Mill Creek Greenway - Nashville
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Mill Creek Greenway - Nashville |
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Photo: Susan Hollyday |
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Great Blue Heron nests looking east cross Mill Creek from the Mill Creek Greenway |
Colony Name:
Mill Creek Greenway - Nashville
Colony Code: Davidison-2
County: Davidson
Geographical
Location.
Physiographic Province:
PIF 14 Interior Low Plateaus (Central Basin); BCR 24 (Central Hardwoods)
Latitude and Longitude:
36.0871 and -86.67384
How Obtained: GPS datum WGS 84, standing on west bank of Mill
Creek, 50 feet east of Mill Creek Greenway, looking east 200 feet to the heronry.
Nearest City/Town:
Nashville
Distance:
Within Nashville city limits
Directions from town to colony:
The entrance to Mill Creek Greenway is located next to
the Metro Police Station, 5101 Harding Place, east of I-24, in Ezell Park. Walk east on the
Greenway a bit more than 1/2 mile (bluebird house #15 on the right, March
26, 2008), cut through the undergrowth to Mill Creek to view the nests
across the creek.
Owner: Vulcan Materials
Address: Franklin Limestone Road, Nashville, TN
Management Plan: None
Description.
General Description: Heronry is next to a settling pond
connected with a quarry. Several small tributary streams enter Mill Creek in the
wooded area.
General Habitat:
Riparian/River, Stream
Specific Habitat:
Mixed Trees
Species of nest trees: Two Sycamores
Size: 0.5 hectares
History.
The Mill
Creek Greenway heronry is on the east side of Mill
Creek Greenway, in Ezell Park, in Metropolitan Nashville and is a breeding colony of
Great Blue Herons, first
discovered on March 22, 2008
(Susan Hollyday, Jan Shaw). 2008. March 22,
Great Blue Heron (6 nests) and a few Great Blue Herons (Jan Shaw). March 26, Great
Blue Heron, (9 nests, all active) 14 adults present, birds incubating (Susan
Hollyday).
Contacts are Susan Hollyday,
shollyday@comcast.net and Jan K. Shaw,
JanKShaw@aol.com.
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Cumulative Breeding Summary |
| Year | Species | Maximum Number Adults Observed |
Total Number Active Nests |
Total Number Young Seen in Nests |
Estimated Breeding Pairs |
| 2008 | Great Blue Heron | 14 | 9 | 25 | 9 |
| 2009 (to March 5) | Great Blue Heron | 10 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
2008
Survey Results.
Survey Date:
March 26 and May 12
(9:30-10:30 a.m. and 2:30-3:30 p.m.)
Survey Vantage Point: On Foot (from across creek from
heronry).
Primary Observer: Susan S. Hollyday, 211 Wauford Drive,
Nashville, TN 37211, 615-834-0006,
shollyday@comcast.net.
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2008 Breeding Survey |
| 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 26 | Great Blue Heron | Eggs in Nest | Actual Count | Actual Count | 14 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| May 12 | Great Blue Heron | Unfledged Young | Actual Count | Actual Count | 6 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 9 |
| Comments: March 26 - Eight nests were in one Sycamore and one nest in another Sycamore close-by. Many Black and Turkey vultures were in the area. May 12 - Nests same as March 26. Several parent birds regurgitated to feed young in nests. A number of the young were perched on the edge of the nests and flapping their wings. Two Turkey Vultures were perched nearby. |
2009
Survey Results.
Survey Dates:
March 5 (4:15-4:30 p.m.)
Survey Vantage Point:
On Foot (from across creek from heronry).
Primary Observers: Susan S. Hollyday, 211 Wauford Drive,
Nashville, TN 37211, 615-834-0006,
shollyday@comcast.net.
Additional Observers:
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2009 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 5 | Great Blue Heron | Eggs in Nest | Actual Count | Actual Count | 10 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Comments: March - Eight nests on one Sycamore, one nest in another tree close-by. Twenty-one Black Vultures were in the area, flying and perching. |
