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Re: Which ones? Where?





Email from Alex Netherton (2000-01-10 14:01:19) :

> "Two of the seven "species"  (of Crossbills)breed
> in NC and two more might get down here in the winter."
> Which two? Where would they be found? I must go a hunting in the Spring!
> ....

The last two years, Red Crossbills have been very reliable along the 
TN/NC border at Newfound Gap and along Clingmans Dome Road and the
Appalachian Trail between Newfound Gap and Clingmans Dome in the Great
Smoky Mountains NP.  One of the better spots has been Indian Gap along
Clingmans Dome Road.  Lots of other good breeding species are usually 
found here as well including Ruffed Grouse, Black-capped Chickadee,
Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, N. Raven, Pine Siskin, Veery,
and Canada and Blackburnian Warblers. N. Saw-whet Owl is less common
but may be heard, especially in spring.  The Peregrine Falcons that nest
along Alum Cave Bluff Trail can often be seen flying around Clingmans 
Dome during the summer as well.

Another good spot might be Cherokee and Natahalla Nat. Forests along
the southern border of our states.  I had 5 or 6 in the Cherokee NF
along the Ocoee River in Polk Co., TN, a couple of summers ago but haven't
made it back to that area since then.  Polk Co. is in extreme SE TN and
borders NC and Georgia.

The birds are present throughout the year.  In 1998, 159 Red Crossbills 
were found on the Great Smoky Mnts CBC conducted by the Knoxville chapter
of the Tennessee Ornithological Society.  There were less this year but
still a good number (I've heard the final tally but can't recall it).

Like Will, I haven't been able to separate the two "species" that are
supposed to breed in the mountains.  I keep planning to record them and
then make sonagrams to try to distinguish them but I've never found the
time to get around to it.

Happy hunting, just go early to beat the traffic (at least you all 
don't have to go through Pigeon Forge, ugh).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
K. Dean Edwards
Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Engineering
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

kde@utk.edu
Phone --  865-974-7358
Fax --  865-974-5274