[TN-Bird] Blount and Knox County birds - highlights: Peregrine Falcon, Long-tailed Duck, Osprey, Surf Scoter

From: "Welsh, Christopher J E" <cwelsh@xxxxxxx>
To: "tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 03:21:34 +0000
Monday January 19th:  Made a run down to Maryville to see the Peregrine
Falcon that others have reported (feels odd standing along a main street
staring up at the side of a building with binoculars), quick stop at
Louisville Point Park for Brown-headed Nuthatches (3), then up to Concord
Marina in Knox County to look for the Long-tailed Ducks and White-winged
Scoter that had been reported.

Long-tailed ducks (winter male and female) were about mid-way out from
about mid-way around the marina.  Not terribly close, but good scope views.

First saw the scoter near the first and 2nd set of docks, but it was
between me and the sun so not great view.  Later got much better view from
kayak and took number of photos.  Something didn¹t feel right about
white-winged.  I did not see any white on the wings, which I know is often
not visible.  However, the bird briefly lifted one wing to preen, and I
saw no white in that brief glimpse.  Not enough to swear to, but pretty
sure.  The other thing that got me was the bill, which did not seem to
have any feathering along the side toward the nostril.  Sibley has a
diagram showing the feathering on White-winged coming down almost to
nostril on top and side of the upper mandible whereas Surf has wide
unfeathered base of upper mandible with feathering just on top.  Looking
at photos later has me convinced it is a juvenile female Surf Scoter.
It¹s a ringer for the bottom right bird on the Surf Scoter page of
Crossley ID Guide.  Would be happy to hear confirmatory (or otherwise)
opinions.  Two photos are posted on East Tennessee Birding Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152627966853671&set=pcb.411625299
002013&type=1&theater
This bird was barely bigger than the many surrounding coots.
It was still there when I left this evening about 5:15 pm.

I was surprised to have an Osprey fly right over me, talons clutching a
fish.  Osprey in January?
Later an adult Bald Eagle cruised by fairly high up, essentially over
Northshore Dr.  High up, but not so high that all the gulls on the marina
roof didn¹t notice and take flight.

Chris Welsh
Knoxville, Knox County, TN

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[TN-Bird] Blount and Knox County birds - highlights: Peregrine Falcon, Long-tailed Duck, Osprey, Surf Scoter

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