[TN-Bird] Common Mergansers, Ross's Geese, RN Grebe
- From: "Ron Hoff" <aves7000@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "TN-bird" <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2014 15:46:43 -0500
TN-birders,
This amazing winter continues to produce terrific bird sightings. Here are our
latest:
1 – We went to Louisville Point Park, in Blount Co. at 7 am, where we met Tom
Howe, to look for the Red-necked Grebes that were reported from there
yesterday. We managed to find 2 of them out in the main body of the lake, off
to the left of the boat ramp there, on the Blount Co. side. There was an Eared
Grebe reported from there yesterday as well but we didn’t see any this morning.
2 – We were going to the Bass Pro business at the Sevierville Exit (#407) to do
some shopping anyway, so we decided to try to look for a reported Red-necked
Grebe on Douglas Lake. We started at Douglas Dam in Sevier Co., but didn’t
really see any waterfowl other than Pied-billed Grebes. Then we went around to
the north of the lake and found and area to pull off highway 139, just past
Deep Springs Rd. This is now in Jefferson Co. We were scanning the lake when we
found 14 Common Mergansers on the far side of the lake in some shallow areas,
diving and feeding. This was the largest group we have ever seen in east TN.
3 – A bit further east on highway 139 brought us to a TVA public boat launch
area on Flora Rd. We drove out this road to where other vehicles were parked
and started scanning the lake. Dollyann immediately spotted a bird in the cove
where folks launch their boats. It turned out to be a lone Red-necked Grebe. It
apparently was unfazed by people launching boats, so I managed to get within 30
yards of it as it fed in the cove for some stunning views. Way cool!
Someone must have pushed the Red-necked Grebe “EASY” button!
Great birding,
Ron Hoff & Dollyann Myers
Clinton, TN
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