FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Immature White Ibis / Shorebirds at Chickasaw NWR-Lauderdale Co.

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

July 18, 2004
Chickasaw NWR
Lauderdale Co. TN
Fulton Co. KY

Among the numerous Herons and Egrets at Chickasaw, I located and photographed 
an immature White Ibis early Sunday, hiding back in the brush. Post breeding 
dispersal of immature waders is evidently getting on the way so be on alert. 
The numbers were down slightly but Great Egrets still out number the combined 
counts of Great Blue Herons, Snowy Egrets, Little Blue Herons, Cattle Green 
Heron and a single 2nd year plumaged Black-Crowned Night-Heron.

For mid July in the delta, it was like a spring walk, temps started in the 
70's and a light north breeze. Two Bald Eagles were seen, one bird of this 
years 
vintage and a 2nd year bird soared over at different times. Immature 
Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks were given fits by resident blackbirds and 
Fish 
Crows when they dared to venture out over the open areas. A Kestrel made a 
quick 
crossing of the wetlands and had the smaller shorebirds in the air a couple 
of times. This made counting much easier and I appreciate his efforts. No, 
Black-necked Stilts were seen on this trip, they may have escorted their young 
to 
less crowded feeding areas. Only Mallards, Woodies and Hoodies were noted in 
the waterfowl group.

American White Pelicans lolled around in one compound with 81 total. The 
shorebird list on the 3 hour walk consisted of: Killdeer - 537, Semipalmated 
Sandpiper -1, Greater Yellowlegs- 1, Lesser Yellowlegs - 1, Solitary Sandpiper 
- 1, 
Spotted Sandpiper - 5, Semipalmated Sandpiper - 21, Western Sandpiper - 4 
(one male in bright plumage I photographed, had the shortest bill I've ever 
seen 
on a Western, short billed males in basic plumage are one of the real 
challenges and many are overlooked - study, study, study structure and 
feathers, I'll 
share photos to those interested), Least Sandpiper - 197, Pectoral Sandpiper - 
68, Stilt Sandpiper - 1 and Short-billed Dowitcher - 1 is bright breeding 
plumage.

After the walk, a quick run to the north found very little habitat and few 
birds were seen, there is little to no habitat at White Lake Refuge or along 
the 
Great River Road, Mud Lake and Phillippy have all but dried up. 

Late, in Fulton Co. KY, I watched in fascination as Cliff Swallows flew in 
from every direction until one field was almost covered. There was only an 
occasional swallow of the other species but all were recorded. I tried to 
photograph the congregation but the distance prevented doing the numbers 
justice. I've 
seen larger numbers of Tree Swallows collect on the river later in the year 
but this was the largest number of Cliffs I've ever seen at one time, bar none. 
An estimate of 3,000 was about as close as I could come after blocking off 
sections two or three times. Occasionally they would boil up into the blue sky 
and reminded me of the huge flocks of Lapland Longspurs seen in north 
Mississippi during the winter. This was group small compared to the huge roosts 
or 
hundreds of thousands I've seen in Mexico and on the Mississippi, Louisiana 
Gulf 
Coast but for around here it was a spectacle.

In another field a pair of Black-necked Stilts held close to a nest hidden in 
a field. Both were photographed through the scope with their necks stuck 
above the vegetation during a change of nest duties. This nest will hatch this 
week.


Good Birding!!!

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


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