[TN-Bird] West TN Weekend

May 29-30, 2004
Ensley to Reelfoot


Every chance I got this weekend, I looked for terns, other than the hundreds 
of Least that have moved inland because of the rising Mississippi River (up 20 
feet again in 2 weeks), I found one Black and one Caspian Tern out from Mud 
Island at Memphis on Saturday. On Monday, over an eddy in Dyer Co, that is 
always good for a tern or two when times are right, I found 3 more feeding 
Black 
Terns. So much for terns and gulls. The south wind was fighting with the 
"Mighty Mississip" and it was a battle royal with angry white caps and huge 
trees 
rolling south. The River is just to big and determined for the wind to turn but 
the wind did BLOW all day Saturday to the point that even when we went 
indoors, we still tended to lean;o)

White Lake was an on again off again collection of birds, with a wonderful 
Black-bellied Plover there on Saturday, not to be found on Sunday and back 
again 
on Monday. The Ruddy Turnstone was there Saturday and Sunday but I didn't 
find it during a short visit on Monday and a single Stilt Sandpiper was seen 
only 
on Saturday. Two Least Sandpipers were seen Saturday only and other 
shorebirds, seen in low numbers, were Black-necked Stilt, Semipalmated Plovers, 
Spotted 
Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, White-rumped, and one Dunlin. A flock of 
27 White Pelicans was seen and photographed as they dropped in Monday morning.

Sunday at White Lake Refuge we had Mallards, Wood Ducks, Hooded Mergs, a male 
Green-winged Teal, 1 Shoveler, 2 Blue-winged Teal and the injured Greater 
Scaup that is staying off 103 highway is still there, coyote fodder for sure.

Due to the relentless wind Roly, Mary and I had to work hard for what we got 
Saturday. The rain held off all day so we did pretty good looking for target 
birds and ended at just over 100 species. After teasing a Least Bittern into 
calling and having up close encounters with two Great Horned Owls, we ended up 
eating at Boyette's in a bodacious rain storm. Triple treat, Good Birds, Good 
Friends and Good Food!

One of the oddest encounters of the weekend was witnessed and photographed 
off the Great River Road. I sat scanning a small puddle that held a pair of 
Mallards and a single Grackle when a Cooper's Hawk wheeled in and nailed the 
Grackle. The amazing thing is that the Mallards just looked up as the Cooper's 
stood on its prey just a few feet away and the female went right back to 
feeding 
as the male stood by. The ducks had no fear at all of the hawk and I took 
photos to document this strange gathering.


Good Birding!!!

Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA
Bartlett, TN


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