[TN-Bird] hooded mergansers and wood ducks, Cumberland Co.

From: "Robin Barrow" <braveladyrobin@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "TN Bird" <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:02:05 -0500
3/22/06, 5-6:15 p.m. central
Cumberland County
Just south of Crossville, near Fairyland Acres and Highland Estates.
2 Hooded Mergansers; 2 Wood Ducks; 2 Canada Geese; 1 Belted
Kingfisher; 2 Eastern Bluebirds; 1 Killdeer; Song Sparrow (heard);
many American Robins; various blackbirds.

I went to visit some friends yesterday in Crossville who say they've
been seeing a short-eared owl in their backyard. They once got a good
view of it sitting on their swingset and it matched well with their
book. I didn't see any owls last night, but I did get a good view of
some waterbirds. They have a pond behind their house, and it turns
some of the surrounding yards into wetlands. I observed a male and
female Hooded Merganser diving for food and swimming for over half an
hour. There was also a pair of Wood Ducks. The pattern of white and
black on the male's face doesn't quite match the classic pattern--the
black looks teardrop shape, rather than the white forming a
"bridle"--perhaps a hybrid ancestor somewhere? Or perhaps the thinner
back white line just looked thicker. The male was very protective of
the female, keeping guard and standing tall while she ate. I read in
my little green Birds of Tennessee guide that Wood Ducks and Hooded
Mergansers have been known to share nesting cavities (p. 41), so
perhaps these couples are chums.

Their neighbor across the pond has set up some Purple Martin houses,
and there was activity around them. A bird sat on top for a while, and
then later another bird flew in. Unfortunately the houses were backlit
from my angle, so I couldn't get an identification.

Robin Barrow
Knoxville, TN
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[TN-Bird] hooded mergansers and wood ducks, Cumberland Co.

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