FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Great start to the New Year!

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

Jan. 1, 2004
Memphis to Reelfoot
160 miles - 94 species
My New Year started when I awoke to the low hooting of a Great Horned Owl at 
1:40 AM just outside my window. A fine, sunny morning broke as I turned out of 
the driveway but that only lasted till noon when the clouds drifted over and 
it progressively got worse. I ended at Reelfoot in Burnt Woods at 5:30 with a 
pouring rain plus unexpected flashes of lightening rumbling across the sky, a 
Barred Owl and a Screech were vying for a spot on the list.

I had headed north in the morning, ticking off the usual road side species 
and at Covington had 6 American Kestrels in view at one time in an area that 
normally has 2 nesting pair during the summer. The Kestrel total ended at 28 
for 
the day; I tallied 27 on the last trip up there. Loggerhead Shrikes could only 
muster about half that number, a little down from normal.

At Halls, I studied a large 1000 plus flock of Lapland Longspurs, clod 
hopping in a plowed cornfield plus Pipits in the cottonseed waste piles and a 
surprise pair of Western Meadowlarks my first in a few years at that location.

At Lauderdale Waterfowl Refuge, a good bit of time was spent scanning the 
large aggregation of waterfowl and produced 17 SPECIES including 4 species of 
geese, 7 Canvasback and a lone Redhead. The normal complement of Red-tailed 
Hawks, Harriers and a single adult Bald Eagle scavenged for cripples as the 
provider gunshots roared in the background.

In the Obion River Bottoms, I had a line of 17 Wild Turkeys taking a New Year 
stroll and at my favorite sparrow area in the Bogota Bottoms, I had a nice 
selection of birds all found in their appropriate niches with 2 LeConte's and a 
bonus Short-eared Owl that flushed from within feet of the same place it 
roosted on my last visit a month ago. The sparrow species for the day ended at 
10, 
plus numerous Juncos with Nancy Moore later showing me 4 Trees and a Fox in a 
location she had them LAST YEAR (Monday).

At Reelfoot Lake I added 3 more species of ducks for a day total of 20 plus a 
single White Pelican, probably an injured bird as there was one counted in 
the same area on the CBC. I hunted the south portion of the lake from Champy 
Pocket to Samburg TWICE without finding a loon and then on the last pass at 
Champy, I located my only Horned Grebe.

The wind was up and the clouds were down as I picked up Nancy to bird the Air 
Park area. Our very first bird was that outstanding VERMILION FLYCATCHER, 
that so many have enjoyed but try as we might, no Northern Waterthrush, Orange 
Crowned Warbler nor Creeper that she had the first of the week. Overall numbers 
of ducks are way down but still hunters everywhere.

We found another 14 species in the rainy afternoon, with Least Sandpipers a 
surprise but no countable Dunlin, although a distant flock of birds hurrying 
away from us, across a Rice field, were probably that species. Western 
Meadowlarks were seen briefly again as they changed grass patches and a few 
Rusty 
Blackbirds were gleaned from the huge flocks of birds congregating in the rice 
fields but no Brewer's.

Lots of holes in the winter bird list yet to be filled but lots of luck 
produced singles for Turkey Vulture, Cooper's Hawk, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE 
(this is 
the second time I could find only one up there but then no House Finches at 
all) among others for my fresh, fledgling year list.

As my Dad would have said, "It was a DAMP fine day";o)
May your New Year be filled with many marvelous feathered wonders,


Good Birding!!!

Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA
Bartlett, TN


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