4/26/15
Duck River Unit NWR, Humphreys Co.
Traveling
Arrived at Duck River Unit at 7:00am. Was listening to warblers and vireos
near entrance when Stanley York showed up. We birded the area until NOON.
Coming around to the first dike on the Goose Rd loop we heard Sedge Wren.
Then Stanley noticed a bunch of Bald Eagles sitting on the dike in front of
us. As we moved up I observed and imm. Eagle flush a bird out of Pool #2.
It was the Glossy Ibis we had both come to get. We jump out of our vehicles
and watched the Ibis avoid being Eagle breakfast. It looped around allowing
good looks and then flew towards the dam. Nice Tennessee Life bird.
We headed around the loop observing Solitary and Lesser Yellowlegs and
Orchard Orioles and Yellow Warbles and Blue Grosbeaks. We stopped at a
place I usually get sora. Stanley immediately saw one. We heard another
one call and the first one came back into view. Great looks it was about 20
feet away. We had to big flights of Lesser Yellowlegs get up. The one
closest to us banked around and I notices a Dowither among them. They land
and I got my scope on them finally and determined it was a Short-billed
dowitcher. Stanley and another birder and myself all agreed on the ID.,
Next we headed down to the River ramp and found Bobolink in the Field
there.
Great morning of birding. 60 species seen. Complete list on Ebird. Most
abundant bird of the day was Cliff swallows. You could count 30 to 50
anywhere you looked.
Good to bird with Stanley York again. Ran into Steve and Cyndi Routledge
later in the morning and met a birder who new Ruben Stoll and Daniel Moss
but me and names take awhile. It was good to meet you. Hope to see you
around, so I can really learn yur name.
Good Birding
Stephen Zipperer
Rutherford Co.
