[Bristol-Birds] Rankin WMA- Merganser Brood, Eagles, Waterbirds, etc.
- From: michael sledjeski <mbsledjeski@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, bristol-birds <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 2 May 2014 14:02:16 -0400
Douglas Lake, Cocke & Hamblen counties, 5/1/14, 2-6pm, by canoe; lake
elevation: 988.7 ft
A fine spring day on the lake, some First-Of-Year species, exploding numbers
(e.g., Wood Duck, Cormorant, Bald Eagles & Lesser Yellowlegs) and uncommon
spring visitors (Black Tern, Dowitcher & Pipit). Biggest surprise was a female
Hooded Merganser with 9 young. According to Nicholson's "Atlas of Breeding
Birds of TN", this is a state rarity, especially in East TN.
The main Rankin embayment is now completely flooded. Most of the birds
reported were in areas not viewable from land.
Mouth of the Nolichucky, Hamblen county (the islands here are owned by TVA and
included in the Rankin WMA):
Wood Duck (6)
Dbl.-crested Cormorant (60)
Great Egret (15)
Green Heron -FOY
Osprey
Bald Eagle (5 - all imm.)
Red-tailed Hawk
Spotted Sandpiper - FOY
Bonaparte's Gull (2)
image at- http://www.pbase.com/sylvafoto/image/155463604
Black Tern (2)
Baltimore Oriole
Prothonotary Warbler (2)
Rankin Bottoms, Cocke county:
Canada Goose (60; pair with 10 young-FOS)
Wood Duck (55, nearly all in pairs)
Blue-winged Teal (16)
Northern Shoveler -pair
Hooded Merganser (10: hen with 9 young)
blurry image at- http://www.pbase.com/sylvafoto/image/155469518/original
Wild Turkey (3)
Dbl.-crested Cormorant (400+)
Great Blue Heron (18 - 8 active nests on the French Broad)
Great Egret (7)
Green Heron (2)
Bald Eagle (14 - only 1 adult)
Osprey (7 - 3 active nests on the French Broad between Rankin Bridge & the Coal
Tower)
Killdeer (mating-display pair)
Greater Yellowlegs (2)
Lesser Yellowlegs (66)
Spotted Sandpiper (5)
Solitary Sandpiper (21 - FOY)
Least Sandpiper (2)
Short-billed Dowitcher (3 - FOY)
http://www.pbase.com/sylvafoto/image/155463567 (click on "original" for
magnification)
Ring-billed Gull (38)
Caspian Tern (3)
http://www.pbase.com/sylvafoto/image/155469287
Red-headed Woodpecker - FOY
Eastern Kingbird (8 -FOY)
Am. Pipit (9 - in breeding plumage)
Prothonotary Warbler (5)
Also, we saw many swallows (Purple Martins; Barn, Cliff, Northern Rough-winged
and especially, Tree) throughout the day.
Michael Sledjeski & Leslie Gibbens
Del Rio TN
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- » [Bristol-Birds] Rankin WMA- Merganser Brood, Eagles, Waterbirds, etc. - michael sledjeski
