[TN-Bird] West TN - Weekend

  • From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
  • To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 08:04:13 EDT

June 21-22, 2003

At Ensley Bottoms in Shelby Co, a little more time was spent looking for the 
Black-necked Stilt nests produced 31 nests with chicks at 3. Two pair were 
seen copulating so the influx of birds being pushed out by the plow to the 
north 
has started. I did locate the 3 young birds from the first very early nesting 
that I could not locate earlier in the week on a quick lunch break. They are 
flying and still with Mom and Dad. 

Farther north, in Dyer and Lake Counties, I found 3 nest had been plowed 
under but at least three that are still being tended. Two of these have a 
pretty 
good chance of surviving to hatch but maybe not. A good note is that one nest 
in Lake Co. has produced at least two young and they have been led from the 
area to a ditch line. In Fulton Co. KY both parents are tending to business and 
luckily this nest seems to be out of danger. I did not have a chance to work 
another male that I found but I suspect another nest. I got a photo of one nest 
in Dyer Co. plus photos of two other Black-necked Stilts on nests.

Also at Ensley Saturday morning, I found 3 Least Sandpipers and a molting 
Western Sandpiper. These returning birds are right on time as I always get such 
on the 21-22 of June and the numbers build rather quickly thereafter. Other 
birds have shown up much earlier this year, so it might be interesting to hear 
about the success of the nesting in the Arctic this year. Two Pectoral 
Sandpipers off 103 Highway in Dyer Co. and a single Least Sandpiper off 
Tiptonville 
Landing Road made up the traveling shorebird list in that area.

At the TVA plant, I was able to locate and photograph a Western Kingbird on 
one nest and I have a good idea where the other is located but found no vantage 
point to get a view. That one will have to wait until they start feeding the 
young. The attending male birds are not as easy to find as in previous years 
and are not hunting from the fences in front of the plant as much as usual. 
These two boys are going north to feed or at least for the time being. A check 
of 
President's Island did not produce the fledged young bird that I found 
earlier in the week.

Early Sunday morning at Bogota Refuge in Dyer Co, I had Field, Grasshopper 
and Song Sparrows plus Dickcissel, all in view and singing possessive ditties 
at 
the same time. I did not find any Black-necked Stilts. Driving down 103 
Highway, I saw the male Scissor-tailed Flycatcher fly into the old nest tree 
and 
then continue out into the corn field?? Evidently they are still around but 3 
more trips to the area produced no female or another look at the male. This 
time 
they have gone into super hiding mode. Grasshopper Sparrows abound off 79 
Highway.

An adult Bald Eagle kept the Herons and Egrets in the air while I walked into 
White Lake Refuge. The only water is in the heavily vegetated main pool with 
all of the other flats drained and drying. There were lots of Mississippi 
Kites in the area plus 6 DC Cormorants and a good number of Black-crowned 
Night-Herons. Fourteen American White Pelicans were seining the water between 
the 
Great Egrets.

On Reelfoot Lake, I saw no terns, not even Least but the 4 Ruddy Ducks still 
sleep away the day, only paddling to keep out of the way of the thinning crowd 
of fishing boats. A couple of Bald Eagles and a few DC Cormorants made up the 
rest of the list. Two singing Song Sparrows were seen at the Phillippy Unit 
of Black Bayou. I did not try for the Bell's Vireo.  

The river is still very high, after going back up four feet last week, and no 
sandbars were seen. The fall has started again and some bars will soon 
reappear but the Least Terns are already busy with trying to get some nesting 
done 
in the fields for the second time this year. One group of six nest that I found 
last week lost the battle with the plow on 79 Highway but one bird in a 
no-till field survived the planting and now has 3 inch Soybean plants as 
company. I 
took some photos of many fresh scrapes. Hopefully if the river drops fast 
enough, some Least Terns will get a third or in some instances, a fourth chance 
at raising some young this year in a much safer, sandy environment. 

There is much harvesting, of what winter wheat was left after the flooding 
and dark boiling clouds of smoke could be seen from all points in TN-ARK-MO as 
the wheat stubble is being burned. The farmers were hard hit this year and are 
hoping to get in some late beans. Many lost all the early corn they had 
planted and are going to be hard pressed to make any money crops this season. 
They 
are just like the nesting birds and can only persevere no matter what Mother 
Nature throws at them, maybe next year.

Good Birding!!!

Jeff R. Wilson
OL' COOT / TLBA
Bartlett Tenn.


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