[TN-Bird] Black Skimmer - MS RV - TN/AR - Photos
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, ARBIRD-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2005 20:18:19 EDT
September 17, 2005
Mississippi River,
Dacus Bar, Shelby Co. TN
Crittenden Co. AR
TLBA Strikes again.......
I checked out the sandbar from Mud Island early Saturday and with the
exception of a had full of Great Blues and a few Great Egrets there was not one
other species to be seen, not even a Killdeer. I went by the pits and the full
moon and wind had swept the greater part of the shorebirds south. A couple of
hours spent scouting rice fields across the river in AR revealed that there is
less rice this year and they have started some harvesting. Just hope we get
some rain for the rails.
I returned to scan the river again because the time is right for Sabine's
Gulls and maybe another goodie or two but started to leave because there
appeared to be zilch. One dark spot caught my eye and I saw a flash of orange
on
the bill so I though Caspian but had a problem with some black saddlebags the
bird was wearing. An adult, male Black Skimmer was not on my most likely list
for the day.
I called mike to get it on the net and Kenny and LaDonna to see where they
were. A black Skimmer would look good on their AR BIG YEAR list. Kenny said
they were on the way and I sat the bird till they arrived at Five.
While watching the bird it got up and flew around a few times taking a drink
and once picked something off the water. It got excited and was craning its
neck a couple of times but I could see only dots in the sky. When 2 Osprey
and an immature Bald Eagle hunted the area they did not phase the bird. I
really wonder what excited this bird up high????
I've posted 3 poor photos taken from a mile away in bright sunlight and heat
waves at my Katrina site at : _http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/katrinas_birds
_ (http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/katrinas_birds)
Good Birding!!!
Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA
Bartlett, TN
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