FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Dutch Bottoms - 8! Baird's SP

[K Dean EDWARDS <kde@xxxxxxx>]

Made a quick run to Dutch Bottoms in Cocke Co, TN for about 3 hrs
Sunday morning (9 Sept).  I birded from shore so I'm sure there
were a lot more birds that could have been found by canoe but I
did ok.  Today, all the birds visible from the shore were seen
in the creek and "cove" right at the lakebed access point that
is 2.8 miles past Walters Bridge on Hwy 25E (Exit 8, I-81).
From the access point, just drive straight back as far as dry mud
allows and you are willing to drive then you can walk a bit further...
standard warning, avoid the dark mud... it is like quicksand.
4-wheel drive is preferred, but as long as you have high ground
clearance and brave the rocks, limbs, and mud... you should be
ok... just use common sense.

Many of the birds here were seen pretty close but a scope is
certainly required.  I flushed 8 Buff-breasted Sandpipers when
I got out of the truck that were hiding in the mud about 20 ft
away.

I drove a good 1.5 - 2 miles up the lakebed but found no other
shorebirds visible from the shore.

Highlight of the day was definitely 8 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERs seen
at close range (50-100 ft).  This is a personal high count and
a good percentage of the total number of Baird's I've ever seen.
A great number for East TN if not a record count.  All were
bright, scaly juveniles.

A large number (100+) Mallards have gathered near Walters Bridge
again.  This is the spot and time of year that I found a Mottled Duck
in with 200+ Mallards last year.  I scanned the flock but all looked
to be Mallards and Mallard-mutts.  Folks should keep watch on this
flock to see if the Mottled returns.  Of course, the lake was about
30 ft higher this time last year.


Highlights:

Canada Goose, many
Mallard, 100+ at Walters Bridge
Double-crested Cormorant, ~20
Great Blue Heron, 50+
Great Egret, 50+

Killdeer, 100+
Lesser Yellowlegs, 4
Solitary Sandpiper, at least 3
Spotted Sandpiper, 1
SANDERLING, 1
Semipalmated Sandpiper, ~20
Western Sandpiper, ~5
Least Sandpiper, ~40
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, 8!  A personal high count
Pectoral Sandpiper, ~6
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, 8

Ring-billed Gull, 3

Tree Swallow, 100+
N Rough-winged Swallow, at least 1
BANK SWALLOW, 20+
Cliff Swallow, at least 1, tried for Cave but no luck


On a different note, while we were cheering on the Big Orange
Saturday night (8 Sept), at least 40 Common Nighthawks were
putting on a show of their own at Neyland Stadium.  They
replaced the 20 or so Chimney Swifts from the day-shift
at the beginning of the game.

Dean Edwards
Knoxville, TN


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