June 7-8-9, 2003 Lauderdale - Dyer and Lake Co. TN Here are a few updates on birds seen the last few days: Pied-billed Grebes have brought off young in quite a few of the wet areas. The adult Tri-colored was found on Saturday and Sunday but south of the original location that has now dried up. I found the bird west of Wardlow's pocket in Lauderdale Co. on both mornings. The location was about 2 miles from the place I found my first adult Tri-colored in TN on July 4, 1989. It started my quest to find them nesting in TN, which ended after finding many adults during the summer months over the years and finally a nest with 2 young on July 13, 1996. I don't believe any of the 9 Fulvous Whistling Ducks have been seen since May 31, after being regular in the area for over a week. The Black-bellied Whistlers are still being seen over a wide area. After a few days with no sightings, Andy Sigler (from Chicago) found 4 on 79 Highway on Saturday morning. We all went to the area with no results during the day. Hap Chambers and I found the birds a little east of Andy's location late that afternoon and Dan and Kathy Jacobson made it back just before dark to record them for their TN list. The following morning I was there at 6:30 AM and they were still at that location but had left by 8:30 AM. Kevin Calhoun and Judy Newsome were waiting for the birds when they arrived at dusk on Sunday. These 4 were joined by another bird and were seen again on Monday at 6:30 AM. The water here is drying up fast. Anyone in the area should check around any duck boxes just in case they have decided to breed here. The Moss Island Refuge would be a prime location. The Black Duck was located again off of 103 Highway and evidently 2 more males seen Wednesday night were relocated at the Bogota Refuge late Sunday. Still expecting a Mottled. Other ducks seen in the area this past weekend were Ruddy, Shoveler, Gadwall with Blue-winged, Woodies, Hooded Mergs and Mallards escorting young. Young 2 and 3 year old Bald Eagles abound with a few adults seen up and down the Great River Road. Least Bitterns are being found at the Handicap Hunting area and on Reelfoot Lake. The shorebirds have dropped to a trickle with a twist. Nesting Black-necked stilt numbers drop everyday due to less water and more plowing. Groups and single migrators seen this week were American Golden Plover (singles seen at two locations) Greater Yellowlegs - 2, Lesser Yellowlegs-1, Semipalmated Sandpiper - 20+, White-rumped Sandpiper- 50+, and Stilt sandpiper-1. The twist came when I found a small group containing a single Pectoral and 5 Least Sandpipers preening and bathing in a small pool off 79 highway. A couple of species that had not been seen in quite awhile. Hap Chambers and I wanted better looks at the plumage. These birds were definitely travelers by their actions and this was proven shortly as the Pectoral just picked up and left quickly gaining altitude and went straight south. Before it left I was able to see that it had good tertials, only slightly worn. The 5 Least were preening and we got very close and could see all were adults and only slightly worn with a full complement of tertials. A couple of the birds were missing a few scaps and coverts. While we were watching one bird even pulled a feather out in the preening process. My thinking of the timing and conditions is that these birds were very early returns. I look forward to finding out what the weather conditions were on the breeding grounds. Nesting success can usually be extrapolated by the numbers of immatures that will show up later. I usually pick up my first Least SPs returning on the 21-22 of June with Pectorals a few days later but these bird's condition plus the direction of the Pectoral's departure make me think these boys were going south unlike the other flocks that are still heading north. When I came back a few minutes later with Dan and Kathy, the Least had also departed. Eurasian Collard-Doves were seen Highway 87 in Lauderdale Co. on Saturday morning. Any place there were houses or a prison there were EC-Doves. They were also seen at all the regular locations in Dyer and Lake Co. The Black-billed Cuckoo was again seen crossing the Great River Road at the southwest corner of the Moss Island Refuge on Sunday afternoon. Another new nester for this area, along with the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. The many bright American Goldfinches seen sitting and feeding on the big blooms of the thistle along the Great River Road is worth the trip. They are stunning show stoppers that in the light and balanced against the hue of the flowers can take your breath. Good Birding!!! Jeff R. Wilson OL' COOT / TLBA Bartlett Tenn. =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- 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. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 =========================================================