FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Warriors Path State Park American Golden Plover / Dunlin

["Rack Cross" <frogfarm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

18 NOV 02
Warriors Path State Park
Marina Area
Sullivan County, TN

Strange habitat is present at Warriors Path State Park due to repairs in 
progress to Ft. Patrick Henry Dam. Acre after acre of mudflat is exposed as a 
result of this severe drainage. Today around noon my attention was drawn to a 
Killdeer sized bird on this newly exposed mud that upon close examination I 
determined to be an American Golden Plover. The bird gave several Q - eeek 
calls and after about 15 minutes took off for a couple of laps around the 
marina area of the park before leaving my sight over the tree line. Unlike the 
Black-bellied Plover of similar looks this bird did not have the black 
"armpits" diagnostic of it's Black-bellied cousin. I learned while researching 
after this sighting that the Black-bellied Plover also has four toes, whereas, 
the American Golden Plover has only three toes. I did count this birds toes 
during my observation.

Nearby in the marina's largest "puddle" was a sleeping shorebird in the shallow 
water. The bird never woke to expose it's beak but I strongly suspect it was 
Dunlin.

This area my be worth keeping an eye on for next little while!

'Til we bird again

Rack Cross
Blountville, TN

*************************************************
       BRISTOL BIRDS NET LIST

This is a regional birding list sponsored by the
Bristol Bird Club to facilitate communications 
between birders and bird clubs of Southwest Virginia
and Northeast Tennessee.  It serves the Russell County
Bird Club, Herndon Chapter TOS, Chapter, Blue Ridge 
Birders Club, Butternut Nature Club, Buchanan County
Bird Club, Bristol Bird Club, Clinch Valley Bird Club
and Cumberland Nature Club.
--------------------------------------------------
You are subscribed to Bristol-Birds.
To post to this mailing list, simply send an email
to: bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, send
an email to bristol-birds-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with
the one word 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
--------------------------------------------------
       Wallace Coffey, Moderator
         jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx
           (423)764-3958