[TN-Bird] Front Pushed Shorebirds
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2004 23:52:15 EDT
July 24-25, 2004
Lauderdale, Dyer Co. TN
In a short period of time, Chickasaw NWR has come a long way in providing
shorebirds with habitat and is fast becoming my second most favorite shorebird
place in TN. Shorebird numbers in the past few seasons there have grown fast,
with an impressive 3,000 Lesser Yellowlegs seen at one time this spring. As I
have always preached, consistent habitat will produce shorebirds, with rewards
realized over a surprisingly short period. Birds return in larger numbers and
more species each successive season. They have the best management program
going here in West TN. I hope they keep on the right track. This year, as
everywhere, they have had to contend with the high Mississippi River but
preparation
the year before paid dividends. They understand they have a way to go but they
are on the right track.
I finally got to Chickasaw NWR in Lauderdale Co. late in the afternoon
Saturday because of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher nest in Memphis. There were
shorebirds spread out all over two of the pools. I estimated 4-500 Killdeer
alone
and I had time for only a quick tour to note anything different. Nothing stood
out and there were 10 shorebird species counted. The White Pelican numbers had
dropped to 6 but I'd guess they are coming in and out from the Mississippi
backwaters. I decided to return and do a close count on Sunday, AM.
The best laid plans off times go astray. I woke up to thunder, lightening and
pouring rain early Sunday and knew I did not want to take the long walk to
the pools carrying a tripod.
I headed north up the Great River Road in the rain and found the following:
In the prairie grass fields on the south side of White Lake Refuge, I enjoyed
spending some time with a family of Grasshopper Sparrows. The 2 adults and 4
young were playing up and down the wet gravel road, riding seed heads down,
feeding and then splashing in the puddles. They would chase each other and some
approached my truck and disappeared out of sight in front of my hood. Field
Sparrows were also enjoying this much neglected habitat that is being replanted
successfully but on far too few acres. I love prairie grass
fields............sparrows do too!
The wet areas on the refuge have dried, grown up or been plowed and presented
little or no shorebird habitat. A little to the north in the middle of a
soybean field I found; 16 Killdeer, 14 Black-necked stilts (8 adult and 6
immature), 3 Lesser Yellowlegs, 48 Least Sandpipers, 2 Pectoral and 1
Short-billed
Dowitcher. At 79 Highway and the Great River Road, I had 34 Killdeer, 3 Lesser
Yellowlegs, 4 Solitary, 1 Spotted, 41 Least Sandpiper, 9 Semipalmated
Sandpiper,
7 Pectoral and 9 Stilt.
The rain stopped and I headed back south to Chickasaw NWR. The wind was out
of the southwest and the skies overcast, so the walk out was almost perfect.
The problem was that the storm front had swept away 2/3 of the shorebirds seen
late Saturday. The 6 American White Pelicans were still present and good
numbers of the regular egrets and herons but shorebird numbers were way down. I
walked around two of the ponds and sat down and counted the following
shorebirds:
Killdeer - 115, Semipalmated Plover - 7, Black-necked Stilt - 2 (both males),
Greater Yellowlegs - 1, Lesser Yellowlegs - 14, Solitary Sandpiper - 31,
Spotted Sandpiper - 7, Semipalmated Sandpiper - 26, Western Sandpiper - 3,
Least
Sandpiper - 373, Pectoral sandpiper - 148, Stilt Sandpiper - 12 and
Short-billed Dowitcher - 3. I just wish I'd had a chance to count on Saturday
The wind suddenly changed and came out of the northwest and a black cloud was
coming my way. I did the Ol'Coot shuffle, that's just leaning way forward and
trying to keep my feet under me. I made it to the truck with a few minutes to
spare.
Shorebirds are on the MOVE!!!!
Good Birding!!!
Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA
Bartlett, TN
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