The Spring Season

March was one of the warmest on record statewide, with new high temperature marks set in numerous locations.As a result, vegetation emerged earlier by three weeks or more.˜e following two months were also generally warmer than usual.A brief cold snap in mid-April brought frost to some areas, but was only a minor setback.Numerous new early arrival dates were established in various sections of the state.However, overall numbers of migrants seemed low.˜us it is likely that the warm temperatures, favorable winds, and general lack of rains during the peak of migration allowed many migrants to pass over the state before stopping.Early breeding also was noted for some species.Could a Brown Pelican on Cordell Hull Lake have been the same individual seen near Chattanooga?˜ree reports of Northern Goshawk were surprising.A potential new nesting pair of Peregrine Falcons was located in the mountains.A handfull of Common Gallinules were scattered through East Tennessee, where typically quite scarce.Whitewinged Doves appeared in three regions, as this species continues to increase as a vagrant in the state.Two Cave Swallows were seen near Memphis, while a Yellow-headed Blackbird was observed near Chattanooga. Standard Abbreviationsad -adult lrs -latest reported sighting Co -County max -maximum count Cr -Creek m.ob.-many observers ers -earliest reported sighting Mtn -Mountain et al. -and others R -River ÿde -reported by SNA -State Natural Area im -immature SP -State Park Is -Island WMA -Wildlife Management Area L -Lake yg -young THE MIGRANT JUNE 64 WESTERN COASTAL PLAIN REGION --Temperatures were well above average this spring, especially during March.Rainfall for the period was below normal.Duck -Crane: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: 28 Mar (84 at 3 sites) Shelby Co (JRW), max.Cackling Goose: 21 Mar (11) Shelby Farms (NPM, SNM).Common Loon: 7 / 31 May (2 / 1) Gibson Co (MAG); 16 May (1) TVA Lake, Shelby Co (FJA, SGS); all late.Horned Grebe: 21 Mar / 27 Apr (2 / 1) Shelby Farms (NPM, SNM / Bob Ilardi).Anhinga: 27 Mar (1) Ghost River SNA, Fayette Co (AJT); 15 May (1) Meeman-Shelby Forest SP (FJA, SGS).American White Pelican: 24 Mar (50) Big Sandy, Henry Co (TJW, CSm).American Bittern: 10 Apr (1) Lauderdale Co (SGS).Great Blue Heron: 6 Mar (32 ad, 16 nests) Memphis (Martha Waldron, SNM), new colony.Snowy Egret: 1 Apr (1) Shelby Co (JRW), ers.Little Blue Heron: 14 Apr (1) Ensley (JRW), ers.Cattle Egret: 15 Apr (1) Ensley (JRW), ers.Mississippi Kite: 14 Apr (1) Memphis (Gail King), ers; 2 May (1) Forked Deer R bottoms, Gibson Co (MAG), ers; 11 May (100s) Shelby Farms (Knox Martin), most seen; late May (5-6) Trenton area, Gibson Co (MAG).Northern Goshawk: 13 Mar (1 ad) Moss Is WMA (WMP).Merlin: 15 May (1) Meeman-Shelby Forest SP (FJA, SGS), lrs.Peregrine Falcon: 24 Mar (1) Paris Landing (TJW, CSm); 7 Apr (2) Ensley (JRW); 13 May (1) Black Bayou (TJW, CSm).Common Gallinule: 7 Apr (1) Tipton Co (JRW); 12 May (1) TVA Lake, Shelby Co (Jay Walko).Sandhill Crane: 13 May (4) Madison Co (Ed Harsson).Plover -Tern: Black-bellied Plover: 3 May (1) Phillipy (MCT); 12-16 May (3-1) Ensley (JRW); 13 May (1) Black Bayou (TJW, CSm).American Golden-Plover: 31 Mar (1) Ensley (JRW), ers; 3 May (250) Phillipy (MCT).Semipalmated Plover: 1 Apr (1) Ensley (JRW), ers.American Avocet: 15 Apr (3) Ensley (JRW).Black-necked Stilt: 15 Mar (3) North Treatment Plant, Shelby Co (Jay Walko), ers; 15 Apr (74) Ensley (VBR), max; 16 May (ad + yg) Ensley (JRW), 1st yg of season.Spotted Sandpiper: 25 Mar (1) Ensley (VBR), ers.Solitary Sandpiper: 15 Apr (65) Ensley (VBR), max.Willet: 7 Apr (1) Ensley (JRW); 7 May (4) Gibson Co Lake (MAG).Upland Sandpiper: 31 Mar (2) Tipton Co (JRW); 7 Apr (2) Ensley (JRW); 8 Apr (1) Britton Ford, Henry Co (TJW, CSm).Whimbrel: 29-30 May (1) ˜orny Cypress WMA, Dyer Co (Patrick Lemons, photo, ÿde SGS).Ruddy Turnstone: 26 May (5 at 3 sites) Mississippi R border Cos (JRW).Semipalmated Sandpiper: 15 Apr (1) Ensley (JRW), ers.Western Sandpiper: 11 Apr (1) Lake Co (SGS), ers.White-rumped Sandpiper: 3 May (1) Phillipy (MCT); 12-16 May (10+) Ensley (JRW).Baird's Sandpiper: 7 Apr / 16 May (1) Ensley (JRW).Dunlin: 7 Apr / 16 May (1 / 5) Ensley (JRW); 3 / 17 May (10 / 5) Black Bayou (MCT / FJA, SGS).Stilt Sandpiper: 7 Apr (1) Ensley (JRW), ers.Long-billed Dowitcher: 11 Apr (1) Lake Co (SGS); 15 Apr (1) Ensley (JRW).Wilson's Phalarope: 15 Apr (1) Ensley (JRW).Laughing Gull: 31 Mar (6+) Britton Ford and Eagle Cr, Henry Co (TJW, CSm); 8 Apr (1) Ensley (JRW).Lesser Black-backed Gull: 24 / 31 Mar (1) Paris Landing (TJW, CSm).Great Black-backed Gull: 31 Mar (1 im) Pace Point, Henry Co (TJW, CSm).Caspian Tern: 7 May (2) Gibson Co Lake (MAG).Forster's Tern: 24 Mar (6) Eagle Cr, Henry Co (TJW, CSm).THE MIGRANT 2012 71 (1) Morristown Fish Hatchery, Hamblen Co (Ben Britton).Caspian Tern: 9 Apr (2) TN R, Hamilton Co (KAC); 14 Apr (2) John Sevier L (SHu); 21 / 28 Apr (1 / 5) Rankin Bottoms (MBS); 22 Apr (2) Austin Springs (RLK); 23 May (1) Chickamauga L (SGS).Forster's Tern: 8 Apr (6) Upper Douglas L, Cocke Co (MBS); 13 Apr (2) John Sevier L (SHu); 28 Apr (1) Rankin Bottoms (MBS); 28 Apr (2) Austin Springs (RLK); 9 May (10) Nickajack L, Marion Co (TLR); 21 May (3) Tennessee R, Hamilton Co (KAC).WHITE-WINGED DOVE: 29 Apr (1) near Pikeville, Bledsoe Co (Starr Klein, CDB, photo), 1st in SE TN.Mourning Dove: 25 May (nest on ground, 1 egg) Bledsoe Co (David Vogt).Black-billed Cuckoo: 4 May (1) Cross Mtn (Tony Headrick, m.ob.); 17 May (1) Greene Co (DHM).Barn Owl: 14 Apr (ad with 3 yg) Bible Refuge (DHM).Common Nighthawk: 13 Apr (1) John Sevier L (SHu), ers.Eastern Whip-poor-will: 29 Mar (1) separate Hamilton Co sites (KAC / DA), ers.Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 31 Mar (1) Signal Mtn, Hamilton Co (Alix Parks), ers; 3 Apr (1) Fall Branch, Washington Co (Lia Pritchard), new early date in NE TN.

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