[TN-Bird] Gateway Ponds, Murfreesboro, Rutherford Co.
- From: Scott Somershoe <Scott.Somershoe@xxxxxx>
- To: TN-Birds <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2012 00:20:27 +0000
I got antsy this afternoon and went out for a bit between storms. Not much to
see at the Gateway Ponds other than one Solitary Sandpiper, lots of Killdeer,
and 50 Least Sandpipers.
I also had a fun encounter with the juvenile red-tailed hawk that has been
present for several days. The adult bird dropped down and killed a rat or
something, flew off (with eastern kingbird in hot pursuit and actually landing
on it's back, see photos in link below) and left the rat for the juvenile to
eat. The juvenile eventually flew up to a post and perched there for quite a
while. Juvenile raptors are sometimes very tame (aka dumb) and I slowly walked
out in the field taking photos along the way and ended up stopping when I was
only 20ft away. It just sat there uninterested in me and my camera. I ended
up walking away leaving it on the perch screaming (or complaining) to its
parent.
A few photos from the last couple days:
Juvenile Wood Duck doing it's best Ruddy Duck impression, as seen by several
folks yesterday. There was an entire family roosting on one of the exposed
rocks.
http://www.pbase.com/shoeman/image/144739935
Flock of Least Sandpipers all together. Exactly 50 birds (if I counted right).
http://www.pbase.com/shoeman/image/144739894
Entire gallery from Gateway Ponds over the last 3 days including some dowitcher
and red-tailed hawk shots.
http://www.pbase.com/shoeman/summer_2012
Cheers,
Scott Somershoe
State Ornithologist
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
P.O. Box 40747
Nashville, TN 37204
615-781-6653 (office)
615-781-6654 (fax)
Other related posts:
- » [TN-Bird] Gateway Ponds, Murfreesboro, Rutherford Co. - Scott Somershoe
