[TN-Bird] Rankin - Reddish Egret - 19 July - longish

Full list is at bottom for the impatient.  :-)

I ran out to Rankin Bottoms on Douglas Lake in Cocke Co, TN,
on Saturday evening (19 July 2008) arriving about 6:30 PM and
staying until just after sunset about 9:00 PM.  A family of
birders from Knoxville were also there for a while but
unfortunately, I'm horrible with names and faces and have
forgotten their names despite asking twice so I wouldn't.

The REDDISH EGRET was seen early as it fed and danced along
the far shore.  It got as close as the Shorebird Spit across
from Birders Point but was still pretty far out.  I eventually
lost track of it while scanning the shorebirds and didn't see
it again the rest of the evening.

No sign of the dowitchers reported earlier this week but there
were a number of shorebirds present, mostly KILLDEER.  A few
peeps including my first juvenile LEAST SANDPIPER of the year,
a few SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, and both
Yellowlegs species.

Two immature LITTLE BLUE HERONs were seen feeding on the flats
and four were seen going to roost later.  GREAT EGRETs and the
Little Blues were going to roost east across the main channel from
the end of the road.  There are several nests in those trees
and some of the Great Egrets were on nests though not sure if
this was coincidence or sign of breeding.

A large number of swallows were resting on the main spit of
land across from Birders Point and flying about.  I would
estimate about 500, about 2/3 TREE and most of the rest BARN.
PURPLE MARTIN and CLIFF SWALLOW were also seen but most of
the Cliffs were further upstream around Rankin Bridge.

A nice set of songbirds were working the willows, Buttonbush,
and Osage Orange trees along the shoreline heading out to
Birders Point including family groups of PROTHONOTARY WARBLERs,
ORCHARD ORIOLEs, and EASTERN KINGBIRDs, along with a PRAIRIE WARBLER,
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, and COMMON YELLOWTHROATs.  Also in this
group were RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDs, FIELD SPARROWs, CAROLINA
CHICKADEE, and BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDs.

An adult BALD EAGLE flew over while I was scanning near the
railroad crossing.

While scanning the birds, I heard a buzz and thump at my feet.
I looked down to see an EYED CLICK-BEETLE that apparently had
dropped out of the willow that was providing me much appreciated
shade.  Several GREEN JUNE BUGs and Paper Wasps were going in
to the willow the whole time I was there.  Got a nice photo
of the Click Beetle which was about 2 inches long.

Full bird list is below:

Rankin Bottoms, Cocke County, TN
Saturday, 19 July 2008
Douglas Lake at 984.7 ft

Canada Goose, 100s
(Chinese Goose, 2)
Wood Duck, 20+
Mallard, 20+

Double-crested Cormorant, ~5, (6 more at Dutch Bottoms)

Great Blue Heron, <10
Great Egret, ~100
REDDISH EGRET, 1 immature
Little Blue Heron, 4 immatures
Green Heron, 2-3
Black-crowned Night-Heron, reported and photographed by the other family

Black Vulture, ~10 coming to roost
Osprey, ~3-4
BALD EAGLE, 1 adult

Killdeer, ~300
Greater Yellowlegs, 1
Lesser Yellowlegs, 6+
Semipalmated Sandpiper, 6
Least Sandpiper, ~20, 1 juvenile, rest adults in alternate plumage
Pectoral Sandpiper, 2 adults, 1 clearly a male and showing the
   heavy, dark breast markings of breeding plumage
Ring-billed Gull, 6-8
Caspian Tern, 1

Morning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 1 or 2 heard only
Belted Kingfisher
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird, several harrassing anything that moved
White-eyed Vireo, heard only
Am Crow
Purple Martin, a few
Tree Swallow, ~350
Cliff Swallow, ~100 at Rankin Bridge
Barn Swallow, ~150
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Wren
E Bluebird
PRAIRIE WARBLER, 1
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, 1
Prothonotary Warbler, family group of 3-4, 1 taking a bath earlier
Common Yellowthroat
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
N Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
RW Blackbird
C Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole, family group of 4 immatures harrassing everything
   except the E Kingbirds
Am Goldfinch


Dean Edwards
Knoxville, TN



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