FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Katrina's last Gasp?

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

Sept. 1, 2005
Dacus Bar, Mississippi River
Shelby Co. TN
 
Well, Katrina kept me breathless for 2 days with 3 new TN birds and a  
possible GREAT TN bird to be reviewed. Then, when I finally thought I could get 
 
some rest by going back to work, she did it again. I had to go down town this  
morning, playing catch up after playing hooky. Of course, I had to go by the  
river. There was nothing of interest when I pulled up except a few Least  and 
Black Terns. I started to leave when a string of 6 large terns came  flying in 
from behind the trees on Loosahatchie Bar. The fourth bird back,  look slimmer 
and sure enough it was a ROYAL TERN. They scattered about and I  whipped out 
the camera and even through heat waves and shooting across the  river, I got 
pretty good ID shots. I skimmed through the others but nothing  really caught 
my 
eye. The Royal preened a little and another bird had sidled up  to it but it 
was an immature and I did not pay it much attention as I  concentrated on the 
Royal.
 
The Royal got up and flew around fishing, giving me good looks at the  wing 
pattern, after a while it caught a fish and brought it back to the  sandbar and 
FED the young bird!!!!  That  just blew me away and I popped off a few more 
shots. Within a few minutes,  the Caspian Terns headed down river and the Royal 
fed the young bird again  before they too headed south. I never really got a 
good look at the immature  except from the back as it rested and was being fed 
but as they flew off, it  appeared to have the lighter forehead and was about 
the same size as the adult  Royal.
 
YOU JUST NEVER KNOW..........
 
 
 
Good  Birding!!!

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