FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and Godwits at "PITS"

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

May 8, 2008
Ensley Bottoms
Shelby Co. TN
 
I got a call from Robert Gooch about a small flock of Sandhill Cranes seen  
flying northwest down in the southwest corner of Memphis, just after the rain  
this AM. This is the 3rd occurrence of Sandhills in May that I know about in  
west TN.
 
Anyhow, I told him I was going to try to get down to the pits this  afternoon 
and he said he would meet me around 4:30 or 5. As I was pulling in, I  got a 
call from him about 2 Godwits that had flush and headed northward but  staying 
low and he had found a flock of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks on one of  the 
levees.
 
I scanned the new flooded ponds to the north and flushed two MARBLED  GODWITS 
from the central pond. They flew back to a weeded area but could be seen  
from the north gravel road. I hurried back to the back ponds and joined Robert, 
 
who had 16 LIFER BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS perch on a distant levee. We  
scoped these beauties and I started to see groups of shorebirds returning to 
the  marsh areas. It appeared that a Peregrine was around (confirmed later). We 
spent  a couple of hours getting good looks at two more lifers for him and I 
started  counting numbers and species.
 
18 Species of WIND BIRDS (*many hidden in weeds) consisting of the  
following: Semipalmated Plover - 3, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilts  (GOBS),  
Greater 
Yellowlegs - 1, Lesser Yellowlegs - 167+, Solitary  Sandpiper - 5, Spotted 
Sandpiper -2, MARBLED GODWIT -2, Semipalmated Sandpiper -  78+, Western 
Sandpiper 
-1, Least Sandpiper - 235+, White-rumped Sandpiper - 26,  Pectoral Sandpiper - 
60+, Dunlin - 8, Stilt Sandpiper 264+, Short-billed  Dowitcher 8, Long-billed 
Dowitcher - 1, WILSON'S PHALAROPE - 22 (14 Female - 8  male).
 
The Peregrine returned and stirred everybody, including the Whistling  Ducks, 
these flew back to the rear of the southeast pit and settled in and I  left 
them dozing. Hopefully they will hang for a while.....................  
Good Birding  !!!

Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6300 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135
http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/
What is this feathered thing that  lifts my heart to the heavens.




**************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family 
favorites at AOL Food.      
(http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)


=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================

The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with
first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation.
You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds
you report were seen.  The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should
appear in the first paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________
      To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
                    tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________ 
                To unsubscribe, send email to:
                 tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
            with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
______________________________________________________________
  TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society 
       Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
        endorse the views or opinions expressed
        by the members of this discussion group.
 
         Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
                 wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
                ------------------------------
                Assistant Moderator Andy Jones
                         Cleveland, OH
                -------------------------------
               Assistant Moderator Dave Worley
                          Rosedale, VA
__________________________________________________________
         
          Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
              web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                          ARCHIVES
 TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/

                       MAP RESOURCES
Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif
Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com

_____________________________________________________________