May 31 Big Bear
begin at the parking lot/Greenway entrance at the end of Big Bear Lane in Franklin, NC
May 31 Big Bear
begin at the parking lot/Greenway entrance at the end of Big Bear Lane in Franklin, NC
Welcome to the Franklin Bird Club 
This week 14 of us birded the Salali Lane section of the greenway. It’s nice that we continue to have some new participants, and we always are happy to see returning birders. Our group today included Ellen, Jim, Amy, Sallie E, Dan, Gene A, Peter and Gene H, Don, Renée, April, Laura, and Sally and Dick W. Together we identified 40 species, with great looks at two different chats and three species of swallows.
Our list today was:
Salali Lane – Little Tennessee River Greenway
Jun 07, 2023
7:52 AM
1.67 miles
165 minutes
1 Eurasian Collared-Dove
4 Mourning Dove
4 Chimney Swift
1 Black Vulture
3 Turkey Vulture
3 Red-shouldered Hawk
4 Red-bellied Woodpecker
2 Downy Woodpecker
1 Eastern Wood-Pewee
2 Eastern Phoebe
2 White-eyed Vireo
2 Blue Jay
6 American Crow
1 Fish Crow
7 Carolina Chickadee
6 Tufted Titmouse
16 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
1 Purple Martin
13 Tree Swallow
4 Barn Swallow — 3 chicks on nest
16 Cliff Swallow – on nest
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
3 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
3 Carolina Wren
4 Brown Thrasher
2 Northern Mockingbird
1 Eastern Bluebird
1 Wood Thrush
4 American Robin
9 House Finch
5 American Goldfinch
3 Song Sparrow
6 Eastern Towhee
2 Yellow-breasted Chat
4 Brown-headed Cowbird
1 Common Grackle
2 Northern Parula
12 Northern Cardinal
1 Blue Grosbeak
5 Indigo Bunting
Number of Taxa: 40
Next week we will meet at the Macon Co library parking lot at 8:00. Come join us!
Thirteen of us enjoyed birding the Big Bear area of the greenway this morning. We had a nice view of a Cooper’s hawk flying overhead, and a good look at a spotted sandpiper by the river. All together we identified a total of 44 species. Our group today consisted of Jim, Ellen Tim, Amy, Don, Richard, Sally, April, Laura, Tom, Diane, Judy, and Bill. Welcome to our new participants, and welcome back to everyone else!
The following is a list of the birds we found today:
Little Tennessee River Greenway, Big Bear
May 31, 2023
7:48 AM
1.32 miles
149 minutes
2 Eurasian Collared-Dove
3 Mourning Dove
2 Chimney Swift
1 Spotted Sandpiper
4 Black Vulture
33 Turkey Vulture
1 Cooper’s Hawk
1 Red-shouldered Hawk
5 Red-bellied Woodpecker
2 Downy Woodpecker
2 Pileated Woodpecker
1 Eastern Wood-Pewee
1 Eastern Phoebe
1 Eastern Kingbird
1 White-eyed Vireo
1 Blue Jay
4 American Crow
1 Tufted Titmouse
7 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
14 Tree Swallow
1 Barn Swallow
3 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
7 Carolina Wren
5 European Starling
1 Gray Catbird
3 Brown Thrasher
2 Northern Mockingbird
5 Eastern Bluebird
8 American Robin
6 Cedar Waxwing
6 House Finch
9 American Goldfinch
2 Chipping Sparrow
1 Field Sparrow
7 Song Sparrow
4 Eastern Towhee
2 Orchard Oriole
4 Red-winged Blackbird
6 Brown-headed Cowbird
4 Common Yellowthroat
1 Northern Parula
7 Northern Cardinal
1 Blue Grosbeak
4 Indigo Bunting
Number of Taxa: 44
Join us next week at Salali Lane, 8:00. All interested participants are welcome!
Fifteen of us met at the Macon Co Library this morning for our weekly walk. We saw numerous nesting cliff swallows under the bridge near 441, had good looks at orchard oriole and yellow billed cuckoo, and were able to compare the male indigo bunting with a nearby male blue grosbeak. The participants this morning were Tim, Jo, Merle, Chris, Pam, Amy, Jenn, Diane, Tom, Don, Bill, Wesley, Dan, Jim, and Ellen.
