[TN-Bird] Paris Landing to Pace Point goodies, 3 Dec 2011

From: Scott Somershoe <Scott.Somershoe@xxxxxx>
To: TN-Birds <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2011 03:07:40 +0000
Chad Smith, Mike Todd, and I birded the usual haunts around Paris Landing State 
Park to Pace Point on Kentucky Lake, Henry Co., TN.  Not a lot of diversity, 
but good numbers (tens of thousands) of dabbling ducks and horned and 
pied-billed grebes.  Smattering of Greater and Lesser Scaup as well.

Highlights:
Paris Landing SP: 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull on the island

Eagle Creek: 1 adult Pacific Loon

Trailer Rd: 1 immature Pacific Loon

Britton Ford: 1 female Black Scoter among a few thousand mallards, black ducks, 
gadwall, and canvasback.  Darned good spot by Mike!!

Not much to note on Big Sandy Unit of TN NWR, but tens of thousands of 
dabblers.  Shimmer was brutal from Rocky Point and the loons were roosting too 
far off.  Terrible viewing conditions.

We did however have a PROBABLE Sprague's Pipet on Big Sandy.  Chad and I were 
driving from the Bennett's Creek overlook towards Pace Point (Mike was driving 
behind us).  We flushed a light brown or sandy colored bird from the short 
grass on the side of the road.  I pointed it out immediately and we both got on 
the bird as I was still driving.  It flew directly in front of my truck, only 5 
ft or so from my bumper, and went around the truck.  Chad and I both clearly 
saw the body and coloration of the bird, noted no facial pattern that you'd 
find on a lark (which was my initial immediate call by habitat and color of the 
bird), but then we saw white outer tail feathers.  It clearly wasn't a horned 
lark, but we kept driving for some reason.  Mike was behind us, stopped, got 
out and saw the bird spiral upwards (as Sprague's are known to do) and heard 
the unique flight call notes (that he has experience with).  The bird circled 
up high and took off towards the lake, never to be found again.  The 
combination of details that we individually saw led us to draw the conclusion 
that it was probably a Sprague's, but Chad and I can't say we saw one and Mike 
isn't willing to call what he had for a positive ID.  With Mike's experience 
with this species before, I feel pretty confident that it was a Sprague's, but 
so frustrating!  In the end (if you've read this far), keep your eyes and ears 
open for Sprague's Pipets, familiarize yourself with their behavior and flight 
calls!

Great birding!
Scott Somershoe
[TN-Bird] Paris Landing to Pace Point goodies, 3 Dec 2011

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