FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Sunday and Monday Birds

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

Sept. 4-5, 2005
Ensley Bottoms
Mississippi River
Shelby Co. TN
 
In my report on Saturday's birds at Ensley, I left off 4 Semipalmated  
Plovers, my high number for the season. Has anyone else noted how low their  
numbers 
are this year? I usually can come up with 15-20 a day along the river  but 
this year they are as scarce as hens teeth?
 
I located 3 Buff-breasted on Sunday and Monday at the pits, there were  
probably more but they were all hiding in the pigweed. Monday, the numbers of  
Semipalmated and Western took a dive along with Pectoral Sandpipers. Everything 
 
seems to be moving on earlier this year. There was only a single immature Stilt 
 Sandpiper and the Lesser Yellowlegs had evidently departed.
 
Least Sandpipers are spread all over the flats in big time numbers and  tried 
to hide the single immature Baird's Sandpiper in their midst but the scope  
ferreted him out of the crowd.
 
Work has raised its ugly head and I miss the trips to the river but it is  up 
14 feet anyway so maybe I won't miss much. It IS time to sit on the  river 
and watch for the Sabine's Gulls that trip by so keep a watch out for  those 
and 
Long-tailed Jaegers..............  

Good  Birding!!!

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