appeared on Tennessee CBCs during 22 of 44 seasons; 637 at Big Sandy represented the season’s high count and almost equaled the record high count (670) set last year at Reelfoot Lake, while the state-wide total (1368) approximately doubled the next highest state-wide total. Great Blue Herons were detected on 31 counts this season, being missed only at Murfreesboro; Knoxville again sported the season’s CBC high count (105). Seven counts included Great Egret on their lists with Duck River setting an all-time high count (135). Duck River also included a Snowy Egret on its list, just the second ever to be reported on Tennessee CBCs, the first record having occurred during the 56th CBC. Black-crowned Night-Herons appeared on four counts, the same number of counts as reported last year; the 114th CBC witnessed this somewhat cryptic ardeid tallied on the most counts (7) during a single CBC season in Tennessee.
New Worlds Vultures and Diurnal Raptors
Black Vulture appeared on 31 counts, Nashville garnering the high count (296), and Turkey Vulture was represented on all 32 counts, DeKalb County being responsible for the high count (319). The lone Osprey of the 116th CBC in the Volunteer State appeared at Knoxville. Single Golden Eagles were reported on four counts (Duck River, Hiwassee, Reelfoot Lake—all sites where this raptor has been reported in the past—and Warren County—a site where no Golden Eagle had ever been reported previously at any season). Reelfoot Lake also tallied the most Northern Harriers (46, almost triple the high count from that same circle last year); 16 other counts reported this raptor, all in single-digit numbers except at Duck River where 28 were counted. Six Sharp-shinned Hawks at Knoxville represented the season’s high count for this decreasing raptor; only 47 Sharpies were counted state-wide during the 116th CBC. Cooper’s Hawks were found on 29 counts, seven at Duck River providing the high count for a single CBC during the season. Bald Eagles were noted within 26 count circles, tied for most ever; Reelfoot Lake led the way in number (79) of eagles tallied during the 116th CBC, while the state-wide total (290) was exceeded only once previously (351 during the 96th CBC). Found on 30 counts (highest ever) with a high count of 27 at Knoxville, the Red-shouldered Hawk was represented by the highest state-wide total (320) ever recorded during past Tennessee CBC seasons. Red-tailed Hawk, found on all 32 counts with a high count of 85 at Reelfoot Lake, also had a good season, over 800 being reported across the state. A candidate for possible elevation to species status, Harlan’s Hawk was reported only at Memphis, while calurus and Krider’s forms of Red-tailed Hawk were reported only at Duck River.
Rail, Coot, and Crane
Two Virginia Rails at Chattanooga were the only rails reported in Tennessee this season. Nickajack Lake led all counts with 2053 American Coots; coot numbers in Tennessee vary greatly from winter to winter, making this year’s state-wide total (slightly more than 6000) typical of those experienced during a down year. No Whooping Crane was listed on a count this season. Sandhill Cranes were listed on 13 counts; the high count (2480) again took place at Hiwassee, but it was considerably depressed, giving rise to concern that the hunting season in Tennessee may be having an effect on the number of cranes wintering there.
Shorebirds
More than half of the state-wide total (5046) of Killdeers was noted at Reelfoot Lake, which listed slightly over 2700; only high elevation Roan Mountain lacked this permanent resident shorebird on its list. Reelfoot Lake also produced a Lesser Yellowlegs, the 14th season when this shorebird has been detected during the collective CBCs conducted in Tennessee. Eleven Dunlins at Hiwassee, a traditional wintering site for this shorebird, were the only ones reported. Least Sandpipers, including 213 at Memphis, were noted on three counts.
The state-wide total (319) for Wilson’s Snipe derived from 18 counts during the 116th season, suggesting that this season was near, or just a bit above, average for this regularly wintering shorebird; i.e., from the 103rd to the 116th CBCs the number of counts on which the snipe was detected ranged from 15 to 22 (average = 18.4), and the state-wide total has ranged from 94 to 378 (average = 254). American Woodcocks turned up on 13 counts and totaled 53 individuals, the former figure being surpassed only by the 110th (15 counts) and 114th (16 counts) CBCs in Tennessee, and the latter figure equaling the highest state-wide total ever; Knoxville and Savannah tied for the season’s high count (9).