The following is a list of the species we identified:
Little Tennessee River Greenway–Macon County Library
May 24, 2023
7:41 AM
1.73 miles
154 minutes
2 Canada Goose
1 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
6 Mourning Dove
1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo
2 Chimney Swift
11 Turkey Vulture
2 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Pileated Woodpecker
2 Northern Flicker
2 Eastern Phoebe
1 Great Crested Flycatcher
1 White-eyed Vireo
2 Red-eyed Vireo
8 Blue Jay
9 American Crow
3 Carolina Chickadee
5 Tufted Titmouse
5 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
4 Purple Martin
10 Tree Swallow
121 Cliff Swallow
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
5 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
1 House Wren
6 Carolina Wren
10 European Starling
1 Gray Catbird
1 Brown Thrasher
4 Northern Mockingbird
4 Eastern Bluebird
1 American Robin
6 Cedar Waxwing
1 House Sparrow
12 House Finch
9 American Goldfinch
6 Chipping Sparrow
6 Field Sparrow
3 Song Sparrow
4 Eastern Towhee
2 Yellow-breasted Chat
2 Orchard Oriole
6 Brown-headed Cowbird
1 Hooded Warbler
3 Northern Parula
1 Yellow-throated Warbler
1 Prairie Warbler
5 Northern Cardinal
2 Blue Grosbeak
4 Indigo Bunting
Number of Taxa: 51
Join us next week at the Big Bear parking area, 8:00, for more springtime birding. See you there!
It’s great to be back birding along the greenway. Tim led 16 of us on the Salali Lane section today: Tim, Chuck, Larry, April, Laurie, Pam, Amy, Lance, Diane, Jim, Ellen, Don, Chris, Susan, Peggy, and her brother Jim. Several of the participants were new to our walks.
We found a total of 45 species today, with good looks at the red-shoulder hawk, and time to study many many cedar waxwings flocking in and out of trees along the river.
We also were able to observe tree, barn, and cliff swallows on their nests. The following is a list of what we identified today:
Little Tennessee River Greenway, Salali Lane
May 17, 2023
7:49 AM
Traveling
2.00 miles
164 Minutes
5 Canada Goose
1 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
3 Mourning Dove
1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo
6 Chimney Swift
2 Turkey Vulture
1 Red-shouldered Hawk
4 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Downy Woodpecker
2 Pileated Woodpecker
1 Northern Flicker
1 Eastern Phoebe
1 Great Crested Flycatcher
1 Red-eyed Vireo
2 Blue Jay
7 American Crow
6 Carolina Chickadee
8 Tufted Titmouse
2 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
6 Tree Swallow
25 Cliff Swallow
1 Barn Swallow
3 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
5 Carolina Wren
2 European Starling
3 Gray Catbird
1 Brown Thrasher
6 Northern Mockingbird
2 Eastern Bluebird
1 American Robin
175 Cedar Waxwing
6 House Finch
8 American Goldfinch
2 Field Sparrow
2 Song Sparrow
7 Eastern Towhee
2 Yellow-breasted Chat
1 Orchard Oriole
6 Brown-headed Cowbird
1 Common Grackle
1 Hooded Warbler
3 Northern Parula
1 Yellow-throated Warbler
7 Northern Cardinal
5 Indigo Bunting
Number of Taxa: 45
It’s a great time of year to be out birding. Join us next week at the Macon Co library, 8 am.
05/10/23–Today’s walk at Big Bear welcomed 12 Greenway bird-walkers. As we introduced ourselves, we found that many NC and a few GA towns were represented, Of the 12, 6 were new participants. (Tim, Tom, Amy, Pam, Jenn, Bill M., Larry T., Dan, Laura, April, Larry w., and Dianne)
We continue having numerous Baltimore Orioles, such lovely birds. Flyovers up the river were a Single Spotted sandpiper, 2 Wood Ducks and plenty of swallows, mostly Northern Rough-wing Swallow. Song Sparrows and American Robins were well-represented. We got good looks at Indigo Bunting, Yellow Warbler and Eastern Kingbird. There were so many songsters, it was difficult to separate the chorus into single species!
It’s a great time of the year to be out birding, so come join us next week at Salali Lane.
