[TN-Bird] Shorebird Fall Out - Ensley Bottoms - 18 Species

April 22-23, 2006
Ensley Bottoms
Shelby Co. TN
 
On Saturday there were few surprises shorebird wise at the pits with  
relatively low numbers but Sunday, I arrived after birding along the 
Mississippi  
River to find great numbers plus a typical spring migration fall out at the  
time 
expected when everything falls in place, between 10 and 11 AM. In that time  
period the numbers tripled with more birds falling in than leaving on the easy 
 south wind.
 
I ended my 3 hour vigil with 18 species, the best bird by far a male  
Hudsonian Godwit in almost full breeding attire that dropped in at 10:45. Other 
 
species in the mix: Semipalmated Plover -2, Killdeer - many herding young,  
Black-necked Stilts - 8 pair, Greater Yellowlegs - 18, Lesser Yellowlegs - 428, 
 
Solitary Sandpipers - 212 with 43 dropping in at one time, just  like  wounded 
swallows, Spotted Sandpipers - 9, Semipalmated Sandpiper - 2 FOS,  Western 
Sandpiper - 9 sporting rufous crowns, cheeks and rich colored scaps,  Least 
Sandpipers in all array of molt from basic to near breeding, White-rumped  
Sandpipers 
- FOS 3 pushing the early date in first rate plumage, Baird's  Sandpiper - 2 
in typical spring splotchy breeding plumage, Pectoral Sandpipers -  191 in all 
sizes and colors, Dunlin - 7 some sporting the rich colored backs  that gave 
them their first and more appropriate name for spring at least,  Red-backed, 
Stilt Sandpipers - 3, trying to hide in with the Lesser Yellowlegs  with each 
just getting hints of the extreme plumage change to come, Long-billed  
Dowitcher - 2 one in basic with just hints of color and one getting the jump on 
 its 
friend with rich chestnut sides, and finally Wilson's Snipe - 2 found hiding  
in a ditch where a few have hung out all winter, these will soon push on north  
like the huge numbers just weeks ago.
 
It was nice to sit just searching, finding the odd plumaged  birds and 
unexpected arrivals plus getting a Hudsonian Godwit for the  second year in a 
row at 
the PITS. AHHHH! SPRING!!
 
 
Good Birding  !!!
Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6298 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135


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