Waterfowl through Grebes

As many as five Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks were in Henderson Co, KY from 4 Jun (ph. Charles Crawford) and remained in the area until fall (m.ob.). Successful breeding was documented in Obion Co, TN, with a pair of adults and at least 13 downy young reported 13 Jun (ph. Mark A. Greene). There are few Tennessee nesting records outside of Shelby Co. Across the state, in Hamilton Co, two at Standifer Gap Marsh 20 Jun (ph. Tim Russell, m.ob.) was a second county record. There was an apparent first Lincoln Co record of three birds on 24 Jun (ph. Avery Fish).

A single Snow Goose in Sumner Co, TN was a noteworthy record 10/15 Jun (ph. Tim Loyd). Blue-winged Teal were reported in several locations: as many as two in Jefferson Co, KY at Putney Pond (Eddie Bartley, Noreen Weeden); one in Jessamine Co, KY 10 Jun (Rex Graham); and one in Barren Co, KY 2 Jul (ph. Ricky Shive). In Tennessee, a male and female pair were reported at Duck River 12–13/22 Jun (ph. Daniel Redwine, Avery Fish, Ruben Stoll); a solo drake was also reported there 28 Jun / 14 Jul (ph. Daniel Redwine); a single male was found in Sumner Co 14 Jun (ph. Tim Loyd); and a lone hen in Davidson Co 1 Jul (ph. Graham Gerdeman).

A Northern Shoveler lingered through the summer at Ensley, the last report being on 28 Jul (Avery Fish). Single American Wigeons were reported from Jessamine Co, KY 9 Jun (Daniel Patrick); Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery in Anderson Co, TN 22 Jun (ph. Chuck Estes); and throughout the season at Duck River from 5 Jun (ph. Ruben Stoll) until last reported 26 Jul (Daniel Redwine). A pair of very rare Mottled Ducks continued from the last day of spring at Duck River and was seen four times from 1–17 Jun (ph. Ruben Stoll, Victor Stoll, m.ob.). One was also reported at Mockingbird Hills Lake, Obion Co, TN 26 Jul (ph. Mark A. Greene).

A single Redhead drake was at John Sevier Lake, Hawkins Co, TN from 5 Jun–13 Jul (ph. Susan Hubley), a rare summer record for the region. Lingering Ring-necked Ducks were reported from several areas: one in Union Co, KY 4–5 Jun (ph. Charles Crawford); one at Ballard WMA, Ballard Co, KY 12 Jul (ph. Steve Record); one at Lakeshore Park, Roane Co, TN 16 Jul (ph. Ron Shrieve); a male and female together at Watts Bar Lake, Rhea Co, TN 20 Jun (ph. Roi Shannon, Debra Shannon); and lastly a single male was at a water treatment plant in Hamblen Co, TN all summer. It was last reported on 30 Jul (Ron D. Hoff, Dollyann Myers).

Eighteen Lesser Scaup were reported from a regular summering location on Lake Barkley, Lyon Co, KY 18 Jun (Brainard Palmer-Ball, Jr.). As many as three others were reported throughout the season at Kentucky Dam, Marshall Co, KY (m.ob.). A single Common Goldeneye was found at Kentucky Dam, Marshall Co, KY 18 Jun (Brainard Palmer-Ball, Jr.).

Common Mergansers continue to expand their breeding range in the region. Adults with young were documented on Cave Run Lake, Menifee Co, KY 29 Jun (ph. John Brunjes); on Buckhorn Creek, Breathitt Co, KY 8 Jun (Roger Voth); on the Powell River, Hawkins Co, TN 10 Jun; at the Grayson Lake tailwaters, Carter Co, KY in mid-July (ph. Blake Tolliver); and Pool 8 of the Kentucky River, Jessamine Co, KY 29 Jul (ph. Chris Hoskins). In the now regular breeding area along the Upper Clinch River in Townsend, Blount Co, TN, a count of 43 on 15 Jul (Ron D. Hoff, Dollyann Myers) was the highest of the season.

A Horned Grebe at Anderson Road Recreation Area, Davidson Co, TN 18 Jul (ph. Sharon Cardin) and another on the same day on South Holston Lake, Sullivan Co, TN (Mike Sanders fide Rick L. Knight) were exceptional. There are fewer than 10 summer records in the state.

