[TN-Bird] TN Record Saved by an Ear

Dec. 19-20-21, 2008
Reelfoot CBC
Lake Co. TN
 
Thanks to Mike Todd's efforts and ears, I was able to add another bird to  my 
TN List. On Friday, I got a call from Mike about his having  heard a 
Chestnut-collared Longspur in the Black Bayou area. I was on the  south part of 
Reelfoot scouting for the CBC and I headed north. When I turned  onto the road 
to 
Gray's Camp (213) off of 78, I did not see his car but I did  see a huge flock 
of Laps whirling just a hundred yards down Donald Road. Within  minutes of 
stopping, I heard a very different call, my hearing being what  it is, I just 
started looking. The birds were flying into the field just feet  over my truck 
and 
even with my bad hearing, I could hear the "tew" notes and  rattles but also 
this other repetitive two part call was one I had never  heard. This, I later 
found out, was the exact location he had heard the  bird and called me about 
earlier.
 
Suddenly in the mix, had a bird showing a white/black pattern on  its wing 
coverts, it turned and displayed a plain face with no moustachial  or malar 
stripe, clear buff upper throat, black shingling starting abruptly  on the 
upper 
breast and extending down the buff belly. I had found and  studied 3 winter 
Chestnut-collared in Mississippi years before and recognized  this bird as a 
winter plumaged male. 
 
On Sunday morning, I spent 4 hours at this location and was later joined by  
Gail King and we both thought we were hearing multiple birds making the  
Chestnut-call but the birds were not holding very long on the ground,  mainly 
due 
to a Merlin hunting in the area. I watched one small group of  birds come in 
and circle and this group of 4 or 5 birds seemed to be flying  together unlike 
the numbers of Laps just flying randomly as they flew in. The  brief time I saw 
them on the ground they all appeared very pale compared to the  surrounding 
Laps. Unfortunately the wind was blowing directly into our faces and  these 
birds never turned before they lifted into the air. Gail King as of this  
morning 
and Hap Chambers on Saturday, also got the good but  brief looks of sitting 
birds while others had to settle for just the  call notes.
 
All three days, the birds were seen or heard no more than a hundred yards  
from the turn off from 213 on to Donald Road. The birds look like mice in  the 
huge rice stubble field, with at times, birds spaced just a foot or so  apart.
 
Nice Christmas Gift Mike!
 
Good Birding  !!!
Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6300 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135
http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/
What is this feathered thing that  lifts my heart to the heavens.
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