[Bristol-Birds] Scoter Hunters (Watchers)

Reports of a possible Harlequin duck brought out six bird hunters (watchers) to 
East Tennessee's South Holston Lake in the county of Sullivan.  The possible 
Harlequin was spotted at Musick's Campground but was seen at a great distance 
and not positively IDed.  After Don Holt, Dianne Draper, Rick Knight, Wallace 
Coffey, Larry McDaniel, and Rob Biller converged at Musick's Campground, Rob 
and Don proceeded over to Painted Creek Boat Ramp to check that part of the 
lake because that was the direction the duck was last seen heading toward from 
Musicks.  Don and Rob spotted an odd duck that they couldn't get a  handle on 
and decided to walk out the newly dried sandbar created at the lake is being 
drawn down.  When the two had walked out closer they set back up the telescope 
and relocated the bird.  After finding the bird with some Pied-billed Grebes 
(about twice the size) they knew that they had a Scoter but because of the 
sun's position in the sky (right in the path the two hunters [watchers] were 
looking) they were not able to ID it down any further.  The two re-positioned 
their angle but before another good luck could be had, a boat came right across 
where the grebes and duck was sending the Scoter airborne.  The bird first flew 
toward Observation Knob Recreational Area then banked back over top of the two 
hunters (watchers).  As they watched the bird fly out of sight toward Musick's 
Campground, the two quickly grabbed their cell phones and relayed what was 
coming their way to Dianne, Wallace, Larry, and Rick. The four hunters 
(watchers) picked up the bird on the wing but it flew on past them and landed 
behind Egret Island.  Egret Island being part of the exposed lake bed just on 
the north side of the look out point at Musick's (not where the 6 Great Egrets 
were sitting, which was in between Musick's  Campground and Painted Creek Boat 
ramp in a cluster of small trees...).  Before long the duck came out from 
behind Egret Island  and the four had IDed the duck as a Surf Scoter (first 
year female, I believe which could account for why it looked like a Harlequin 
Duck at an extreme distance.)  This information was provided to the two hunters 
(watchers) when they arrived back at Musick's and the two were also offered 
great looks for their efforts.

Rob Biller
Elizabaethton, TN
*************************************************
       BRISTOL BIRDS NET LIST
Bristol Birds Net Photo Gallery located at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/ph/jwcoffeyy/album?.dir=/efd5

Be sure and visit the Bristol Bird Club website at:
http://bristolbirdclub.org

This is a regional birding list sponsored by the
Bristol Bird Club to facilitate communications
between birders and bird clubs of Southwest Virginia
and Northeast Tennessee.
--------------------------------------------------
You are subscribed to Bristol-Birds.
To post to this mailing list, simply send an email
to: bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, send
an email to bristol-birds-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with
the one word 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
--------------------------------------------------
       Wallace Coffey, Moderator
         wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
           (423)764-****

Other related posts: