FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Super Shorebirds and Escaped Faconer's Peregrine.

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

Sept. 14, 2003
Ensley Bottoms
Shelby Co. TN

OOPS, I did it again, I under estimated the pits for numbers and excitement. 
There were more birds there today than yesterday, Lesser Yellowlegs numbers 
almost tripled, Stilt Sandpipers doubled. I found 2 more species today but lost 
two from yesterday but still 20 for the day and 22 for the weekend, not too 
shabby. I could not find the Willet nor the Black-bellied Plover from yesterday 
but did photograph an immature Red-necked Phalarope that slept all day (tired 
from a long journey?) and a perfectly feathered, juvenile Baird's Sandpiper.

The day was kept very exciting for all by a Peregrine Falcon. The kicker on 
that story, was that it was an escaped falconers bird which after 4 failed 
attempts at the shorebirds and especially giving Black-necked Stilts a go or 
two, 
it had to settle for a Starling.

In between forays the bird would sit out on the flats and Least Sandpipers 
would run all around it. The bird was in good feather and appeared to be 
healthy, the breast quite full but the crop was not distended, so it needed the 
meal. 
I was able to get close enough to read the numbers and letters on the green 
metal band on the left leg and I could see a few of the numbers on the large 
brass band on the right leg. Just above the brass band was its leather jesses. 
I'll try to locate the owner but this birds has been in the wild probably too 
long to go back.

Good Birding!!!

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


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