FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Mississippi Sandbar Run

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

Aug. 6, 2005
Mississippi River
Shelby and Tipton Co. TN
Crittenden Co. AR
 
After watching all the species using the sandbars here along the water  
front, I finally got out on the water and visited the sites. Alex Albonetti,  a 
friend that duck hunts the river and knows it well, made an offer that I  could 
not refuse. He came away impressed with the diversity and was  very taken with 
the Black-necked Stilts. We were out just at daybreak  and surveyed Engineer's 
Bar (Ark) Dacus, Loosahatchie and Hickman  Bars plus Brandywine Island  (all 
but Hickman on the west side of the  river but in TN) to Densford Bar (on the 
east side of the river but actually in  AR). The Mississippi River navigation 
charts are essential if you want to know  what state you are in, (besides my 
normal state of confusion.)
 
There was a migration in progress all morning with fly by flocks of  
shorebirds and terns; some groups of shorebird stopping to preen and rest  
allowed 
close approach. Trudging across the loose sand reminded me of the good  old 
days 
at Island 13, before the river deposited too much sand there  and its approach 
now blocked by a hunting club. 
 
During the 6 hour adventure, we totaled 55 Black-necked Stilts in  family 
groups among the 15 species of shorebirds which also included; Am. Golden  
Plover, Semipalmated Plover, lots of Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Willet,  
Sanderling and a group of BUFF BREASTED SANDPIPERS strolling through the 
Pigweed  on 
Hickman Bar.
 
Black Terns, adults and immature birds, were feeding again at Dacus Bar and  
a few singles were seen traveling down the river. The only other terns were 
the  Least with some still doing a little practice courting with males carrying 
 
around fish and offering them to uninterested females. On one bar we were  
attacked by a bunch of them as if there were late hatching young around. We  
immediately left the area much to their relief. 
 
We also saw the following raptors over or crossing the river; Osprey,  
Mississippi Kites, Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered, Red-tailed Hawk  
and 
Kestrel.  

Good  Birding!!!

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