FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Scoter sweep, etc. KY Lake; 11/11/06

[<birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

11/11/06
Kentucky Lake areas of Henry Co.
Included: Pace Point area, Britton Ford, Eagle Creek, Trailer Rd

It was a great day to be along on the field trip to KY Lake that NTOS got 
together for today. The weather wasn't particularly good, but it didn't show 
the birding down any. I believe almost everyone along got at least one state 
bird, many got several, and a few lifers were had today. Highlights were 
many, and as follows:

Scoter Trifecta: The immature WHITE-WINGED that has been hanging around off 
the northeast side of Pace Point was still there, and it has now been joined 
by an adult male White-winged. This was my 1st adult male of this species, 
and a bird that I'd wanted to see for a long-time. When we got to Britton 
Ford late in the day, I picked up 4 sleeping Scoters out in the bay below 
the observation deck. These were 3 immature SURF SCOTERS and 1 
female-plumage BLACK SCOTER. These birds evidently came in with the front, 
as they weren't in this location yesterday. I've had 2 Scoters in a day a 
few times in TN, but this was my 1st with all 3 species. The White-winged 
was the 1st adult male of any species I've seen in TN.

Regarding other waterfowl, Scaup numbers are growing by the day, with many 
more Greater Scaup than were in the Pace Point earlier this week. Redheads 
are still around at several locations as well. Geese are still virtually 
absent from the area however.

Common Loon: numbers seem down from earlier in the week, but still probably 
300-400 in the area. We tried from Rocky Point this morning, but conditions 
were terrible with only scattered loons. Just before dark we hit Trailer Rd, 
with calm water and had about 120 Common Loons in this area, and at least 
this many loons were visible in the shimmer back towards Rocky Point. A 
small pod of loons was literally only about 25 feet offshore from us, 
possibly my best looks ever at Common Loons. The scalloping on the juvenile 
birds was exquisite. No unusual loons again today though.

WESTERN GREBE- The Western was hanging around inshore again in the bay just 
west of Pace Point, in front of the big raft of sleeping ducks that's always 
in the area. This is the same area that 2 Westerns stayed much of last 
winter. This bird was a TN bird or lifer for many on the trip.

RED-NECKED GREBE- When I 1st picked the Red-necked up today, it was again 
asleep in the middle of the bird raft of Scaup and Ruddies. There was a lot 
of bouncing around today in rough water, and it could be hard to pick up at 
times. It slept most of the time we watched it, but everyone eventually got 
to see it with its head up. This bird also bolstered a few state lists 
today!

Greater Yellowlegs- The only shorebirds the group had other than Killdeer 
were 2 Greater Yellowlegs at Pace Point. Some members of the group saw some 
smaller shorebirds in flight in the Pace Point area that were thought to be 
Dunlin.

LAUGHING GULL- The only gull seen beside the 3 expected species was a 
basic-adult Laughing Gull that was constantly working around the Pace Point 
area. Most of the birds I've had up here recently have been rather 
ratty-looking 1st-winter birds, it was nice to have this sharp adult bird 
for a change. We didn't make it over to Paris Landing to see if the Lesser 
Black-backed or anything else might be in the area.

LeConte's Sparrow- This bird was high on several people's wish list. There 
is a great field there now, and we had several good looks at flushing birds 
that flew within a few feet of some people. We never did get one worked up 
into any cover, or get one to sit up. The high wind definitely didn't help 
the cause any, but everyone had satisfactory looks for the ID, but with a 
bird this beautiful our looks didn't do it justice.

Lincoln's Sparrow- We were working any area that is usually good for Fox 
Sparrows, trying to find one of our 'Red' Fox Sparrows for a visiting birder 
from Utah who hadn't seen this form yet. While we didn't get Fox, Ed Conrad, 
the visiting birder from Utah who is working with shorebird studies over the 
fall, picked up a Lincoln's. Honestly though, while it's getting a little 
late for Lincoln's, Ed was more impressed with the Swamp and Field Sparrows, 
as Lincoln's are a dime-a-dozen out west!

I've posted a couple of DISTANT photos of the sleeping Scoters on my website 
(if you are looking for a pretty shot, don't waste your time :"). They are 
in my KY Lake gallery, the 1st photo is at:
http://www.pbase.com/mctodd/image/70062804 , clicking 'next' will take you 
to the other shot. These distant, sleeping Scoters were tricky at times. The 
young Surfs with their dark cap and lighter face, at the right angle, would 
almost match the clean pale facial pattern of the Black, then the impression 
would go back to being a white spot on a darker face. On the sleeping Black, 
the impression was always a pale cheek contrasting with the dark crown, 
irregardless of angle.

Good Birding!!

Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.pbase.com/mctodd


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