FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Common Moorhen at Chickasaw NWR

[<birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

5/5/08
Mississippi River area of Lauderdale, Dyer & Lake Co
Reelfoot Lake (Keystone area) Lake Co
I made a pretty unproductive trip birding along the Mississippi today. 
Highlight was an ultra-cooperative Common Moorhen at Chickasaw NWR. I seldom 
get this species anymore in TN, doing good to get one a year, and not always 
that. They were regular at Reelfoot not too many years ago.

The Moorhen was 1st seen this morning, in the company of 6 Coots in a small 
vegetated pool alongside Dee Webb Rd, about a mile from the west end where it 
intersects Hales Point Barr Rd. The Moorhen and Coots quickly retreated this 
morning when I stopped, moving out of sight in the dry vegetation behind the 
pool.  This pool is on the north side of the road, and there is a ditch running 
from the south side of the road, out into a fairly large flooded field. This is 
the only place like this on the west end of the road. Also here this morning 
was an immature Peregrine sitting in a large tree in one of the fields.

I came back by this location later in the afternoon, and the Moorhen and Coots 
were back out in the open. I sat there in the car for about 30 minutes, and 
they paid me no attention this time, staying out in the open most of the time. 
At times the Moorhen was less than 10 yards from my car, at times out of sight 
because of the angle I was looking at. It finally decided to cross the gravel 
road in front of me, and got down in the ditch going out to the flooded stubble 
field. This is where it was heading when I left. 

Otherwise, not much going on today. I did get a few year birds though. 
Bobolinks (finally), Philadelphia Vireo, after hearing a couple of birds that 
were surely Phillies, but not being able to find them; this singing bird was 
more cooperative. Warblers were highlighted by Orange-crowned and Wilson's, 
both FOS for me. TN and Blackpoll, along with Yellow-rumped were by far the 
most common transient warblers today. Only other ones of any interest were 
Nashville, Cape May, and Chestnut-sided. 

Shorebirding was terrible. Either too much water in traditional good areas near 
the Obion River, or most other areas are about dry. I had only 10 species for 
the day, with only a handful of any of them. A nice breeding-plumage 
Black-bellied Plover near Ridgely was the only one of note. A look at the lake 
produced several Forster's Terns and Ring-bills, but nothing else.  

I have posted several photos of the Moorhen, as well as of a couple of warblers 
that were cooperative from today. If interested, the new images start here: 
http://www.pbase.com/mctodd/image/96653758 , the 1st couple of shots of the 
Moorhen are a little farther off, then the closer shots. 

Good Birding!!

Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxx
www.pbse.com/mctodd



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