March 8, 2016 Crockett County
I was out and about today and every time I passed a large open field I scanned
for the bird species that nearly always arrives the first week or so of March -
American Golden-Plover. I finally located 7 birds with a large group of
Killdeer on Larry Bettis Road. Not far away in a wet field on Chestnut Bluff
Road, I had a nice assortment of waterfowl and shorebirds (6 species) and a few
other goodies:
Gadwall - 23
Mallard - 1
Northern Shoveler - 63
Northern Pintail - 4
Green-winged Teal - 35
American Golden-Plover - 8
Killdeer - 145
Greater Yellowlegs - 1
Least Sandpiper - 4
Pectoral Sandpiper - 2
Wilson's Snipe - 77
Eastern Phoebe - 1
Horned Lark - 2
American Pipit - 10
Red-winged Blackbird - 30
Rusty Blackbird - 11
Brewer's Blackbird - 1, male
Yesterday, March 7, in Obion County, I made a run through Garrett Sawmill Road
and found my first Pectoral Sandpipers of the season when 12 zoomed by me in
the 20 mph wind! Also, I had several Western Meadowlarks singing towards the
north end of the road, just south of Rives. I conservatively estimated 8
singing and calling birds but I think there may have been a dozen or more. Also
present were 90+ American Pipits.
Hopefully more shorebirds in the next few days. I'm still looking for the big
flocks og American Golden-Plovers.
Good birding!
Mark GreeneTrenton, TNGibson County