Gulls and Tern
The state-wide totals for Bonaparte’s (7200+) and Ring-billed (25,600+) gulls produced a ratio (c. 1:3.5) that differs considerably from the usual ratio (c. 1:10) for these two commonest of wintering gulls, possibly a result of better coverage brought about by the inception of the Big Sandy count in recent years but possibly also indicative of a real shift in the wintering numbers of these gulls. The state-wide total (950) for Herring Gull vastly exceeded all previous state-wide totals and was definitely the result of the count at Big Sandy where 850 were recorded. Reports of rarer gulls on Tennessee CBCs this season included an undocumented Thayer’s Gull (possibly soon to be lumped back in with Iceland Gull). Reports of Lesser Black-backed Gull came from Big Sandy (12) and Savannah (1), while reports of Great Black-backed Gull derived also from Big Sandy (1) and Savannah (1). The only reports of Forster’s Tern came also from these two very productive counts.
Pigeon, Collared-Dove, Ground-Dove, and Dove
Rock Pigeons were present on all counts, with Knoxville sending in the high count (828). Only 181 Eurasian Collared-Doves were noted state-wide, a considerable decrease from the previous season; Savannah produced the season’s high count (22, down considerably from last year’s high count, which itself was considerably down from the high count the year before that); what is causing this decrease? A Common Ground-Dove, well documented at Reelfoot Lake, was noted during just the third CBC season in Tennessee; previous seasons when this rare columbid was detected in Tennessee were the 80th when detected on two counts and the 104thwhen detected on one count. Mourning Doves were expectedly found on all counts in numbers only slightly below those of the past few seasons.
Owls, Goatsucker, and Kingfisher
Nocturnal work took place during 29 of the 32 counts conducted this season with Chattanooga field workers putting in 7 hours of owling, most around the state. Barn Owls were noted on six counts, second-most ever. Eastern Screech-Owls were recorded on 25 counts, the same number as last year; Knoxville produced the season’s high count (8). Great Horned and Barred owls were noted on 25 and 21 counts, respectively, Big Sandy reporting the high count (15) of the former species and Duck River the high count (15) of the latter. Four Short-eared Owls at Reelfoot Lake were the only members of that species found. A nighthawk sp., conservatively reported at Memphis, was the only goatsucker found around the state. No hummingbird data resulted from this season’s CBC effort. Belted Kingfishers were found on all counts with Knoxville responsible for this season’s high count (44) as it was during the 113th, 114th, and 115th (and some previous) seasons; water quality in the Tennessee River must be fairly good.
Woodpeckers and Falcons
Buffalo River provided the high count (57) this season for Red-headed Woodpecker, reported on 24 counts. Red-bellied and Downy woodpeckers were found on all 32 counts; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was missed on one count; Northern Flicker and Pileated Woodpecker on two counts; and Hairy Woodpecker on three counts. High counts for these species were made as follows: Red-bellied (116, Knoxville); sapsucker (32, Knoxville); Downy (113, Knoxville); Hairy (16, Buffalo River); flicker (97, Reelfoot Lake); and Pileated (40, Duck River).
American Kestrels were observed on all 32 counts during the 116th season and were tallied in highest number (60) for the third consecutive year at Buffalo River, just edging out Warren County where 57 kestrels were counted. Four Merlins at Savannah tied the state CBC high count set just last season; Merlins were reported on seven other counts. Single Peregrines were found in three circles, as well as being a count week species on one additional count.
Flycatchers, Shrike, and Vireo
See the Introduction for a brief discussion of the Least Flycatcher found and photographed at Reelfoot Lake. Eastern Phoebe had a fairly good season, being recorded on all counts except high elevation Roan Mountain; 28 at Reelfoot Lake represented the season’s high count. An Ash-throated Flycatcher photographed at Clarksville was among the finer avian discoveries of the season; only once in the past, during the 86th CBC, has this western stray been recorded on a Tennessee CBC. Loggerhead Shrikes were registered on 10 counts, the same number as last year; 46 shrikes were detected state-wide with 20 at Buffalo River being the season’s high count. Seven Blue-headed Vireos at Memphis established an all-time CBC high count for this rarish winter visitor; one other appeared on the Savannah count; climate change is possibly implicated in the slowly increasing numbers of this vireo on Tennessee CBCs.
