10/5/2015 Pace Point, Henry County
I'm working in Big Sandy, so tonight I had time to run out to the lake
for a few hours, and watch it get dark.
Only a few Ring-billed Gulls were at the loafing area, and one lone
Forsters Tern was among them.
Not much going there, so I just sat and watched the traffic over the
lake.
A group of 10 Herring Gulls came through, going for Paris Landing.
Soon an adult Lesser Black-backed, accompanied by one Ring-bill, came in
from Paris Landing heading up the TN River.
Ring-bills were scattered all over far out on the lake, flying in all
directions, but I soon realized that most of them seemed to have a
destination somewhere up the TN River. (Roosting area?)
A passerine flock came through behind me and interrupted my gull watching
for a few minutes;
White-eyed Vireo 1
Philadelphia Vireo 1
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Tennessee warbler 10
Common yellowthroat 1
N. Parula 1
Magnolia 4
Blackburnian 1
Chestnut-sided 2
Bay-breasted 8
Black-throated green 3
Back over the lake, a group of 31 Forsters (?) Terns was coming down the
TN River to the right of Pace Point, but they were very distant, and I
couldn't tell whether there were any Common. They appeared to be headed for
a roost, so I decided to watch them as long as possible.
Far out over the lake they kept turning to the left until they had done a
complete turnaround, only this time they were headed up the Big Sandy on
the left side of Pace.
I half expected them to go in Eagle Creek, but they didn't, they kept right
on going. (Maybe Big Sandy Mudflats?)
A family of six beavers have taken up residence just off the point, and
the big daddy couldn't seem to make up his mind what he wanted to do with
me . He kept coming in for closer looks, then popping his tail and diving.
I didn't know whether I should laugh or run for my life! (He was pretty
big!)
Ruben Stoll, Centerville TN.
