Birding Tennessee

Let's face it. When it comes to Tennessee, I have discovered there are birding opportunities all over this state. I have visited Cross Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Old Hickory Lake, Radnor Lake, Priest Lake, and well, you get the idea. I have added many birds to my Life List of which several made me especially happy. I was most excited to photograph the Wood Duck pair and then a juvenile. Exciting! Middle Tennessee, as it is called here in the Volunteer State, has its share of lakes and rivers, not to mention parks and wildlife refuges. I wanted to share some of the images with you in a cumulative view. Many of these photos were featured in a post so I hope you don't mind indulging me. Just look at the variety and tell me it is not impressive! Could this be why every time I go out with my camera, my 'photo' elbow pain kicks back in.

The breakdown top to bottom, left to right. Great Blue Heron, Mallard Duck, Bufflehead Duck, Great White Egret, Yellow Crowned Night Heron, Ringed Neck Duck, Black Crowned Night Heron, Eastern Phoebe, Common Loon, Pied-Billed Grebe, Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, Osprey (I think), Eastern Kingbird, Seagull, Long Tailed Duck, Wood Duck Juvenile, Eastern Bluebird, Red Winged Blackbird, Great White Egret, Wood Duck Pair, North American Wild Turkey, American Coot, Hooded Merganser and finally a Common Grackle.

It wasn't my intention to photograph birds when I started this blog. At that time I was actually into more landscapes and such. Several years later I purchase my first and a year later my second zoom lenses and off I went to photograph birds. Birds taking flight, birds landing, birds feeding, birds in the water, birds in a flock, bird eggs, bird nests, baby birds. Again, you get the idea. I hope you enjoyed the look back over my last year here in Greater Nashville. To think I only became a permanent resident here this week last year really seems to boggle my mind. And the areas I have visited to photograph nature in any shape or form has really helped me to feel more at home. It has been a year to remember for me in so many ways. ENJOY!

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday

Common Loon

Yesterday was in the low forties with a tad nippy wind, but I drove my new 'route' past the Priest Dam. Looking south to the lake there was a flock of waterfowl floating in a V formation making their way to the farther reaches of the lake. I snapped a few quick shots to see if I could identify them in my software later. Turned out they were Redheaded Ducks and no, the images were not usable.

My goal was to drive to Hamilton Creek Recreation Area on Priest Lake which is about ten minutes further south. It was overcast with no evidence of much in the way of birds so I drove to the edge of the boat ramp for the best view. There was a pair of 'something' fishing in the lake far off but just close enough to capture an image. Much to my amazement as I checked the images in my software later, the pair were Common Loons. A life bird for me. Yippee!

After the Loons moved farther off, I drove over to another boat ramp and stopped. The Loons were pretty far away but I had my 300mm so I captured a few more images while, as luck would have it, the sun had peeked out between the cloud cover.

A quick note to everyone. I discovered that my post from earlier in the week on Bear Island turned out to be Goose Island. And Hermitage Island from several weeks ago, well that post was accurate. I can see this is going to be a challenge what with 38 islands situated on Priest Lake. I will persevere. Have a wonderful Sunday all. ENJOY!

Linking to Sunlit Sundays