[Bristol-Birds] Rankin Golden-Plover etc.

  • From: "michael sledjeski" <mtnsylva@xxxxxxx>
  • To: bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, TN-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2006 10:12:49 -0400

Rankin area, Cocke county, 9/16/06, 5-8:00 PM
Douglas Lake elevation: 978.8 - 978.6

We drove south along the old RR bed to the Gate Pond and watched the AMERICAN AVOCET, and about 50 lesser & greater yellowlegs, with Don Holt and friends, and Steve & Rebecca Satterfield. We then launched our canoe from Birders' Point (reached by the trail east from the coal tipple) and cruised along the riverbank shoal. Among the usual shorebirds, we saw a lone AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, 6 SANDERLINGS, a tight flock of 18 STILT SANDPIPERS, and a GREEN-WINGED TEAL.

We went around the point, under the RR trestle, to check out the Ten Islands side of Rankin peninsula. We saw about 40 KILLDEER & 20 LEAST SANDPIPERS in the fresh mudflats west of the trestle. Fifteen WILD TURKEYS foraged below the trees, 30+ GREAT EGRETS & a few GREAT BLUE HERONS waded in the shallows toward the south.

Around sunset, the great egrets at Rankin Bottoms flew west, presumably to gather at Ten Islands for the night. This area can be observed from Brown's Hollow Rd. the last left turn before crossing the RR into the Rankin WMA. Mr. Wendell Wilde often accosts and questions strangers in the Brown's Hollow area, but tolerates birders. The road is county-maintained and open to the public as far as the gate at the end.

Douglas Lake is lowering rapidly, and is predicted to be at 975' by Tuesday night, the 19th. The shoreline from Birders' Point to old trestle abutment should provide good looks across to the mudflats.

Michael Sledjeski & Leslie Gibbens
Cocke county TN


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  • » [Bristol-Birds] Rankin Golden-Plover etc.