FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Shelby Co. River Run

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

April 12, 2003

Chris Sloan was in town for a meeting and had Saturday open to bird. We spent 
a beautiful day easing around from Ensley Bottoms to Shelby Forest along the 
river for 10 hours. We were looking for a few First Of Season birds and 
filled a few slots on the year list. I prefer bad weather to put new birds 
down but the weather was almost to perfect, so no complaints.

We quit early so Chris could make the long haul home but ended with 99 
species for the day. Chris may have heard a couple that I did not. We had a 
Green Heron and a Black-crowned Night-Heron on the levee going into Ensley. 
Eight species of waterfowl but no Green-winged Teal, which were abundant last 
week. Broad-winged Hawks were heard and seen soaring all day, even a ragged 
looking immature sitting on a stump made the list. The Bald Eagle still sits 
on the nest in Ensley.

Eleven species of shorebirds included a single Semipalmated Plover but no 
Golden Plover. A first of the season Stilt Sandpiper was at TVA Lake. 
Black-necked Stilts are present in good numbers, I hope the habitat holds up 
as there is construction going on all around the pits. I heard a distant 
Upland Sandpiper calling at Ensley and Chris got to hear the bird call one 
last time before it quit. We could not get a visual of the bird in the 
extensive fields.

Bonaparte's and Ring-billed gulls were stacked up on a small sandbar on the 
river and were in the company of 2 Caspian Terns, FOS for both of us. FOS 
Eastern Kingbirds had come in and were found as singles or in small groups at 
most places we visited. A single Great Crested Flycatcher was heard at Shelby 
Forest. A House Wren was a FOS for Chris and was also seen at Shelby. Hermit 
Thrush numbers for the day topped out with 6 individuals. Four Vireo species 
and only 7 Warbler species were seen or heard but I bet a lot more come in 
over night when the winds come out of the south. Chris jumped a single Junco 
on the river front.

A nice easy, sunny spring day!!

Good Birding!!!

Jeff R. Wilson
OL' COOT / TLBA
Bartlett Tenn.


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