[TN-Bird] Reelfoot area birding; 4/27/06

4/27/06
Reelfoot Lake area
Obion & Lake Co.
Don Manning and I had a very productive day birding the Reelfoot Lake area 
today. We had a total of 135 species, with only a paltry 8 of these being 
shorebirds. Shorebird habitat continues to be in VERY short supply. Passerine 
diversity was very good though, with many 1st of season (FOS) birds. Some of 
the general highlights were 22 species of warblers, all of TN's regular Thrush 
species, and 10 species of sparrows.

Species highlights included a late LeConte's Sparrow that fluttered up out of 
the vetch at Black Bayou, 10 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons between Walnut Log and 
Black Bayou, good looks (for a change) at a Cerulean Warbler on Walnut Log, 
several Grasshopper and Lincoln's Sparrows, and the 1st Bobolinks of the spring 
off old Highway 79. 

We started the day in the woods, at Walnut Log. The Log was kind to us, giving 
us 19 of our 22 warbler species, with a couple I hadn't really expected yet, 
and several easy misses. Warblers found in this area were:

Tennessee
Nashville
Northern Parula
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler (literally everywhere today)
Yellow-throated Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Cerulean Warbler (very territorial male, same location as one last spring; 
about 3/4 of the way down Walnut Log)
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler
Swainson's Warbler (3 singing birds, I haven't had this many in this location 
before)
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-breasted Chat

We would add Blue-winged, and several Yellow and Palm Warblers later in the 
day. 

Yellow-crowned Night-Herons were scattered around all over Walnut Log, not that 
I'm complaining. Vireos were numerous, with Philadelphia joining the expected 
Yellow-throated, Red-eyed, White-eyed, and Warbling. We didn't have luck with 
the Bell's later, though it was mid-day when we were at Black Bayou. We had 
Wood, Swainson's, Gray-cheeked, and Veery on Walnut Log, with a Hermit this 
afternoon on Highway 79, for a Thrush sweep. Bank Swallows migrating high 
overhead at the end of Walnut Log were the only ones of the day, leaving Cliff 
Swallow as our only swallow not seen. Some misses were surprising, especially 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, which I've been seeing several of.

From Walnut Log we worked around the top end of the Lake, checking for 
pretty-much nonexistent shorebird habitat as we wound our way over to Black 
Bayou. We didn't find any good shorebird spots on the day, and wound up with 
only 8 species, missing several birds I had hoped to see, those seen were: 
Semipalmated Plover (10 in two groups), Killdeer, good numbers of both 
Yellowlegs and Solitary, Least Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, and Wilson's 
Snipe. 

We walked the levee out at Black Bayou, hoping for the Bell's Vireo, but with 
no luck. It was good to see that Nancy had it today, as it should be in by now. 
Definitely the highlight at Black Bayou was a gorgeous LeConte's Sparrow that 
fluttered a few feet in the vetch, then perched up for few seconds for my 
enjoyment. I was expecting the Lincoln's we saw in the vetch, but not the 
LeConte's. A Marsh Wren was also nice. Dickcissels are in, but not in big 
numbers yet. A Sora running around in the same location Nancy had one was also 
entertaining. The south unit of Black Bayou, the Handicapped Hunting Area, had 
some good habitat for Yellowlegs and Solitaries, etc. but we didn't find any 
good flats all day.

A look at the south end of the Lake produced a few birds. Several spiffy 
Bonaparte's Gulls in near full-breeding plumage were nice, as were Caspian 
Terns and a couple of White Pelicans. We didn't see any smaller terns all day. 
The only ducks on the Lake were Ruddy and Scaup.

We drove south along the levee a ways into Dyer Co, but found nothing of 
interest (like water). Eventually we came to Highway 79, and drove it to the 
end. Highlights along 79 were several Grasshopper Sparrows, including crippling 
looks at one. A little bit of a surprise was a small flock of male Bobolinks 
bubbling up a storm in the same field as the Grasshopper Sparrows; not exactly 
prime Bobolink habitat. Otherwise Highway 79 was a vision of orange and 
chestnut, with Baltimore and Orchard Orioles constant companions. 

A great day to be out, we just need a good long rain in the worst way!

Good Birding!!

Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
Carroll Co.
birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.pbase.com/mctodd





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