[TN-Bird] West TN- 4 Corners Birding
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: TN-Bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2010 20:55:08 EST
Nov. 26-27-28, 2010
MS. RV, Robco and Coro Lakes
Shelby Co.
Reelfoot Lake area,
Lake and Obion Co.
Paris Area, Henry and Benton Co.
Pickwick Lake Area
Hardin Co. TN
I started at Robco Lake and found about the same mix as last visit but 65
Canvasback in a nice flotilla feeding close by was a treat. Across the
road, at Coro Lake, the immature Surf Scoter was still feeding by itself. On
the Mississippi RV, 120+ R-b Gulls, 16 P-b Grebe, 2 Horned Grebe and 6 duck
species.
Running the Great River Road, I flushed Vesper Sparrow at two locations in
Lake Co. I ran into David Roemer, looking for the Ferruginous, he had seen
the immature Krider's and we watched various aged and colored, borealis and
calurus Red-tails plus a few Harriers, a small, male Sharp-shinned Hawk
that I've seen the last three trips to Jolly's Landing. We also watched 2
Short-eared Owls out playing in the sun. We went to the lake and shuffled
through a huge concentration of ducks (about 14 species) grouped up in the
east end plus gulls coming to roost at dusk and there are still large drifts of
White Pelicans. It sure is nice to share just looking at birds with
someone that just loves just looking at birds...............
Starting at Paris Landing, the first thing I noticed and it held true the
rest of the weekend, Common Goldeneye were everywhere. I photographed a
yellow-billed female Common just for kicks. In Eagle Creek, the numbers of
Pied-billed and Horned Grebes remained about the same but there were 1/2 of the
loons from last trip and only 2 loons were out from Port Road Overlook.
Never fear, for I found loads of loons mostly all south of Trailer Road in
the Big Sandy Reach. At Britton Ford, LOTS of waterfowl including Snow,
White-fronted and Canada Geese, along with Mike's single BLACK SCOTER, still
sleeping.
From the overlook at Bennett's Creek, large numbers of Hooded Mergansers
were in the mix which also had a sprinkling of Red-breasted and a single hen
Common. At Pace Point, very few gulls, and only the expected species in the
duck cove just before the Point. From the overlook south of Lashlee
Springs, I found the YELLOW-BILLED LOON, diving and fishing; this may be the
best
place to pick this bird up as the height really helps. The big boy
eventually joined a group of 12 Common Loons and looked like a pale battleship
with a destroyer escort. At the roost, south of Rocky Point, first appeared a
pale naped PACIFIC LOON and at very last light, a RED-THROATED LOON. One
scope sweep of the loons totaled 530+ Common Loons. On the way out, 4 Bald
Eagles were seen going to the roost southwest of the observation platform.
Pickwick was fogged-in early and Bruton Branch produced the first
excitement for the day with 3 Bald Eagles attacking an immature Herring Gull
but
after putting the bird in the water and driving on it, snatching feathers,
they just broke off the game. The Herring Gull didn't fly after that, just
kept looking around looking freaked out. Then, I was sitting about 30 feet of
some Coots and grebes feeding in the shallows right below my truck, when I
heard a big splash. I looked over my scope and down on an adult Cooper's
Hawk sitting on top of a struggling Coot in the water. The Cooper's was not
interested in me but had to leave its lunch when a group of Crows went after
him, leaving two stunned COOTS!! I had a total of 32 Common Loons on the
lake but very few gulls. One immature Lesser Black-backed sat on a buoy at
Bruton Branch and at the dam an immature THAYER'S GULL was unexpected.
Later, I sat near on a point near the lodge where gulls were coming to rest
and
bathe, in flew an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED that posed in the sun. In the
Savannah Bottoms, a nice flock of 60+ Pipits and 30+ Lapland Longspurs at 2
locations were both flushed by Red-shouldered Hawks. Only 6 Red-tails seen
in the Bottoms and the Bottoms west of the town of Savannah are DRY!!
4 Loon species, 24 species of waterfowl on a Turkey Day, Holiday
Ramble...........
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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