FreeLists / tn-bird / [tn-bird] Chasing Lili - part one

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

Oct. 4, 2002
Memphis, Shelby Co.
Pickwick Dam, McNairy-Hardin Co.
Pace Point area, Henry Co. TN

I listened to Lili as she knocked on my windows in the late hours on Thursday 
and through the early morning on Friday. She was like a siren calling, asking 
for my attention and making my mind reel as to where she might bestow her 
gifts. I knew she was crossing from LA and Ark into MS around the Lake Chicot 
area and would curve north east and slide past Memphis to the East. I had to 
make a few appearances for work Friday, so I decided to start on the 
Mississippi River early and play it by ear from there.

The wind was blowing more than briskly at the parking lot on Mud Island and 
the gray clouds covered the sky from horizon to horizon. The first birds I 
see are the hundreds of Tree Swallows again skimming just over the surface of 
the water and slightly fewer Chimney Swifts darting just below the gray 
clouds. I found 2 Caspian Terns and a flock of 24 American White Pelicans 
across the river. The Caspian Terns were hugging the sandbar but the pelicans 
were going with the flow, circling high and drifting to the North. A few DC 
Cormorants braved the winds and occasionally traded places to shelter. 

I checked a job and delivered checks and returned to scan the skies but the 
Caspian still hung to the sand and the pelicans were somewhere near the 
Hatchie by then. There had been a change, as the swallows were not to be seen 
and the swifts had dropped down and were now feeding just above the water. I 
decided Pickwick Dam would be my next stop.

At Pickwick the sun was shinning but the wind still fled from the South and 
few birds were flying. A small group of sterna type terns fed far to the 
south and a single immature Laughing Gull in very brown immature plumage was 
the only evidence of Lili's recent passage. After 45 minutes of scanning I 
left to head to the other side of the state and Pace Point.

Arriving at Big Sandy about 5 PM, I hurried toward the Point, stopping at 
Lick Creek and finding absolutely nothing my heart sank, had Lile forsaken me 
in my hour of need? Next I checked Granny's Landing and again, NOTHING, 
except for a few DC Cormorants leaning into to the wind as they perched on 
the towers.

It was getting late and I decided to go to Rocky Point on the Big Sandy side 
of the point to catch the birds coming to roost. When I turned in I knew I 
had made the right decision. There were birds everywhere, mostly Ring-billed 
Gulls facing into the south wind and hovering just above the water. Some 
birds were already settling down and forming the roost site in the rough 
water while most kited in the wind and looked for wind driven food on the 
choppy surface. I soon came across a single Franklin's Gull, certainly not a 
gift from Lili but a welcomed year bird. Large dancing flocks of terns 
flitted and dove into the water and even a few Herring Gulls lumbered around 
bullying any successful forager.

Then it happened, over a windrow of flotsam came a dark bird with a steady 
determined flight followed by another about 30 yards behind. The birds were 
dark (sooty dark), white underneath with nice black forked tails that were 
seen when the birds wheeled to rework an area for the second time. Here were 
the birds that would justify the long drive and make Lili a name to remember. 
The first bird actually settled on the bounding material strung out across 
the water and bobbed in and out of view for a few moments. I looked for the 
second bird but could not find it but the first bird now streaked across my 
field of view, heading swiftly with wind back from where it came. It was soon 
joined in my field of view by the second bird and after about 5 minutes both 
disappeared to the north and into the dark tree line of the far shore. With 
more scanning I picked up what was possibly the third bird to the west of 
where the other two had disappeared and it too was heading northeast. I 
continued to scan and picked up still another dark bird but it was larger and 
too powerful in flight. It was diving and chasing one of the many gulls and 
terns. It had to be a jaeger but it was soon lost from sight. 

I called a few birders to spread the word and Hap Chambers informed me that 
Dave Roamer had found 2 Sooty Terns at the dams just north in Kentucky and 
they had enjoyed them through the afternoon. I was told the next day that he 
too had had a possible third bird. Another Sooty was reported Friday on the 
Mississippi River near Greenwood, MS. How many did we miss?

Lile was good to me after all............now the long wait. 

Good Birding!!!

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


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