[tn-bird] Bell's Vireos, Wood Storks, and Spoonbill! 8/27/02

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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