Doves through Sandhill Crane

Two White-winged Doves were reported at feeders in Marshall Co, TN 14 Jun (Kathy Smith) at a location where they were also present in 2023. Two were also seen and heard at Bells Bend Park, Davidson Co, TN 29 Jun (ph. au. Lise Brown). One was found at a feeder in Rutherford Co, TN 30 Jun (ph. Carole Swann). Two at Mud Island, Shelby Co, TN 28 Jul (ph. Avery Fish) was the highest count in that expected location. In Kentucky, single White-winged Doves were reported in Jessamine Co 7 Jul (Josh Stapleton); in Paducah, McCracken Co in the last week of July (ph. Debra Puckett); and last reported from the usual Lexington location, Fayette Co 7 Jun (Jeff Sole).

There were only three reports of Black-billed Cuckoo: One southwest of Annville, Jackson, KY during the first week of July (Sarah Wagner); one in north Fayette Co, KY  20 July (Chase Wilson); and one at Roan Mountain, Carter Co, TN 30 Jul (Judi Sawyer).

Limpkins continued to be the story of the year, if not the decade. Starting with Kentucky, there was one on the Green River, Green Co, Jun 10 (ph. Kassie McCarol); one continued at Reelfoot NWR, Fulton Co, 19 Jun (ph. Brainard Palmer-Ball, Jr.) and remained through the season (m.ob.); one at Jacobson Park, Fayette Co was first reported 2 Jul (ph. Kellie Carey, m.ob.) and stayed the season; one in north Bullitt Co 23 Jul (ph. Jason Fuller); one at the Dix River tailwaters, Mercer Co, 23 July (ph. Steve Milans); and one near High Bridge, Jessamine Co, 31 July (ph. Emma Brooking). Just south in Tennessee, a regional high count of three were photographed at Reelfoot Lake, Lake Co 9 Jun (ph. Colton Gittermann). Individual birds were reported in many areas: one in Polk Co on Spring Creek Rd (ph. Chris Johnson); one in Roane Co on the Heritage Center Greenway 25 Jun (ph. Robert Hunt, Roger Kroodsma); another in Roane Co  at the TVA Wetland Viewing Area 15 Jul (ph. Holly Nelson); one at Radnor Lake, Davidson Co 3–4 Jul (ph. Matthew Bowling, m.ob.); one in  Washington Co was a first record for northeast TN 17 Jul (ph. Dave Robinson fide Richard L. Knight); one at Duck River, Humphreys Co 17 Jul (Clayton Ferrel) and 26 Jul (ph. Daniel Redwine); one in Anderson Co at Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery (ph. J.D. Johnson, m.ob.); one in Bradley Co 23 Jul (ph. Sean Walters, Ronda Smith); and finally one in Blount Co was a long-staying bird at the Maryville-Alcoa Greenway, reported 17–31 Jul (ph. Annaliese Ashley, m.ob.).

Always rare in summer, there were two reports of Sandhill Crane in Tennessee. One in Lincoln Co was heard overhead from Don Davidson Park 27 Jun (Jay Brasher). Two injured birds in Bledsoe Co continued in the area from spring and were reported 14 Jul (ph. Roi Shannon, Debra Shannon).

Shorebirds

American Avocets were recorded in two Tennessee locations: one at Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery, Anderson Co, TN 27 Jun (ph. Chuck Estes); one at Ensley 10 Jul (ph. Daniel Redwine); and eight at Ensley 29 Jul (ph. P.J. Pulliam, Ryan Pudwell). Two lingering Black-bellied Plovers were reported at Horseshoe Road Sloughs, Henderson Co, KY 9 Jun (ph. Charles Crawford). There were several late Semipalmated Plovers: one was reported at Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery, Anderson Co, TN 1–2 Jun (ph. Chuck Estes); nine were found at Horseshoe Road Sloughs, Henderson Co, KY 5 Jun (ph. Charles Crawford); and a large late flock of 26 were reported at Duck River 1–5 Jun (Ruben Stoll, Victor Stoll).

A lone, rare Piping Plover was reported at Tiptonville Bar, Lake Co, TN 21 Jul (Mark A. Greene, Daniel Redwine). One Upland Sandpiper was reported at Horseshoe Road Sloughs, Henderson Co, KY 15 Jul (Keith Michalski); another was reported at Maynard C. Stiles wastewater treatment plant, Shelby Co, TN 22 Jul (ph. P.J. Pulliam) and again on 28 Jul (Avery Fish).

A single Ruff at Duck River 1 Jun (ph. Victor Stoll, Ruben Stoll) was a surprise first for the hotspot and the county — one of few June records anywhere in the southeast. A lone Stilt Sandpiper at Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery, Anderson Co, TN 2 Jun (ph. Chuck Estes) was a notable late spring date and also one of only a handful of state records in June. Two Stilt Sandpipers at Horseshoe Road Sloughs, Henderson Co, KY 15 July (Keith Michalski) were the earliest reported fall migrants of that species. Four Sanderlings at Tiptonville Landing, Lake Co, TN 21 Jun (Daniel Redwine, Mark A. Greene) was the earliest fall report. A Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery, Anderson Co, TN 31 Jul (ph. James Davis, Tara Davis, m.ob.) was very surprising, representing only the fifth or sixth July record for the state.  A Wilson’s Phalarope reported at Duck River 7 Jul (Roy McGraw, Walker Lincoln) set a new early fall date for the state.

A couple of notable high counts were eight Spotted Sandpipers at Duck River 14 Jul (Daniel Redwine) and 3750 Least Sandpipers at Ensley on 12 Jul (Cameron Rutt).

Gulls through Falcons

A lone Bonaparte’s Gull spent the summer at Duck River and was reported numerous times from 12 Jun–30 Jul (ph. Daniel Redwine, m.ob.). It was very likely the same bird first found at nearby Johnsonville State Historic Park, Humphreys Co, TN 1 Jun (Ruben Stoll, Victor Stoll). There was one report of five Common Terns at Equestrian Lakes, Shelby Co, KY 12 Jun (ph. Mark Elkins).

Several Common Loons were reported in the region, with a high count of two in Nashville, Davidson Co, TN 23–26 Jul (Avery Fish, m.ob.).

Anhinga is a review species in Kentucky. There was one report of up to two at Hamby Pond, Fulton Co 26 Jul (ph. Mark A. Greene, Asher Higgins). In Tennessee, 25 were reported at the nesting colony at Eagle Lake in Meeman-Shelby Forest SP, Shelby Co (Jeffrey Hill fide Dick Preston); as many as three were reported at Duck River 12 Jun (ph. Daniel Redwine, m.ob.) with ones and twos reported throughout the season; three were reported at Bogota WMA, Dyer Co 1 Jul (ph. Kyle Bess). Duck River is the stronghold for Neotropic Cormorants in the region, where they have recently bred. A seasonal high count of three individuals was reported there 12 Jun (ph. Daniel Redwine); another Neotropic reported at Bogota WMA, Dyer Co, TN 28 Jun (ph. Mark A. Greene) was the only other sighting in the region.

A seasonal high count of 109 American White Pelicans was reported at Duck River 12 Jun (Daniel Redwine).

Little Blue Herons were reported from nine counties in Tennessee. The highest count was 60 at Duck River 30 Jul (Ruben Stoll). A juvenile Tricolored Heron, less than annual in the region, was found at Ensley 26 Jul (ph. Ryan Pudwell). Once rare in summer, Snowy Egrets were reported from seven counties in Kentucky and 13 counties in Tennessee. The seasonal high count was 53 from the rookery at Duck River 7 Jul (Ruben Stoll). Single White Ibises were reported at Kyker Bottoms Refuge, Blount Co, TN 1 Jun (ph. Kelly Fox) and at Duck River 31 Jul (Avery Fish).  Roseate Spoonbills were reported in multiple locations. Single birds in Kentucky were found in McCreary Co 27 Jun (ph. Rebecca Trammell); in Oldham Co 17 Jul–2 Aug (ph. Tom Biebighauser); and Jefferson Co 22 Jul (Pat Bell, ph. Tommy Becker, m.ob.), which continued into the fall season. In Tennessee, as many as six spoonbills were reported at Duck River from 28 Jun–31 Jul (ph. Daniel Redwine, Avery Fish, m.ob.). Individuals were reported in Fayette Co 25–27 Jul (ph. Eric Ray, m.ob.), Hawkins Co 13 Jul and 21–23 Jul (ph. Susan Hubley, m.ob.), and at Baylor School in Hamilton Co 28 Jul (Ben Holt, ph. Luke Thompson, m.ob.).

