[TN-Bird] Lesser Black-backed Gull and Hybrid Duck - Memphis

DEC. 10, 2006
Mississippi River
TVA Lake, Ensley Pits,
Robco Lake, Shelby Co. TN
 
The River jumped up 8 feet and now is on a slow fall, but still too high to  
expose much in the way of sandbars. We are 15 inches behind on rainfall this  
year! Out from Mud Island, there was a group of 218 Ring-billed Gulls, 3  
Ruddy Ducks, 2 Ring-necked and 7 Lesser Scaup. Flying around with these gulls  
was 
a second year Lesser Black-backed Gull, only my second or third, I believe  
for Shelby Co.
 
At TVA Lake, there was a steady turn over of ducks and gulls with 14  species 
of waterfowl, Canada Geese, 1 Ross's Goose immature (has been around for  3 
weeks, photos) , Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, 28 Canvasback, 17  
Redhead, Ring-necked, 48+ Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, 1 adult male Common  
Goldeneye, 2 female Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck. In the mix was a  
hybrid 
Ring-necked/Canvasback, I'll post some photos of this union of two very  
different Aythya species.
 
At the pits the vociferous rufous morph Red-tail and immature Krider's  still 
persist along with the horde of their various aged and plumaged brothers  and 
sisters. There were 11 Least Sandpipers and 3 Wilson's Snipe along with lots  
of Killdeer. Three Pipits strolled the flats and fairly large groups of 
Horned  Larks danced across the spread fields. A Cooper's, 4 Kestrels, 4 
Harriers 
kept  the small birds alert.
 
All the Ring-billed Gulls had left the Tunica Landfill and settled in a  
Robco Lake feeding frenetically with DC Cormorants on shad that have been  
weakened by the sudden drop in temps, a common occurrence at this time of the  
year. 
Die offs on the major lakes should produce some good birds for hardy  
observers. Over 20 Bonaparte's Gulls were also in the masses, diving  and 
calling. 
Duck numbers were up and species mix numbered only 9 but sunlight  and time 
prevented a good search. There were 15 Great Egrets posted around the  lake 
along 
with the ever present Great Blue Herons.
 
A dip into Mississippi, was rewarded with 23 Cackling Geese in one field  
along with hundreds of thousands of geese, netting 5 species. Western  
Meadowlarks are on location in good numbers and still singing. Lapland numbers  
seem low 
but again time prevented getting to a lot of fields. No Sandhill Cranes  were 
found, the destruction of their roost site may have moved them south but 11  
were seen in the early morning just across the river in AR near Horseshoe 
Lake.  
Good Birding  !!!

Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6298 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135



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