Recent heavy rains in West Tennessee have caused localized flooding and many
farm fields are now temporary lakes. This is providing tremendous habitat for
migrating waterfowl and shorebirds. Problem is there is too much water now to
be able to look at all the spots. No telling what might be around!
Here are some recent birds of note in NW TN (most recent first) over the last
two weeks:
March 15, 2016
Mud Lake, Lake County (Mud Lake which is a transient lake is currently a large
body of water):Lots of waterfowl - Gr.White-fronted Geese, Gadwall, Mallard,
Blue-winged Teal, N. Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, also lots of Am. Coots...
Bald Eagle - 2Black-necked Stilt - 7 (FOS)Greater Yellowlegs - 16Lesser
Yellowlegs - 54Baird's Sandpiper - 1 (FOS)Least Sandpiper - 6Pectoral Sandpiper
- 12
Robinson Bayou Road, Lake County:Am. White Pelican - 35, soaring overhead,
headed northAm. Pipit - 6
Joe Shenk Road, Lake County:Lots of waterfowl - Gadwall, Blue-winged Teal, N.
Shoveler, and Green-winged TealBald Eagle - 1Greater Yellowlegs - 12Lesser
Yellowlegs - 77
Great River Road at Lake county/Dyer County Line:Lots of waterfowl - Gadwall,
Blue-winged Teal, N. Shoveler, and Green-winged Teal
Greater Yellowlegs - 6Lesser Yellowlegs - 2
March 14, 2016
Buck Wade Loop, Gibson County:Lots of dabbling ducks - Gadwall, Blue-winged
Teal, N. Shoveler, and Mallard, also some diving ducks - Redhead (8) and Hooded
Merganser (1)
Macedonia Bottoms Heronry, Gibson County:Double-crested Cormorant - 1Great Blue
Heron - 20, many sitting on nests. Hopefully the Great Egrets and Anhingas
return as well!
Pond Creek Bottoms, Old Mound Road, Crockett County:Blue-winged Teal - 8 (FOS)
March 13, 2016
Just west of Trenton, Gibson County:N. Rough-winged Swallow - 1 (FOS)
March 11, 2016
Davy Crockett Lake, Crockett County:Purple Martin - 7 (FOS)
March 8, 2016
Larry Bettis Road - flooded fields, Crockett County:American Golden-Plover - 7
(FOS)Killdeer - 56
Chestnut Bluff Road - flooded fields, Crockett County:Lots of waterfowl -
Gadwall, Mallard, N. Shoveler, N. Pintail (4), Green-winged TealAmerican
Golden-Plover - 8Killdeer - 145Greater Yellowlegs - 1 (FOS)Least Sandpiper - 4
(FOS)Pectoral Sandpiper - 2Wilson's Snipe - 77American Pipit - 10Rusty
Blackbird - 11Brewer's Blackbird - 1, male
March 7, 2016
Garrett Sawmill Road, Obion County:American Pipit - 92Killdeer - 137Pectoral
Sandpiper - 12 (FOS)Western Meadowlark - 8, birds were singing and calling all
over. I suspect there may have been more but it was extremely windy.
March 4, 2016
Chestnut Bluff Road - flooded fields, Crockett County:Green-winged Teal -
20Bald Eagle - 2Killdeer - 125Wilson's Snipe - 225
March 3, 2016
Horn's Bluff Refuge, Crockett County:Lots of Gadwall and MallardsAmerican Coot
- 50American Pipit - 20
Vesper Sparrow - 2 (FOS)
Pond Creek Bottoms, Old Cound Road, Crockett County:Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk -
1, dark-morph adult - this bird has been present near this location all winter
long.Wilson's Snipe - 12
Brewer's Blackbird - 50 were seen in a flooded field near a large flock of 2500
Red-winged Blackbirds.
Things are changing by the day right now. Get out and see what you can find!
Good birding!
Mark GreeneTrenton, TNGibson County
