[TN-Bird] Reelfoot Lake area 4/28/03

Reelfoot Lake vicinity    
4/28/03

After talking to Jeff yesterday, I hoped to head to Reelfoot this morning, 
luckily circumstances allowed me to go. Let me 1st say that I didn't relocate 
the Marbled Godwit Jeff found over the weekend, the river has taken a jump and 
the sandbar the Godwit was on is submerged. BTW, there were also two separate 
Marbled Godwit sightings in KY over the weekend! I also didn't get the Upland 
Sandpipers either, although this afternoon when I was on Hwy 79 in Lake Co., 
there was a steady stream of traffic (trucks & dumptrucks) that may have kept 
these shy birds in alert mode.

I started the morning on Walnut Log, with little breeze, making for some nice 
passerine viewing. I got several first-of-seasons like Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 
Gray Catbird, Philly Vireo (all 6 regularly occurring TN vireos on the Log), 
and singing Gray-cheeked Thrush. It was a good day for warblers (for April 
anyway) on Walnut Log, with 20 species. These included FOS birds, all singles, 
of Orange-crowned, Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian, Bay-breasted, and Cerulean. 
Ironically, I wouldn't pick up another warbler all day, and as a matter of 
fact, I only had 8 warbler species outside of Walnut Log. Something else kind 
of funny, I'm up to 28 warblers this spring, with no Redstart yet, must be a 
mental block or something. 

As Jeff mentioned, shorebird habitat is pretty scarce right now at Reelfoot. 
Only 9 species, none of which unexpected. My best find was a lone American 
Golden-Plover keeping company with several of its little Semipalmated cousins. 
A couple of brief looks at the Lake produced only Forster's Terns. One of my 
highlights of the day was spending some time with one of my favorite birds, 
Bobolinks. I ran across 2 groups (all males), one of 3 birds, the 2nd of 28 
birds. The larger group was working the levee near Mud Lake, and paid me little 
attention when I got out to admire them, as they bubbled and tinkled away. 

Anyone who hasn't birded Hwy 79, should give it a run if you're in the area. 
It's a neat area, when it's not underwater anyway, which in spring is often the 
case. I must second Jeff's sentiments regarding the White-crowned Sparrows 
along 79, I've never seen anything like it. At one time, in one small puddle in 
the road, 22 White-crowned Sparrows were splashing around. It was like this for 
miles, it was neat also to hear their song in surround sound, with 6 or 7 birds 
singing nearby from every direction, so that one was always singing!

It was a great day to be out, winding up with 124 species, can't wait for May!

I've added a few shots from today to my website, nothing rare by any means, 
just a few birds that cooperated long enough for me to get a decent shot (which 
takes awhile). Blue Grosbeak, Dickcissel, Bobolink, and both Yellowlegs. If 
anyone's interested, this is in the "misc." folder at 
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=330&groupID=116215&folderview=thumbs&ck=
 .

Good birding!!!!!!

Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
Carroll Co.
birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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