FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Massive Pelican Movement South

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

Oct. 7, 2005
Mississippi river
Shelby Co. TN
Crittenden Co. AR
 
I arrived at the river this morning at 7:45 expecting to be there an hour,  
the birds had a different idea and I finally had to leave at 9:30. At first  
there was not much going on except for the good numbers of swifts and swallows  
dancing high and low. A single Cooper's Hawk and a Harrier floated south and  
then a single 2nd year Bald Eagle powered through. Three high flying groups of 
 ducks rode the brisk winds and two groups of water skimming, mixed flocks of 
174  birds contained just Blue-winged and Shoveler Ducks.
 
At 8:15 the real show started with a huge flock of White Pelicans  numbering 
about 1350 birds that slowly swirled and strung out over the  Loosahatchie 
Bar. This group was followed by 11 more flocks, ranging  in numbers from 24 to 
1120 birds with a few stragglers in between. My final  count was 4892 birds and 
I bet there are more still passing and that I also  missed a few flocks.
 
Two more Bald Eagles showed up, an immature traveler and probably one of  the 
Wapanocca adults that just circled over the north end of the bar. One of the  
resident Osprey just sat on a stump and ate a large fish and occasionally  
watched the parade overhead. Surprisingly only 2 long strings of DC  Cormorants 
came through, totaling 76 birds.
 
Back to the drawing board............;o(
 
Good Birding  !!!

Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6298 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135