TN-birders,
Dollyann and I met Tony King out at what I will venture to call the “95/411”
pond. This is just off highway 411, on highway 95 about 3/4 mile towards
Greenback on the right. There was a swan in this area a few years ago and this
pond has potential as a decent site for local rarities.
While we were there, I went into the building on the site. It is a truck engine
repair facility. I chatted with a young man inside, Mike Weaver, and he said
they owned all the land outside, including the pond. I asked if he was OK with
people birding it and he said that was fine, as long as folks park off to the
side on the gravel, so trucks can come and go as needed. He said that
sometimes, mostly on weekends, there are hunters out there and indeed there is
a duck blind beside the pond, so be advised.
Tony had his scope with him and we got what I thought was a pretty decent look
at the face on this ibis. I could tell no red either in the eye or around the
face. The whole head just looked dark to me. I’m going to step out on the limb
and say it appears to me to be a juvenile Glossy Ibis. Statistically they would
be far more likely than a White-faced, but stranger things in the birding world
have happened. There was also Northern Harrier in the field behind the pond.
Thanks to Janet McKnight for finding and reporting this bird.
Great birding,
Ron Hoff
Loudon, TN
