[tn-bird] Eurasian Wigeon & etc., Henry Co. (long)

A days birding my usual haunts around KY Lake in Henry and Benton Co. 
produced a couple of nice surprises. As Mark Greene reported earlier, I had a 
beautiful male Eurasian Wigeon from the overlook at Britton Ford Unit of TNWR 
at about noon. I had been at the overlook for about an hour just going 
through the birds (couldn't help but admire the Cans and Redheads for a 
little while), and was about to leave when I scoped across the unmistakable 
buff forehead on an exquisite red head of a male Eurasian Wigeon. The bird 
was swimming directly at me in the distance with 3 male and a female American 
in the same traveling party. After a few minutes of just watching this 
special guest, I attempted to get some photos, which with the distance and 
wind came out mediocre at best, but ID'able. They don't do any justice to the 
beauty of this bird though. 

Shortly afterwards the 5 Wigeon took flight and circled the bay a couple of 
times before dropping back down out of sight behind the point separating this 
bay and the next bay to the north. I decided to leave and check a couple of 
other spots before returning later in the afternoon to try and relocate the 
Eurasian.

Earlier in the morning, the Pace Point area produced an adult/subadult type 
Golden Eagle perched keeping an eye on the few ducks in the bay behind the 
maintenance sheds. Most of the easier misses we had from the Big Day run on 
Saturday were of course in the area  waiting to be seen. I went through a lot 
of loons but was unable to pick out a Pacific or Red-throated Loon today, a 
few of the Commons have spots coming in on the back though. Port Road and 
Paris Landing didn't produce anything of note so I returned to Britton Ford.

Anyone who tries for the Eurasian, take note that there are still a lot of 
birds on the refuge, and if it's not in the bay at the observation platform, 
could be anywhere. Other birds of note at Britton Ford were 162 Greater 
White-fronts (I'm sure I missed some) and 4 Snow Geese with the multitudes of 
Canada Geese. A little tromping once again got a LeConte's to flutter up out 
of the panicum. At least a thousand Ring-necked Ducks are in the bay, and no 
amount of looking today could turn one into a Tufted. Another interesting 
duck was a Mallard x American Black cross, which unlike the Eurasian Wigeon, 
was nice enough to stay put long enough for me to get a decent shot of it. At 
about 5:30 this afternoon, once again just as I was about to leave the 
observation tower, I came across the male Eurasian again. This time he was 
pretty much doing his own thing, and while I observed it swam out of sight 
around the north point. This is the same location it flew into earlier in the 
day. I'll try and get back over to Britton Ford this week again to see if the 
Eurasian hangs around.

Good birding!!!!!!!

Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
Carroll Co.
mikectodd@xxxxxx
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