[TN-Bird] American Avocet, Ensley Bottoms, Maxson Wastewater Lagoons (The Pits)/Earth Complex, Aug 24, 2014
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- Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2014 19:01:32 -0400 (EDT)
This morning I saw an American Avocet among the whistling-ducks in one of the
central ponds at the Pits, Ensley Bottoms, Shelby County. When I left there I
drove directly to TVA Lake, where another avocet was resting on the far side,
with Canada Geese. I did not return to the Pits to see if this was a second
individual, but I had not seen birds on the wing as I made that short drive
from the lagoons to the lake.
Other birds are listed below; a single Canvasback and one Greater White-fronted
Goose remain where ducks and geese have been congregating, the big pond just
across from and west of Pit 1, where water is deeper. An amazing 77 adult
Black-bellied Whistling-ducks, with 29 youngsters in three distinct broods,
were on that first pond south of the center levee road. I drove everywhere and
tried to look at all the shorebirds, but glare (even when I first got there,
before 10 a.m.), heat shimmer, and something unseen that kept flushing the
birds, made that impossible.
Gail King
5595 Ashley Sq. N.
Memphis, TN 38120
"What is this feathered thing that lifts my heart to the heavens?" Jeff Wilson
Ensley Bottoms, Maxson Wastewater Lagoons (The Pits)/Earth Complex, Shelby,
US-TN
Aug 24, 2014 9:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments: Ducks and geese in center lagoons, where water is deeper;
shorebirds scattered about
25 species
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 114 Three broods of
11, 9, and 10 young, plus 77 adults, in the first two central ponds just across
(west) from the big lagoon (Big Stinky, Pit 1), where ducks and geese have
been
gathered all summer; others on another of the central ponds.
Greater White-fronted Goose 1 Single bird, with Canada
geese; did not see a second one reported by others. In center-area pond just
across (west) from the main lagoon (Pit 1), where ducks and geese have been
congregated.
Canada Goose 8
Wood Duck 5
Mallard 7
Canvasback 1 Presumably same individual reported by
others; with whistling-ducks in large central pond just across from Pit 1,
where
geese and ducks have been hanging out. Unmistakable head/bill shape; dull
brownish head, neck and breast; grayish body and wings.
Turkey Vulture 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1 Perched in oak at the corner of Buoy
Rd./Riverport Rd., at the covered pit: no other raptors seen
Black-necked Stilt 5
American Avocet 1 First seen with two stilts on
one of the interior central pits; later, it was with the duck/goose crowd in
the
central pond just west of big Pit 1. I did check the interior pit where I had
seen it before to decide it was probably the same bird. After seeing another
avocet on TVA lake a few minutes later, I did not come back here to make sure
that was a second bird, but I had not seen birds flying across as I was driving.
Killdeer X
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 6
Stilt Sandpiper 1 Pit 2. Long, drooping bill; long,
greenish legs; whitish eyebrow; white rump in flight
Least Sandpiper 600 Estimated; scattered all over;
more than 300 on the north edge of Pit 1; another 100 or so on last (nearly
dried up!) Pit 4; several groups of 15-30 elsewhere
Pectoral Sandpiper 200 Estimated again; scattered
about, as leasts; when I the birds were close or still enough to count there
were three leasts for every pectoral.
Semipalmated Sandpiper 25 Seemed to be one or two in
every bunch close enough to make out details in the glare and heat shimmer; far
out numbered though by leasts and pectorals. Thick-based, relatively short,
tubular bill, not long and droopy like western or thin and pointy like least;
capped appearance
Mourning Dove 9
Chimney Swift 11
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Perched in dead tree at
northwest-most center pit
Barn Swallow 5
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling X
House Finch 3 At maintenance sheds
House Sparrow 8 Maintenance sheds and Bouy Rd. wires
View this checklist online at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19562621
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
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