FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] AR-TN-MS / Bird Bonanza / with Feruginous Hawk

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

DEC. 1, 2007
Crittenden Co. AR
Shelby Co. TN
Tunica Co. TN
 
Christmas came today in all three states, at least for Mike Todd and the  
Ol'Coot........... We started with 2 Adult PEREGRINE FALCONS perched up on 
Dacus  
Bar, then 6 Buffleheads floating down the river with an immature, male SURF  
SCOTER. This bird took flights up and down the river in front of us. Mike  
spotted another dark duck on the far side of the river, under the bridge (the  
bird was in AR waters) and it turned into a female/immature type BLACK SCOTER  
that eventually moved into TN waters. We went to Presidents Island passing the  
11,000 runners doing the St. Jude Run going in the opposite direction, with  
us feeling like Salmon going against the current. There we had over 3,000+  
Eurasian Collared Doves at the numerous grain elevators.
 
At TVA Lake in Ensley Bottoms, we counted 300+ Lesser Scaup, 72 Greater  
Scaup, another BLACK SCOTER hiding with head tucked, 14 Redhead, 12 Hooded,  16 
Ring-necked, 12 Gadwall, 2 Canvasback, Coots, Pied-billed Grebes and 24  
Ring-billed Gulls, 2 DC Cormorants on the water and strings going  overhead. 
 
At Robco and Coro Lakes we photographed a late OSPREY. Then started  scopeing 
through the 8,000 Lesser Scaup ( we both agreed there were probably  many 
more than that) only 50 Greaters that we could see, plus 350 Ring-necked,  21 
Gadwall, 2 Green-winged Teal, 1,000 Ruddy, 12 Canvasback, 12 Bufflehead, 4  
Shoveler, 5 Pied-bill, 21 DC Cormorants and 200+ Ring-billed Gulls.
 
In Tunica Co. Mississippi, we ran up on Gene and Shannon Knight looking  over 
a huge flock of gulls near the dump. We ended up estimating a mere 10,000  
gulls in view at one time. Mike came up with an immature THAYER'S and I soon  
added another. We had both standing next to each other and in flight for  
comparison with the Herring Gulls present. The last time I was with Gene and  
Shannon down there we had 2 Thayer's a couple of years ago. We all got pretty  
good 
photos of these MS rarities. For the day Mike picked up a Light Morph  
Harlan's which is a real rare bird, we also had a dark Harlan's and a dark 
morph  
plus adult and immature Krider's Red-tails.
 
We went over to the area where I had found 3 immature and 1 dark  morph 
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK a couple of weeks ago. We soon had the 3 immature  birds in 
view 
at one time and then I picked up on a distant bird heading  right at us 
showing a white leading edge to it's wings, when it landed  BINGO. it was an 
adult 
Light Morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. That makes 5 different  Rough-legs seen in this 
one field. 
 
Not to be out done, Gene picked up another bird and this time when it cut  
right across in front of us we all three yelled FERRUGINOUS as we viewed both  
upper and lower wing pattern plus the tail color. The bird kept going  east, 
I'll look for it tomorrow. This is the same field that I found the  Ferruginous 
Hawk in on December 31, 2004!!
 
Mike and I decided we would put the Harriers to bed in a nearby field, but  
suddenly we heard the SANDHILL CRANES  going to roost and had 33 pass by.  We 
lost count of Harriers diving into the straw stubble at 46 when Mike spotted  
an AMERICAN BITTERN dropping in the same field. We then had over 24  fluttering 
and calling SHORT-EARED OWLS. I managed to call in one that hovered  over my 
head trying to figure out where that squeaky mouse was hiding and I got  one 
photo with my flash.
 
It was one HECK of a birding day!!!!! Great Birds and GREAT  
Company............  
Good Birding  !!!

Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6300 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135
http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/
What is this feathered thing that  lifts my heart to the heavens.




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