FreeLists / tn-bird / [tn-bird] Ensley Update

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

July 13, 2002
Ensley Bottoms
Shelby Co. TN
Crittenden Co. ARK

I spent a lot of time watching the Western Kingbirds after searching for them 
for about 45 minutes. I saw a total of 9 different birds and sorted them out 
as follows: one family group of 5 birds, another of 3 and a single bird.

The single bird was up by TVA Lake feeding from one of the towers. I first 
located part of the family of 5 just west of the leaf processing area 
harassing a shrike in a small bunch of willow trees. After the shrike left 
they continued foraging in these wormy willows and were joined by 2 others of 
this family which I believe were the last nest to hatch. While watching these 
birds I noticed a bird farther to the west along Riverport Road. When I went 
over to check it out I found that there were actually 3 birds interacting and 
feeding off the wires and down in the weeds. 

Along the levee I was able to photograph a Mom turkey and one of only 4, 2 
week old poults.

The shorebird numbers took a big leap up and finally after 2 hours came up 
with a Black-necked Stilt number (which I'm sure is a little short) of an 
amazing 307 birds of all sizes. There are still plenty of nests yet to hatch 
and some of the older young are already flying. I got a few more photos of 
some young just a few days old. I watched another nest that had hatched two 
and were waiting on two more. I could see the break in the shell on one of 
these eggs and the mother was just shading them and being very attentive.

Of course Killdeer were everywhere but I also had 3 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 
Western Sandpipers in molt, 42 Least and 73 Pectoral Sandpipers. Before I got 
down to Ensley I had had another Western and 2 Least Sandpipers on Dacus Bar. 
Later I went to the Clay Pits, across the river in Arkansas, and found a pair 
of Black-necked Stilts with a young bird about a week old plus 3 more adults. 
It's possible there is another bird still on a nest over there. I also had 4 
Greater Yellowlegs, another Western, 4 Least and 2 bright Short-billed 
Dowitchers. In a catch basin off the levee in Arkansas I also found 6 adult 
Black-necked Stilts. This area is only a few miles from the birds at the pits 
in Ensley Bottoms just across the river. I checked the area for any Western 
Kingbirds again but without success again. This is prime habitat near a major 
power switch station for those birds to try nesting but not yet. Maybe next 
year.......


Good Birding!!!

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


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

The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
-----------------------------------------------------
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.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
     Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
          web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
        jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx      (423) 764-3958
=========================================================