[TN-Bird] Five Roseate Spoonbills Plus

July 26, 2005
Highway 157
North of Fish Gap Road
Obion Co. TN
 
Since I don't have any good photos of a Roseate Spoonbill in TN, how could  I 
pass up a chance at Five. These birds were first located by the Reelfoot NWR  
manager on Monday morning, they are using one of the best little honey holes 
on  the northwest side of Reelfoot.
 
I left work a little after 4 PM this afternoon and as I turned the last  
corner at 6:45, I saw 2 Roseate Spoonbills flying south and over the tree line. 
 I 
figured I had missed the birds so I went about sorting through the egrets,  
herons and shorebirds present. After a couple of scans, two Roseate Spoonbills  
appeared from behind the flooded soybeans and shortly thereafter another was  
seen about 1/4 mile farther north in the same flooded area.
 
These three birds ended coming together and were close enough for some  
pretty good scope shots. I stayed till the birds lifted off to go to roost at  
7:42 
and followed then to a roost that I have never noticed before, it may be  
new. Anyway the birds flew south just like the first two I saw earlier and not  
north into KY. If this area dries up these birds may move up to Long  Point.
 
Also in the mix were; 3 Least Terns, 2 Pied-billed Grebe, 4 adult and 6  
immature Little Blue Herons, 2 Snowy, I Great Blue and 7 Great Egrets. In the  
shorebird line there were; Killdeer,  2 Greater Yellowlegs, 7 Lesser  
Yellowlegs, 
I spotted, 4 Solitary, 6 Least, 45 Pectoral and a single Stilt  Sandpiper.
 
Back home now 6-1/2 hours later and I'll try to post the photos. I'll  let 
you know when they are ready to view...........  

Good  Birding!!!

Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA
Bartlett,  TN

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