Little Tennessee River Greenway (BIG BEAR)
May 10, 2023
7:45 AM
Traveling
1.77 miles
157 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
2 Canada Goose
2 Wood Duck
1 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
5 Mourning Dove
5 Chimney Swift
1 Spotted Sandpiper
2 Black Vulture
15 Turkey Vulture
2 Red-shouldered Hawk
2 Red-bellied Woodpecker
2 Downy Woodpecker
2 Pileated Woodpecker
1 Northern Flicker
1 Eastern Phoebe
1 Eastern Kingbird
2 White-eyed Vireo
3 Blue Jay
8 American Crow
2 Carolina Chickadee
2 Tufted Titmouse
4 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
6 Tree Swallow
4 Brown-headed Nuthatch
2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
5 Carolina Wren
4 European Starling
1 Gray Catbird
2 Brown Thrasher
2 Northern Mockingbird
5 Eastern Bluebird
10 American Robin
3 Cedar Waxwing
3 House Finch
9 American Goldfinch
9 Song Sparrow
7 Eastern Towhee
5 Orchard Oriole
3 Red-winged Blackbird
2 Brown-headed Cowbird
4 Common Yellowthroat
1 Hooded Warbler
3 Northern Parula
2 Yellow Warbler
1 Palm Warbler
9 Northern Cardinal
4 Indigo Bunting
Number of Taxa: 46
5/3/23–This week we were back at the Macon County Library with 7 eager birders: Tim, Pam, Amy, Tom, April, Don and Dianne. The bird of the day was, without a doubt, a beautiful male Baltimore Oriole singing and foraging in a tall oak in the “side yard.” We also saw many of the more expected Orchard Orioles, some in pairs.
We saw 7 warbler species, 4 vireo species, 3 swallow species. There was one late-to-leave White Throated Sparrow, singing about Peabody or Canada.
Total was 51 species on a cool May morning with moderate wind. Next Wednesday (5/10) we will be back at Big Bear and hope you will join us.
Little Tennessee River Greenway–Macon County Library
May 3, 2023
7:49 AM
Traveling
1.92 miles
152 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 2.17.1 Build 2.17.3
2 Wild Turkey
1 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
3 Mourning Dove
10 Chimney Swift
4 Turkey Vulture
2 Red-tailed Hawk
2 Red-bellied Woodpecker
4 Downy Woodpecker
1 Pileated Woodpecker
2 Eastern Phoebe
4 White-eyed Vireo
1 Yellow-throated Vireo
1 Blue-headed Vireo
1 Red-eyed Vireo
6 Blue Jay
6 American Crow
2 Carolina Chickadee
2 Tufted Titmouse
3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
4 Tree Swallow
3 Barn Swallow
20 Cliff Swallow
2 White-breasted Nuthatch
4 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
1 House Wren
4 Carolina Wren
2 Gray Catbird
1 Brown Thrasher
4 Northern Mockingbird
2 Eastern Bluebird
2 American Robin
7 House Finch
6 American Goldfinch
3 Chipping Sparrow
8 Field Sparrow
1 White-throated Sparrow
4 Song Sparrow
3 Eastern Towhee
1 Yellow-breasted Chat
6 Orchard Oriole
1 Baltimore Oriole
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
1 Hooded Warbler
4 Northern Parula
1 Magnolia Warbler
3 Yellow Warbler
2 Palm Warbler
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler
1 Yellow-throated Warbler
5 Northern Cardinal
5 Indigo Bunting
Number of Taxa: 51
Don, Pam and Tim braved the threat of rain to bird the Salali Lane section of the Greenway today. The rain was only spitting when we began, it then increased to light rain and became heavy rain just as we were finishing. This did not seem to suppress bird activity. 42 species were observed. We heard several Great Crested Flycatchers and had good looks at Spotted Sandpipers. Five species of Warbler were identified. Swallows were out in force. Thanks to Pam for keeping the eBird list that appears below.