Swallow-tailed Kite is a review species in Kentucky. There was one report of a single bird west of Walton, Boone Co 11 Jul (ph. Travis Young). In Tennessee, one reported in Sevier Co 8 Jul (ph. Austin Young) is a notable early fall record. The first bird reported in the Sequatchie Valley, Sequatchie Co in that now-regular fall congregating area was 31 Jul (Roi Shannon, Debbie Shannon, ph. Kent Dubois).

A single Merlin near the 2022 nesting territory in east Jefferson Co, KY 3 Jun (Brainard Palmer-Ball, Jr.) was the latest spring record.

Flycatchers through Painted Bunting

A Western Kingbird in Williamson Co, TN from 30 Jun–11 Jul (ph. Ronald Manley, m.ob.) was a rare sighting anywhere away from the Mississippi River. Scissor-tailed Flycatchers remain rare breeders in Kentucky, but a pair in Logan Co successfully fledged two young after breeding failure the previous year (m.ob.). A Yellow-bellied Flycatcher which was captured and banded at Clarks River NWR, Marshall Co, KY 12 Jun (ph. Hap Chambers) was an exceptionally late record for the region.

Bell’s Vireo was reported on Fort Campbell property in both Stewart and Montgomery Cos, TN (Daniel Moss fide Graham Gerdeman). This was once the only known breeding area in the state, but recently discovered breeding habitat in the west has been productive for the past couple of years, and there were reports from Dyer, Lake, and Shelby Cos as well. A recent fledgling was photographed in Shelby Co 3 Jul (ph. P.J. Pulliam).

For the third year in a row, the large annual Purple Martin roost near Nashville, TN was located in the heart of downtown, causing both delight and controversy. A conservative estimate of 100,000 was reported 25 Jul (ph. Graham Gerdeman, m.ob.).

Sedge Wrens have only rarely been documented to breed in the region. Five on Ft. Campbell, Montgomery Co, TN 25 Jul (Daniel Moss fide Graham Gerdeman) indicated likely breeding success there.

Bachman’s Sparrow was reported as single birds in both Montgomery and Stewart Cos, TN on 15 Jun (Daniel Moss fide Graham Gerdeman), both locations on restricted areas of Ft. Campbell. To this author’s knowledge, it has now been fully 10 years since this species has been documented anywhere outside of Ft. Campbell in either Tennessee or Kentucky, though few birders are actively looking. Lark Sparrows were reported in Kentucky from only four locations in Henderson, Warren, Simpson, and Hickman Cos, respectively. A single bird at Tellico Lake WMA, Monroe Co, TN (ph. Christie Bass) was a notable record for east Tennessee. White-throated Sparrows, always rare in summer, were reported in both states: one in Louisville, Jefferson Co, KY 5 Jun (au. Barbara Woerner); one in Fayette Co, KY 22 Jun (David Westneat); one in Shelby Co, TN 17 Jun (ph. Sophie Dismukes); another in Shelby Co, TN 11 Jul (Liz Hall); and one in Davidson Co, TN 20 Jul (ph. Nathan Snell). Savannah Sparrows were found at two locations in Kentucky: as many as five in east Fayette Co 4–5 Jun (ph. Katey Buster) and six in Woodford Co 8 Jun (ph. Katey Buster).

There were three reports of extra-seasonal Tennessee Warblers. One south of Independence, Kenton Co, KY 23 Jul (Don Martin) was an early fall record for Kentucky; another in Franklin Co, KY 30 Jul (John Brunjes) was also notably early. A Tennessee Warbler reported in Nashville, Davidson Co, TN 27 Jun (Jim Arnett) establishes a new early fall date for Tennessee. An adult male Painted Bunting at Duck River (Ruben Stoll) was a notable record away from Shelby Co and an overdue first for Humphreys Co, TN.

Reviewed by Randi Minetor Sep 9, 2024