[TN-Bird] Lauderdale to Reelfoot, 11/28/07 (long)
- From: "Todd, Michael C." <michael.c.todd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:15:46 -0600
11/28/07
Lauderdale Waterfowl Refuge/old Arnold Army Airfield location (Lauderdale
Co)
Great River Rd area (Dyer Co)
Reelfoot Lake area (Lake Co)
Long Point NWR (Fulton Co KY)
I spent an enjoyable, if not very productive, day yesterday making the
rounds from Lauderdale up to Reelfoot. I started at the sewage lagoons near
the Waterfowl Refuge. The only pond really visible with ducks on it had over
600 Northern Shovelers. The pond behind it had some variety and was covered,
but I could only see bits and pieces of the birds. At the old Army airfield,
I ran into a number of Lapland Longspurs, which continued throughout the
day. I enjoyed some up leisurely close looks at Horned Larks and American
Pipits as well. Walked the good-looking Bermuda field again, with no luck at
all, except for numerous Savannah Sparrows.
The Waterfowl Refuge was covered-up with birds. Nothing unusual at all, but
most expected species were there, including a couple of Red-breasted
Mergansers, which I don't see there very often. A total of 20 species of
waterfowl were present. Geese were numerous, with over 500 Greater
White-fronts, 100 or so Snow Geese, 18 Ross's, and a lone Canada Goose. I
didn't see a Bald Eagle while I was there, but the multitude or Red-tails
made up for it. A gorgeous adult Krider's was sparring over a meal with a
light-morph western 'calarus' Red-tail on one of the levees, but too far for
a decent shot. Also seen later in the day was an adult rufous-morph (near
Halls) , and an adult dark-morph on the Great River Rd. A hunter that came
by while I was there mentioned that he saw what he was pretty sure was Swans
at the refuge a few days ago.
Of interest at Lauderdale was an apparent hybrid Mallard x Gadwall. I picked
the bird up sleeping on the closest levee. At a glance, it looked like a
Mallard with darker than normal sides. The ruddy breast and paler lower
breast had the bold peppering seen on a Gadwall. The top of the head was
bright green, but there was a sharp cutoff to dark brown on the face, paling
towards the bill. The bird also had white in the inner secondaries as in
Gadwall.
Not much at all happening on the way to Reelfoot, or on the lake itself. I
didn't see near the number of birds on the lake as when Jeff and I were last
up there. Didn't see any loons at all, and still not a Herring Gull! Lots of
Canvasbacks out from Keystone is a bit unusual though, as they are usually
farther around the east side of the lake.
The good fields for gulls over the last few years once again have water in
them, and Van Works had a lot of gulls loafing around; all Ring-billed
though. The fields in this area are full of Horned Larks and Lapland
Longspurs. I just took it easy, and enjoyed nice looks at Laps from the car
as they worked the fields. Finally able to get a decent digiscoped shot off
my window mount of a Lap. Also, while looking at Van Works Rd, I noticed a
Sharp-shinned Hawk feeding about 100 yards out into the field. It was
plucking away at something feverishly. After about 20 minutes, a Red-tail
came by and spooked it. I walked out to see what the victim was, and it was
a Killdeer. I have posted a few shots of the Sharpy feeding, and a shot of
the decapitated Killdeer.
At Black Bayou I had a Mallard x Black Duck hybrid. Also at Black Bayou,
several birds perched up on power lines initially threw me off, until I
realized they were American Pipits. I see Pipits on fences fairly often, and
occasionally on higher lines, but not very often. Rusty Blackbirds were seen
in numbers today, one mixed flock had at least 50 Rusties in it, and another
larger flock rolling through a field had a conservative 400-500 Rusties.
Interestingly, no Brewer's on the day.
I ended up at Long Point Refuge, just north of the State Line. I was
disappointed to find it still mostly in tall grass. There were ducks coming
into the distant cut corn fields, and Greater White-fronted Geese coming in
by the thousands to a patch of cut corn. I watched the Geese dropping in
looking for something else, but didn't notice any other species, not a
single Snow Goose in the 45-minutes I stayed, till just before dark.
However, after getting home and looking at some distant shots I took of the
geese dropping in, I noticed a single Cackling Goose among one of the
landing flocks of White-fronts that I happened to take a photo of! There
could easily have been a few more.
I have placed a few shots, including the hybrid ducks, cackling goose among
the White-fronts, Pipits on a wire, Lapland Longspur, western Red-tailed
Hawk, and the Sharpy and her dinner. The photos are in my winter 07 gallery:
http://www.pbase.com/mctodd/winter_20072008 , or the 1st new photo should
start here: http://www.pbase.com/mctodd/image/89633064 As usual,
double-clicking any image will enlarge it.
Good Birding!!
Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (home)
Michael.c.todd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (work)
www.pbase.com/mctodd
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