FreeLists / tn-bird / [tn-bird] TN August Big Day

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

Aug. 31, 2002 - Big Day Run
Mike Todd and Jeff Wilson

Shelby Co.- 
Mud Lake, North Lake, Ensley Bottoms
Dyer Co.- 
Everett's Lake, White Lake Refuge, TN-MO Levee
Dyersburg Shopping Center
Lake Co.- 
Reelfoot Lake, Black Bayou, Tiptonville Landing,
Island 13

6 AM till 8:30 PM - 235 miles

We left Memphis heading north at 12:30 PM with 100 species after 6-1/2 hours 
of running and it took 8 hours to get 20 more. THIRTY-FOUR species were 
represented by only 1 bird! Strategies changed throughout the day and a quick 
run back to Reelfoot Lake after sundown from a bleak walk out on Island 13, 
produced 3 quick species on the lake where we had added none before. We then 
tried and failed on the Tiptonville, Barn Owl and for the finale we had 6 
Common Nighthawks over the lights in Dyersburg.

We could stir up only 6 species of waterfowl, but 8 species of raptors on a 
day when nothing was flying was pretty good. We missed the Wood Storks and 
Roseate Spoonbills at Mud Lake. We had 15 species of shorebirds at Ensley 
with, Buff-breasted, Baird's and SB Dowitchers. One Ring-billed Gull and 3 
species of terns was low. Only three owl species but all the expected 
woodpeckers were found. Seven species of flycatchers and kingbirds and 4 
species of vireos made the list. A most unusual find by Mike was an Acadian 
sitting ON A NEST on the ridge above Ensley Bottoms.

All the swallow species and Purple Martins were seen but the only thrush 
species was American Robin. Nine species of warblers with some real treats in 
the bunch, like Nashville, Blackburnian, Prothonotary, Yellow and Blue-winged 
in the same tree and a pristine Canada, Parula, and Black and White at 
another stop. We only had warblers at 3 places. 

A single Dickcissel at White Lake Refuge made up for the lack of shorebirds 
there and the only sparrow species of the day was Field Sparrows at Black 
Bayou Refuge, where we enjoyed hearing and seeing the Bell's Vireo that 
evidently treated a lot of TN birders to their holiday bonus over the long 
weekend.

Our misses were too many to think about but we advanced the previous August 
record of 114 to an even 120 species.

Good Birding!!!

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


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