[tn-bird] Bell's Vireos, Wood Storks, and Spoonbill! 8/27/02
- From: Mikectodd@xxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 13:24:06 EDT
I began a long circuit of West TN yesterday at Black Bayou early in the
morning. While standing atop the levee going behind the pumphouse, I was
scoping the only water left going through the few shorebirds that were there.
I heard a brief, distant snappet of song that made me think "that sure
sounded like a Bell's Vireo" and I didn't think any more of it. A couple of
minutes later I heard the song again and though "That IS a Bell's Vireo!". It
took a little while to find the singer, and in the process a second bird was
seen. I've been in this area several times this summer, but these birds
easily could have bred here. If it had been another 100 yards away when it
first started singing I would never have heard it. I have very little
experience with this species (once in Kentucky) but these thick olive groves
would seem to be very good habitat for Bell's. As Nancy mentioned we were
back in the area at about 10:30 or so and immediately found the singing bird
again.
I had planned on birding most of the good spots in the Reelfoot area, and
then heading down to Memphis to see some of Jeff's birds. After spending the
morning with the Vireo's time was becoming a factor so I headed south. I made
a quick trip through the Pits, with the only good birds being the Willet and
a gorgeous young Baird's up at TVA Lake (hoping for the Avocet for a year
bird but no luck). It's been said several times lately, but the juvenile
peeps that are coming through now are stunning. The almost orange young
Least, frosty-headed red-scapped Western's, and scaly-backed buff Semis are
a treat. I only saw 2 Stilt Sandpipers and few Lesser Yellowlegs where Jeff
had a boatload of each over the weekend. I had 14 species of shorebirds while
there.
I spent about 3 hours at Mud Lake and Cocklebur Lake. The Wood Storks are
very predictable in the top of the tall Cypress as Jeff said. The most Storks
I ever had at a time was 46, but this wasn't all of them by any means. This
place is mouth-watering and EXTREMELY frustrating at the same time. I was
there late that afternoon when the birds started coming into roost, and this
is easily the most waders I've EVER seen in one spot, thousands upon
thousands of birds. But you have to look at this through tiny gaps in the
trees which give you at most a few seconds to check the birds out as they fly
through the gap. I did get a brief look at one of the young Spoonbills, this
time flying west to east. I couldn't pick up any pink on the bird at all, but
the outstretched neck and spatulate bill gave it away. I also had a juvenile
White Ibis give me a fly-by. There is literally no telling what is in this
area. While looking for a hole to see into Cocklebur Lake, I had a nice
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher working the edge.
Good birding!!!!!!!!
Mike Todd
McKenzie,TN
Carroll Co.
mikectodd@xxxxxx
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