FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] immature cormorant, coot, spotted sandpiper (Middlebrook)

["Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>]

A Double-crested Cormorant in immature plumage (also known as Basic I plumage 
at this time of year) was at Middlebrook Lake, Bristol Tennessee this 
afternoon.  While some may find it a little surprising that the bird is an 
immature,  it is actually in its second year of life (having hatched in 2003).  
The Basic I pumage is the first winter feathering which began in late fall of 
last year or early winter.  It usually continues a gradual molt into spring but 
some retain the Basic I plumage well into summer or even thru summer.
An American Coot was standing on the spillway with a Spotted Sandpiper nearby.  
It is not very unusual to have one or more coots spend the summer in the area 
so there is a possibility of that.  It has been my experience in this area for 
this to usually happens at localities where they wintered.  We've had them 
summer at Middlebrook in recent years.
The lake is one of our most reliable locations to find wintering birds.

Let's go birding.....

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
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