Colony Name: Little Elder Island - Woods Reservoir
Colony Code: Franklin-1
County: Franklin

Geographical Location.
    Physiographic Province: PIF 14 (Interior Low Plateaus [Eastern Highland Rim]); BCR 24 (Central Hardwoods)
    Latitude and Longitude: 35.3 and -86.06142
        How Obtained:  

Nearest City/Town: Estill Springs
Distance:
Directions from town to colony:
Owner: Air Force
    Address:
Management Plan: Yes

Description.
    General Description: An island on Woods Reservoir that is barely above the water line mostly of willows and maples.
    General Habitat: Freshwater Island
    Specific Habitat: Deciduous Trees
    Species of nest trees: Tree species on Island: Red Maple (nest tree), Silver Maple (nest tree), Black Willow (nest Tree), Privet (nest tree), Nyssa spp., Sycamore.
    Size: 0.28 hectares

History.
    Tullahoma--Arnold Air Force Base at Woods Reservoir on Little Elder Island, northwest of the Morris Ferry Bridge on Highway 127, visible from the bridge (viewable with scope from obvious pull-off on Tennessee 279 going west from Tennessee 127 just south of the Morris Ferry Bridge) of a small mixed breeding colony of Cattle Egret, Green Heron, and Black-crowned Night-Heron, and a mixed species late summer roost site. In DeLorme, Woods Reservoir is pages 22 and 23, and Little Elder Island is the blue dot at the page break at B-4. Recent heronry activity on or near the island includes: 2003. September 6, Roost of Great Blue Heron (1), Great Egret (8), Cattle Egret (50, some observed nesting, young heard), Green Heron, and Black-crowned Night-Heron (10, some observed nesting, young heard). 2004. May 23,Cattle Egret, Green Heron, and Black-crowned Night-Heron on island with Great Blue Heron in area; August 2, Cattle Egret (8-10 young) and Green Heron (4 young), with Great Blue Heron on island and Black-crowned Night-Heron nearby but no young seen. August 23, Great Egret (2), Little Blue Heron (1 adult), Green Heron, and Black-crowned Night-Heron (1 adult, 1 immature). Late summer roost numbers into the 100's including in addition to breeding species noted above, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, and Little Blue Heron (adult and immature), and juvenile White Ibis (1, 2004 and 3, 2005). 2006. June 30, July 3, and July 12, Little Blue Heron breeding confirmed July 12, with sighting of not yet capable of full flight young frantically approaching adults as they returned to two separate nesting areas on the island. Both adult and immature birds see on the island last year. On early trips observed frequent trips to and from the island by a minimum of three adults (three simultaneously on July 3) who would drip down into hidden interiors of low trees/shrubs/bushes in two different spots on the western half of the island, departing island shortly afterwards, but sometimes perching high in open briefly. Also apparently or obviously nesting on the island were a few Great Blue Herons, at least one pair of Great Egrets, numerous Cattle Egrets, Green Herons, and Black-crowned Night-Herons. Other birds seen on the island included an immature White Ibis on June 30 and July 12 (Jerry Ingles, Dale and Jeannie Swant, Ruth Luckado). July 27, on the island, Great Egret (6), Little Blue Heron (10 minimum, with a minimum of 6 immatures), Cattle Egret (100), Black-crowned Night-Heron (20), and  White Ibis (1, immature) (Jerry Ingles, Dale and Jeannie Swant, Ruth Luckado). September 9, Little Elder Island roost, from water in two boats, one boat anchored east of island and another southwest of the island, in family channel radio contact to minimize duplication; birds came to roost between 5:30-7:30 p.m.; apparently most of the Black-crowned Night-Herons, many of the adult Little Blue Herons, and the immature White Ibis seen on previous trips had left the area. Great Blue Heron (1), Great Egret (46), Little Blue Heron (4 adults, 37 immatures), Cattle Egret (801), Green Heron (9), and Black-crowned Night-Heron (1) (Jerry Ingles, Lloyd and Cathy Swant, Ruth Luckado, Dale and Jeannie Swant). September 17, Little Elder Island. Cattle Egret (two fledged but barely flight capable) seen midday while others were gone to forage (Dale and Jeannie Swant). Contacts are Jerry Ingles, jeingles@sewanee.edu; Dale and Jeannie Swant, Dale.Swant@arnold.af.mil; and Ruth Luckado, luck@cafes.net.
    NOTE: The duck blind near Little Elder Island has been deactivated and will no longer be used during any season.

2008 Breeding Surveys

Date	Species	Reproductive Stage	Survey Type (Nests)	Survey Type (Adults)	Total Number Adults	Total Number Nests	Number Active Nests	Number Young Seen	Estimated Breeding Pairs
March 13	Great Blue Heron	Pre-nesting	Actual Count	Actual Count	38	13	8	0	13
March 31	Great Blue Heron Cattle Egret Black-crowned Night-Heron	Building; Eggs in Nest Pre-nesting Pre-nesting	Actual Count Actual Count Actual Count	Actual Count Actual Count Actual Count	35 4 10	33 0 0	33 0 0	0 0 0	33 0 0

Comments: March 13 - Survey vantage point approximately 0.5 miles from heronry. Was difficult to distinguish nests as active/inactive.