[TN-Bird] Pickwick Gulls +

Pickwick Dam
Harden Co, TN
 
Saturday, the gulls were above the dam in high numbers with the rails of  the 
locks covered with birds perched side by side. Other groups were in pods all  
the way from the dam to south of Bruton Branch. There was one immature 
Thayer's  with a slightly molted back and showing a bill with a pale base. 
Bonaparte's  Gulls were in all stages of molt, breeding to some still in first 
winter 
garb.  Ring-billed were the most numerous with one photographed wearing a 
yellow wing  tag. There were more Herring than I've seen all year and one 
aberrant 
bird in  third year plumage with a solid black tail; I had never seen a white 
headed  Herring with such a dark solid tail but it was too light backed to be 
anything  else.
 
 A very dark, black backed bird sitting in a group of Herring Gulls  south of 
Bruton Branch was just too far away to get a firm handle on size or  bill but 
it was much darker than a third cycle Lesser Black-backed seen and  
photographed on the dam. Even this perched bird had me scratching my head as it 
 had 
pinkish legs rather than expected yellowish legs for Lesser but the rest of  
the 
bird was in the Lesser B-b club rather than Slatyback look. As usual, you  
just can't get good close looks a Pickwick Dam but when the gulls are there it  
can be exciting even in the rain. If they stay for a while it would be worth  
checking out this bunch of gulls in better lighting and not a poring rain. 
 
An even dozen Caspian Terns and 3 Forster's Terns were seen on the barge  
moorings above the dam.
 
I got a few photos of Fish Crows scavenging fish below the dam along with  
Turkey Vultures. The shots show the diagnostic throat ruff as the  crows were 
calling. Their numbers appear to be increasing all across west  TN near 
waterways.
 
The three species of grebes present ran the gamut of plumage's while all  but 
2 or 3 of the 40 plus Common Loons present were already in full  breeding 
plumage. There were 12 species of waterfowl present with the  largest number 
being a group of 80 Red-breasted Mergansers south of Bruton  Branch.
 
Other wise it was a damp fine day at the dam.
 
Good Birding  !!!
Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6300 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135
http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/
What is this feathered thing that  lifts my heart to the heavens.



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