[TN-Bird] Little Gull info

11/20/05
Reelfoot Lake 
Lake Co.
Just a quick note for anyone that might be thinking about going for the Little 
Gulls. (And congrats on 300 Nancy!)

We had the 1st winter off and on all day, 1st from Keystone,  and then good 
looks from the State Park Boat Launch Day Use area, which is were Jeff had the 
birds Saturday afternoon. This area is on the south end of the lake, just east 
of the washout, in the Blue Bank area. We also had great looks at the 
1st-winter from the boardwalk behind the State Park visitor center. The flight 
style of constantly skimming very low over the surface of the lake, then 
dropping down to pick something off the surface (no diving), and striking 
upperwing pattern combined with the lack of the white flash shown by the 
multitudes of Bonies in the area, allow it to be picked out very easily if it's 
in the area. When flying in company with a Bonaparte's, the size difference is 
equally noticeable. On the water, the broad black carpal-bar is the way to pick 
the bird out. Jeff and I both got some photos, mine aren't very good, but I'll 
post a couple soon just to get some images of the bird out there.

The adult appears to be feeding on a different area of the lake, or off the 
lake. We didn't get it until last light, as birds were streaming into the area. 
This was the biggest gull roost I have seen on the lake, with thousands upon 
thousands of gulls in the area. Jeff had seen a black flash (underwing of the 
adult) a couple of times, before I finally picked up the adult Little Gull 
flying with a large group of Bonaparte's. We followed the bird as it flew 
around for a couple of minutes, before it finally got too dark to pick it up. 
Bonies were still feeding over the lake as we left at dark. On the adult, the 
moth-like fight low over the water and black underwings edged in white, will 
allow it to be picked up. The upperwing lacks the white flash shown by 
Bonaparte's, being uniform pale gray with a white trailing edge. The boardwalk 
behind the visitor center seems to be the best place to view the birds as they 
come into roost, this is where we had the adult and 1st-winter Little late in 
the day. A Forster's Tern in the area was also unusual for this late date in 
this area.

The winter adult Red-necked Grebe was 1st seen from the boat launch parking 
area, and later seen well from both Keystone and by parking just south of the 
Keystone entrance and walking out to the lake and scoping from there. The 
Red-necked tended to just mingle in and out among the rafts of ducks. The lake 
is full of ducks, etc. so there is no telling what else is around. A few Common 
Loons and Horned Grebes are also in the area. 

Good luck and good birding!!

Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
Carroll Co.
birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.pbase.com/mctodd


=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================

The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
You are also required to list the count in which the birds
you report were seen.  The actual date of observation should
appear in the first paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________ 
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
______________________________________________________________
  TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society 
       Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
        endorse the views or opinions expressed
        by the members of this discussion group.
 
         Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
                 wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_____________________________________________________________
     Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
          web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp

_____________________________________________________________

Other related posts: