[Bristol-Birds] a Surf Scoter day

28 Oct 2008

The cold front passage  (made up of cold temps, wind, & snow flurries) grounded
a modest number of ducks & other waterbirds on waterways in NE Tenn.

Most notable of these were 10 Surf Scoters, scattered on 3 area lakes.  
Considering
that there were only 30 previous records in the 5-county area of NE Tenn., 
three more 
records in one day is significant.

The Surf Scoter sightings today:
5 at Steele Creek Park's lake, in Bristol  (found by Larry McDaniel);
2 on South Holston Lake at Musick's campground;
3 on Boone Lake.
All of these are in Sullivan Co.
-----------------------------------------------
other waterbirds observed on these lakes (& a couple other sites):
Wood Duck - 3
Gadwall - 12
Am. Wigeon - 6
Mallard - 6
Blue-wg. Teal - 2
N. Shoveler - 3
Green-wg. Teal - 2
Ring-nk. Duck - 110
Lsr. Scaup - 23
Hooded Merganser - 4
Ruddy Duck - 17   (12 species of ducks is not bad for Oct  in East Tenn)
Com. Loon - 3
Pied-billed Grebe - 82
Am. Coot - 350+
Bald Eagle - 2 ad.  (Austin Springs & lower Boone Lake)
Ring-billed Gull - 5  (few gulls have arrived locally thus far)
Tree Swallow - 16
Barn Swallow - 1 at Austin Springs - extends the late date in NE Tenn.
##############

Rick Knight
Johnson City, TN

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