Corvids and Lark
Blue Jays and American Crows were noted on all counts in good numbers, while Fish Crow was detected on six counts, most ever. Common Ravens were recorded on three counts, all, as expected, in the eastern part of the state; when will there be a record from a CBC on or near the Cumberland Plateau, where this species is making a return after more than a century of absence? Horned Larks turned up on 12 counts, the same number as during the previous season, with Reelfoot Lake turning in the vast majority of these.
Chickadees, Nuthatches, and Creeper
Slightly fewer than 3300 Carolina Chickadees were counted state-wide this season, with all circles reflecting its presence. Black-capped Chickadee was reported only from Great Smoky Mountains National Park and only as a count week species. Tufted Titmice were detected in every circle and totaled just over 3000 state-wide. Twenty-four Red-breasted Nuthatches were counted at Roan Mountain; otherwise, only six additional counts reflected the presence of this nuthatch, indicating that the winter of 2015-2016 was even less of an irruption winter than the previous one. The state-wide total (885) for White-breasted Nuthatch during this CBC season was roughly equivalent to the state-wide total (920) last season. Brown-headed Nuthatches were found on eight counts, tied for most ever during one season; the high count (30) came from Knoxville. Brown Creeper was missed on four counts, and the season’s high count (10) came from the Big Sandy and Reelfoot Lake circles rather than from circles in the eastern mountains.
Wrens and Gnatcatcher
All five of the likely wrens were reported this season. House Wrens were counted within 15 circles, most ever, probably another reflection of climate change. Winter Wren was missed on only three counts; the high count (27) came from Big Sandy followed closely by Reelfoot Lake (26) and not quite so closely by Duck River (18), Savannah (16), and Perry County (15); the river bottoms of the western part of the state are clearly attractive to this species. Five Sedge Wrens in Perry County and one Marsh Wren at Reelfoot Lake accounted for all the sightings of these reclusive species this season. Carolina Wren numbers were somewhat depressed, only 2155 being counted, the lowest state-wide total since the 102nd CBC. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers totaled five state-wide (most ever) on four counts (tied for most ever); the relative abundance of gnatcatchers this season is probably also related to climate change.
Kinglets through Waxwing
Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned kinglets were present in numbers that point toward no cause for either alarm or celebration; the high count (58) for Golden-crowned was made at Reelfoot Lake and the high count (69) for Ruby-crowned at Knoxville. Thrushes also fared well, bluebirds and robins showing up on the lists of all counts, while Hermit Thrushes appeared on 29 lists. Single Gray Catbirds were present at Bristol, Crossville, Memphis, and Roan Mountain, a slightly better showing than last season’s good showing; the 116th season was the fifth season overall during which catbirds appeared in four circles, the highest total on record but one that is likely to be surpassed in the near future. Thrashers were missed on seven counts, while mockingbirds and starlings were, once again, ubiquitously present, each in what appear to be typical numbers. American Pipits were recorded on 18 counts, 190 in Warren County establishing the season’s high count. Cedar Waxwings were absent on only one count and were present in moderate to high numbers across the state, indicative of a good crop of fruits and berries, which in turn is indicative of plentiful rainfall during the preceding growing season.
Longspur and Warblers
Lapland Longspurs appeared only in or near the western part of the state, being observed on four counts with the high count (440) at Reelfoot Lake. Orange-crowned Warbler experienced by far its best CBC season ever in Tennessee, being recorded on 11 counts (previous high number of counts = 6); the state-wide total (27) was almost triple the next highest state-wide total (10) from previous seasons; and the high count (10 at Reelfoot Lake) provided a new record for a single count in the state; the suspicion that these results are related to climate change is hard to resist. Single Common Yellowthroats book-ended the state, one being recorded at Kingsport and the other at Reelfoot Lake. Palm Warblers were represented on 14 counts, most ever, and the state-wide total (70) was second-highest ever, being exceeded only by the state-wide total (76) recorded during the 104th CBC in Tennessee. Pine Warblers had a good but not record-setting season, showing up on 15 counts with the high count (23) coming from Savannah. Most abundant and widespread of all the warblers was, of course, the Yellow-rumped, missed only at high elevation and warbler-less Roan Mountain; the state-wide total for this warbler was 2025, fairly average. A Yellow-throated Warbler, photographed just prior to the Knoxville count and then sighted on the day of that count, was just the second of its species to be recorded on a Tennessee CBC, the first having been recorded during the 101st CBC, also in Knoxville.
Sparrows and Cardinal
Le Conte’s Sparrow turned up on five counts (tied for most ever) in and near western Tennessee; the state-wide total (10) was considerably fewer than the record state-wide total (31 during the 113th CBC). Three American Tree Sparrows at Reelfoot Lake accounted for all individuals of this scarce and irruptive species.
Missed only at high elevation Great Smoky Mountains N. P. and Shady Valley, Chipping Sparrows were reported this season on 30 counts, most ever; the state-wide total (1318) was the highest ever, barely exceeding the highest previous state-wide total (1306); long present during winter in state-wide numbers in only double-digits, the Chipping is now a triple- or quadruple-digit and regular part of the state’s winter avifauna and might be considered a classic example of a species shifting its wintering range northward in response to gradually warming winter conditions.
Field Sparrows were present on all counts, with 196 at Buffalo River representing the season’s high count. Missed on 10 counts, Fox Sparrows were again less well represented this season than is usual, but the high count (37), achieved at Reelfoot Lake, was slightly higher than the high count (35) for the past two seasons. Dark-eyed Junco was ubiquitously present and was abundant at Savannah where the season’s high count (1556) took place. White-crowned Sparrows were less common this season relative to White-throated Sparrows, their state-wide totals being, respectively, 422 and 6611 and their ratio being 1:15.6; the ratio of White-crowned Sparrows to White-throated Sparrows during the past two seasons was 1:11 (726 to 8100) during the 114th CBC and 1:9.5 (734 to 7000) during the 115th CBC.
Since the inception of CBCs in Tennessee in 1902 Harris’s Sparrow has been recorded during 23 seasons, starting with the 53rd CBC and including the 116th when one was recorded in Fayette County, making four consecutive seasons that this fine species has been detected on CBCs in Tennessee; the longest consecutive series of annual registrations was six, from the 53rd to the 58th CBCs. Vesper Sparrows were noted on 10 counts, most ever, and the state-wide total was 78, also most ever; 21 at Duck River established the season’s high count. Savannah Sparrows got themselves counted on 27 counts, most ever, but the state-wide total (1305), albeit a good one, was not the most ever; Duck River provided the season’s high count (427). Song Sparrows were ubiquitously present in good numbers while Lincoln’s Sparrow was uniquely present, being reported only on the Perry County count. Swamp Sparrow, missed at Cades Cove and Norris, was otherwise present in typical numbers and places. Eastern Towhees, also missed at Cades Cove, were present on all other counts this season in what appear to be good numbers. Northern Cardinal was reported on all counts in numbers giving no cause for alarm about its population in Tennessee; the high count (528) came from Knoxville.
Blackbirds
No CBC data for the icterids indicated the presence of very large (i.e., 100,000+) communal roosts in Tennessee during this CBC season. Red-winged Blackbirds were widespread, being represented on 27 counts; the season’s high count was c. 22,000 at Duck River and represented 60% of all Red-wings counted this season. Western Meadowlark was identified only at Reelfoot Lake, where two were present. Eastern Meadowlarks had another fairly good year, being located on 29 counts in fairly good numbers on most of them; the urban centers of Chattanooga and Nashville were among the three locations that were meadowlark-less. Rusty Blackbirds were tallied on 17 counts in mostly low numbers; the season’s high count (c. 1000 at Nickajack Lake) represented c. 40% of all Rusties counted across the state. Brewer’s Blackbird was represented on four counts, 350 at Jackson representing 98% of all individuals of this species reported. Grackle and cowbirds were noted on 25 and 19 counts, respectively.
Finches, Winter Finches, and Weaver Finch
House Finches were present on all counts except Great Smoky Mountains N. P.; the state-wide total (1063) was second-lowest during the past decade. Purple Finches were noted on 21 counts in lowish numbers, the high count (25) being made at Big Sandy. Single Red Crossbills found at Cades Cove and Great Smoky Mountains N. P. represented all that were tabulated. Pine Siskins were reported on 17 counts in quite variable numbers, nearly 300 at Roan Mountain representing the season’s high count. Goldfinches were present on all counts and House Sparrows missed only at Cades Cove.
Closing Thought
Gratitude is once again due the hundreds of observers and the two dozen compilers who made the CBCs in Tennessee happen. I especially thank the many observers who produced high quality documentation for their more unusual sightings. Good CBCing to all in the future.