[birdky] TVA Shorebird Meeting
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, albirds@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 12 May 2005 08:58:22 EDT
May 12, 2005
Memphis/ Ensley Bottoms
Shelby Co. TN
I've played hooky from work the last two days and been in a meeting at Ducks
Unlimited and also in the field at Ensley Bottoms in Memphis. The Tennessee
River Valley Shorebird Monitoring Meeting was attended by over 30 TVA
officials, members of the USFW Service and wildlife officials from TN-AL-KY.
The first day was filled with discussions on Goals and Objectives in
initiating and identifying potential monitored sites within the TN River
Valley,
from which data could be used to set baselines for habitat and its usage by
shorebirds. Randy Wilson, USFW from Vicksburg, MS presented an informative
overview and insights of the goals, objectives, partners, lessons learned and
successes of the Lower Mississippi Joint Venture shorebird monitoring program,
to
give TVA a jump start on organizing such for the Tennessee River Valley.
The afternoon session was turned over to Brian Harrington, Senior Scientist,
Manomet, Center for Conservation Sciences in Massachusetts. Mr. Harrington
for took us through the protocols, methods and census techniques of the
International Shorebird Survey. A time was spent with break out groups looking
at
maps of the TN River Valley and identifying sites and exchanging info on
prioritization and responsible agencies of potential monitoring sites within
the
valley drainage. The rest of the afternoon. Brian Harrington went through
surveying techniques, estimating concentration of shorebirds and key points
and
tips on ID.
The following day was spent in the field at Ensley Bottoms, where we applied
Brian Harrington's methods of flock estimates when we separated into groups
and were amazed at the general consensus reached by the 7 groups on numbers
and species in a flock of 4,000 Wind Birds. We had a break for lunch, at where
else, Interstate Bar-B-Q after which some had to leave to travel back to
their jobs but some of us stayed through the evening, in fact 3 of us stayed
till dark.
In the afternoon, the group was treated to two exciting and up close
encounters with a hunting Peregrine Falcon and the evasive maneuvers of a
Lesser
Yellowlegs, taken again and again to escape being a lunch item. Later we were
to
witness a mass exodus of shorebirds as they gathered in front of us and took
off in clamorous groups again and again, flying over the steam plant to
destinations far to the north.
We enjoyed 17 species over the day: Semipalmated Sandpiper, Killdeer with
young, Black-necked Stilts-many on nests, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs with
great comparisons, Solitary Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Semipalmated
Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper -1, Least Sandpipers-huge number, White-rumped
Sandpipers, Pectoral Sandpipers -second in total numbers, Dunlin, Stilt
Sandpiper,
Short-billed Dowitcher-just getting here in the last few days in numbers,
Long-billed -1 exact reverse in species between the two from last weekend,
Wilson's
Phalarope-3 males which later we were to watch, in the setting sun, migrate
north.
I'd like to thank, Hill Henry, Jason Mitchell and the others on the TVA
staff, for the invitation and organizing the meeting, bringing together and
keeping this large group in focus and running on time and especially Brian
Harrington for sharing his extensive, in depth knowledge and expertise of my
beloved
Wind Birds.
The efforts and time put in by these individuals at this meeting will
benefit both the birds and the people of our region and beyond, in providing
another, fast dwindling group of birds, stop over habitat during their
migration
time through the TN River Valley.
Good Birding!!!
Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA
Bartlett, TN
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