FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Gulls Galore and More

["Rack Cross" <frogfarm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bristol Birders

It was a chilling 43' F plus wind at the S. Holston Wier Dam this =
evening. This proved to be a good thing for the birds as I viewed from =
the parking lot past the wier dam lot eleven HERRING GULLS and thirty =
RING-BILLED GULLS. Also in the area were seventeen CANADA GEESE and =
eighteen BUFFLEHEAD! Back at the weir dam parking lot not far upstream I =
counted twenty AMERICAN WIGEONS and nineteen more Buffleheads. Atop the =
S. Holston Dam I viewed with a borrowed scope of limited capabilities a =
raft, at a great distance, of at least fifteen COMMON LOONS (?). At =
least this is what I am leaning towards having seen the black white =
color contrast on the birds and the white under wing of a few steching =
birds. The distance/size relationship had me eliminate a couple of =
potential grebe species and the posture in the water gave a thick neck =
look synonomous with C. Loons I've seen at closer range. DOUBLE-CRESTED =
CORMORANTS were in the area sharing the same island with Ring-billed =
gulls I had noticed on a previous trip. The Cormorants performed some =
cooperative wing drying and allowed me to contrast their darker =
underwing to the would be Loons and eliminated themselves from being the =
mystery species afloat nearby. =20
I was alone in the field today but imagine if my wife reads this post in =
the morning I'll have her company at the lake tomorrow! We began our =
"serious birding" in March '02 at the S. Holston Lake area and the =
Common Loon was on our target list from the first trip. Carol still =
doesn't (despite the exhaustive effort of Don Holt and others) have one =
on her state list and she still greatly desires one. =20

'Til we bird again

Rack Cross
Blountville, TN

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