(35.1755,-83.3699) Salali Lane – Little Tennessee River Greenway
Apr 26, 2023
7:44 AM
Traveling
1.84 miles
129 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: FBC: Tim, Pam, Don
Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 2.17.1 Build 2.17.3
2 Canada Goose
2 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
7 Mourning Dove
2 Spotted Sandpiper
10 Turkey Vulture
3 Red-bellied Woodpecker
2 Downy Woodpecker
3 Northern Flicker
1 Eastern Phoebe
3 Great Crested Flycatcher
3 White-eyed Vireo
5 Blue Jay
1 American Crow
1 Fish Crow
5 Carolina Chickadee
4 Tufted Titmouse
19 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
4 Barn Swallow
11 Cliff Swallow
3 White-breasted Nuthatch
4 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
1 House Wren
7 Carolina Wren
3 Gray Catbird
5 Brown Thrasher
5 Northern Mockingbird
5 Eastern Bluebird
7 American Robin
8 American Goldfinch
2 Field Sparrow
4 White-throated Sparrow
13 Song Sparrow
11 Eastern Towhee
1 Eastern Meadowlark
3 Brown-headed Cowbird
3 Northern Parula
1 Yellow Warbler
2 Palm Warbler
3 Yellow-rumped Warbler
1 Yellow-throated Warbler
12 Northern Cardinal
2 Indigo Bunting
Number of Taxa: 42
Only four birders participated in the Franklin Bird Club walk on the Big Bear section of the Greenway today, but this small group found quite a few species of birds. Participants were Don, Peter, Jean and Tim. 47 total species were identified though some were located after some of the group had to leave. Highlights included excellent looks at a first-of-the-year Orchard Oriole; many good looks at Eastern Kingbird and Cedar Waxwing; views of House Wren and Common Yellowthroat; and a good look at a Swamp Sparrow that had not yet migrated north. A list of all the birds seen is included below:
Little Tennessee River Greenway
Apr 19, 2023
7:54 AM
Traveling
1.91 miles
128 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 2.17.1 Build 2.17.3
3 Canada Goose
1 Mallard
2 Mourning Dove
2 Green Heron
2 Black Vulture
10 Turkey Vulture
1 Red-shouldered Hawk
2 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Pileated Woodpecker
1 Northern Flicker
1 Eastern Phoebe
2 Eastern Kingbird
6 White-eyed Vireo
4 Blue Jay
4 American Crow
1 Fish Crow
4 Carolina Chickadee
3 Tufted Titmouse
25 Tree Swallow
5 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
2 House Wren
2 Carolina Wren
3 European Starling
1 Gray Catbird
2 Brown Thrasher
3 Northern Mockingbird
2 Eastern Bluebird
5 American Robin
8 Cedar Waxwing
2 House Finch
4 American Goldfinch
2 Chipping Sparrow
2 Field Sparrow
2 White-throated Sparrow
1 Savannah Sparrow
7 Song Sparrow
1 Swamp Sparrow
4 Eastern Towhee
3 Orchard Oriole
6 Red-winged Blackbird
5 Common Yellowthroat
3 Northern Parula
1 Yellow Warbler
1 Palm Warbler
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler
16 Northern Cardinal
Number of Taxa: 47
Great start!
The first FBC bird walk was held Wednesday 4/12/23. There were 8 participants: Tim, Pam, Jean, Peter, David, Rita, Dick, Sally. The morning started out crisp and clear, warming quickly. 35 species were seen, including a few “FOTYs”, or first of the year(s): Broadwing Hawk and Hooded Warbler. Good looks were had by all of the Hooded Warbler, Northern Parula, Field Sparrow, White-eyed Vireo.
Next Wednesday (4/19) we meet at Big Bear and hope you will join us.
Here’s today’s complete list.
Little Tennessee River Greenway–Macon County Library
Apr 12, 2023
2 Black Vulture
1 Turkey Vulture
1 Broad-winged Hawk
4 Red-bellied Woodpecker
2 Downy Woodpecker
1 Pileated Woodpecker
1 Eastern Phoebe
2 White-eyed Vireo
4 Blue Jay
4 American Crow
3 Carolina Chickadee
3 Tufted Titmouse
3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow
10 Tree Swallow
2 White-breasted Nuthatch
5 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
1 House Wren
4 Carolina Wren
2 Brown Thrasher
2 Northern Mockingbird
8 Eastern Bluebird
4 American Robin
2 House Finch
5 American Goldfinch
4 Chipping Sparrow
6 Field Sparrow
3 White-throated Sparrow
4 Song Sparrow
4 Eastern Towhee
1 Red-winged Blackbird
2 Black-and-white Warbler
1 Hooded Warbler
4 Northern Parula
2 Yellow-rumped Warbler
7 Northern Cardinal
Number of Taxa: 35