May 12, 2017 Lake and Dyer Counties
Mud Lake and Robinson Bayou Road (both Lake County) produced excellent
shorebird activity this morning. I tallied 20 species, most noteworthy being a
Marbled Godwit at Mud Lake. Met Mark Greene late morning on Robinson Bayou
Road, on my second trip around the flooded fields there. Between us,
Black-bellied Plover (26), Ruddy Turnstones (10), Dunlin (60) and White-rumped
Sandpipers (36) were in especially good numbers. Mark added an Upland
Sandpiper, at least the 21st species present in the area. Mark also had three
Fulvous Whistling-Ducks at Tumbleweed WMA in Lake Co., while I located a
Reddish Egret near the entrance to Moss Island WMA in Dyer Co., which also held
Black-bellied Plover (3), an American Golden-Plover, and more Ruddy Turnstones
(8). The only “disappointment” was not finding the Whimbrel that Mark had
yesterday. The Obion River is well out of it’s banks, as is the Mississippi
River. Sections of Hwy’s 79, 103 and 104 are under water, from Great River Road
(Hwy 181) to the Mississippi, as is Bungie Road. Hwy 88 is closed at the five
mile mark from Hwy 51. The bridge on Great River Road at the Lauderdale/Dyer
county lines is not accessible. As Mike Todd noted yesterday, the conditions
seem ripe for more interesting shorebird activity for the next several days.
Happy Birding
Dick Preston
Munford
Tipton Co.
