[TN-Bird] R-N Grebe/R-T Loon/LBB Gull

Nov.22-23, 2003
Pace Point Area
Henry and Benton Co. TN.
I met Phillip Casteel and Frank Fekel from Nashville, Saturday morning at 
Britton Ford. We soon located the Red-necked Grebe in the middle cove, again 
feeding in a large group of Horned Grebe with a few Pied-billed and 
Red-breasted 
Mergs. Phillip and Frank were rewarded with great views of the Red-necked in 
flight, truly a treat if you have never seen one come whizzing by. The 
waterfowl 
numbers were down from last week as the water level was up and covered most 
of the mud flats. Dunlin and Snipe were the only "Wind Birds" beside the 
Killdeer that paced the narrow edges.

Later off Trailer Road, I had the usual brief and unsatisfactory looks at a 
Red-throated Loon that disappeared in the wind driven waves heavily mottled by 
heat waves. Later, I was to get better but still distant looks at this gray 
ghost from the opposite shore during my late afternoon loon watch. At Pace 
Point, I flushed 2 Snow Geese and we saw a single American White Pelican but 
the 
waves gave us little chance at anything else.

 I counted about 300 loons from 2 points at parade time. There are still well 
over 400 loons in the area. I still have not had a Pacific Loon this season.

As the sun set, I was approaching Lashlie Spring when I saw what I first 
thought to be a large hunting dog laying in the road. It turned out to be the 
largest Bobcat that I believe I have ever seen, it slowly unfolded and slipped 
into the weeds with its stubby tail held in the typical "comma" curve. At the 
eagle roost at last light, I was joined by a couple of residents of the area 
and 
one had written a history of the surrounding territory and had answers to all 
my questions about some of the old home sites I have stumbled across in my 
ramblings. 

We enjoyed 19 adult Bald Eagles and about 6 immatures, settling and calling 
in the pines. We were also serenaded by a Screech, a Barred and a Great Horned 
Owl plus a couple of troops of Coyotes.

Mike Todd joined me Sunday and we located the Red-necked Grebe in the middle 
cove at Britton Ford but it moved with the group to the cove at the 
observation platform where we found it off and on through the day. The bird can 
be hard 
to see as it quickly dives and is usually seen at a distance. We got our first 
close looks at the bird and some ID shots finally. This bird was a "Lifer" 
for Mike just last week in the rain, so we spent a lot of time going over the 
details for distant IDs and Mike also was treated to a long flight by the bird 
and was duly impressed. Finally up close, the bird had very faint facial 
markings on the right side of the face that indicate that it is an immature 
bird 
rather than adult as I first thought.

Back at Britton Ford late in the day, we had not seen any interesting gulls 
during our trips to all the usual points and I complained. Well, no sooner than 
the words had drifted off with the breeze, in popped a third year Lesser 
Black-backed Gull for our viewing pleasure. As I often say "Ask and yee shall 
receive"

Waterfowl species numbered 21 for the weekend with only 1 Surf Scoter, 2 male 
Goldeneye and a small surprise in a single female Blue-winged Teal.


Good Birding!!!

Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA
Bartlett, TN


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