[TN-Bird] Hawk Migration / Ensley Bottoms

Sept. 27, 2003
Ensley Bottoms
Shelby Co. TN

Well, there was a continuance of the hawk migration that I witnessed Saturday 
on Sunday. After looking around through the shorebirds and finding a marked 
decrease in Semipalmated, Western and Pectoral Sandpipers and adding a basic 
plumaged LB Dowitcher for the weekend list, I started sky watching. 

It paid off between 8:45 and 11 AM with the following: American White Pelican 
- 253, DC Cormorant - 306, Sharp-shinned - 1, Cooper's - 2, Broad-winged 
Hawks - 33, Red-tail -6, Red-shouldered - 4, Bald Eagle -1 adult, Harrier -1, 
Osprey - 1, Black Vulture - 7, Turkey Vulture 1, and last but not least an 
immature tundrius Peregrine which took one of the few immature Pectoral 
Sandpipers 
left ("He who hesitates is lost") and sat out in the open to feed. It consumed 
wings and legs whole and left but a few bright feathers as evidence to the 
Pectoral's short existence.

This wanderer from the far north posed for a few photos and one shows its 
very long toes as it held its large foot extended. If interested I'll send 
photos 
if you drop me a line. This bird finished off its meal and went right back to 
hunting rather than resting, evidently needed more fuel for the trip. As 
usual an awesome display to behold. It also produced 3 Buff-breasted Sandpipers 
from their hiding places in the rutted fields.

Total raptor weekend - 11 species, Total weekend shorebird species - 15

Sunday morning, I woke up to the soft hoots of a male Great Horned Owl, looks 
like they will use the same perch outside my window to woo again this year;o) 
As Dean said about his latest yard bird and the CUBS "WOOOOHOOOO"

Good Birding!!!

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


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