July 4, 2002 Ensley Bottoms Shelby Co. TN I checked the river this morning before going to the pits and with very little sand showing came away with only a few Least Terns. At the pits two Song Sparrows were singing away among the clamor of all the Black-necked Stilts. Another American Golden-Plover was found and photographed. This bird was in full basic plumage where the one last week had just started to molt from alternate. Three Lesser Yellowlegs besides the hordes of stilts and Killdeer were all I could find until late afternoon when 5 Least Sandpipers dropped in to rest. A quick trip down to North and Robco Lakes produced a single DC Cormorant. Farther south on the MS-TN line and the levee south of Horn Lake produced a Grasshopper Sparrow carrying food (in Mississippi). I thought this to be pretty late for young Grasshopper Sparrows. I was struck by how few Dickcissel were present. I believe there have been far fewer everywhere this year overall than any time I remember. They can get pretty concentrated but I still think their numbers are down. The trees have grown up in front of the TN areas of Mud and Cocklebur Lake and are going to make seeing into the area quite difficult. At Star Landing in Mississippi, there is a sand bar forming right at the Horn Lake outlet. This could make for some interesting habitat at this birdie location. Good Birding!!! Jeff R. Wilson OL' COOT / TLBA Bartlett Tenn. =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 =========================================================