[TN-Bird] Weekend in Memphis - Three Times Lucky

August 19-20, 2006
Shelby Co, Memphis-TN
 
Mike Todd and I started out early Saturday looking for the Wood Storks in  
Frayser. There were none at the location where 13 were seen on Friday.  We 
searched the surrounding area and finally Mike spotted one perched high in a  
cypress tree off Watkins Road at the Loosahatchie River. Mike got some knock 
out  
photos of the bird and I was able to flag down Jay Walko as he drove by for a  
look at his Lifer Stork. Our First lucky stroke of the weekend.
 
Mississippi Kites were everywhere we looked as we traveled from one end of  
town to the other. We had kites in view at 11 of our first 12 stops over a 20  
mile run with more seen on Sunday. We met the Nashville group at the pits late 
 Saturday and shared a lot of birds in various plumage's and ages but far  
fewer than expected species for this time of the year. The pits produced only  
nine species with the Mississippi River adding two on Saturday. We added 
another  species on Sunday. Only 12 Wind Bird species for the weekend?? 
 
Early Sunday morning, Mike and I were waiting for the Nashville group to  
arrive at the pits and driving in they flushed an Upland Sandpiper that flew  
right over us just calling its head off. Our Second lucky stroke of  the 
weekend. 
 Unfortunately, their group never knew the bird was anywhere  around. Uplands 
are hard to flush or see in the fall but are always lurking  in the pigweed. 
 
Mike and I located and photographed a partially albinistic Least Sandpiper.  
This  bird's back was sprinkled with large white feathers. After searching  
through the thousands of Pectoral and Least Sandpipers, we started  toward Mud 
Island. Along the road out we had lots of luck with Yellow-crowned  
Night-Herons, Turkeys and other species and last but NOT LEAST, we picked  up 2 
Broad-winged Hawks, one of which (an immature) turned out to be the rare  dark 
morph of 
this species. The only other one I have ever seen was a bird years  ago at 
the pits, that I shared with Gene Knight. Lucky stroke number  THREE!
 
At Mud Island there were 30 plus Black Terns, lots of Least and 1 or 2  
Caspian Terns. On the Island were the only Black-necked Stilts seen for the  
weekend plus a few Pectoral, Spotted and Killdeer. Mike and I had a first of  
season 
Wilson's Snipe there on Saturday.
 
We had a good raptor weekend with Red-tails, Red-shouldered, Cooper's and  
Kestrels all perched for scope views and at least 3 Broad-wings circling. The  
Mississippi Kites put on a great flying show right over our heads Sunday at the 
 north end of Mud Island. Later, we were lucky again in finding the hybrid  
Western Kingbird/Scissor-tailed young and Mom (Thanks to Jan).  Everyone got to 
see the full bright yellow breast and belly plus  the wide black forked tails 
on the mixed up young. It is unusual here for  these birds to hang around 
very long after fledging. After much searching  through flocks of Great Egrets, 
a 
concentration of Snowy Egrets and one  immature Little Blue, we called it 
quits looking for the elusive Wood Storks and  the Nashville group headed for 
home.
 
Over all, a very productive weekend with good company and some super  birds.  
 
Good Birding  !!!

Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6298 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135



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