[TN-Bird] Mississippi Sandbar Run
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2005 08:25:59 EDT
Aug. 6, 2005
Mississippi River
Shelby and Tipton Co. TN
Crittenden Co. AR
After watching all the species using the sandbars here along the water
front, I finally got out on the water and visited the sites. Alex Albonetti, a
friend that duck hunts the river and knows it well, made an offer that I could
not refuse. He came away impressed with the diversity and was very taken with
the Black-necked Stilts. We were out just at daybreak and surveyed Engineer's
Bar (Ark) Dacus, Loosahatchie and Hickman Bars plus Brandywine Island (all
but Hickman on the west side of the river but in TN) to Densford Bar (on the
east side of the river but actually in AR). The Mississippi River navigation
charts are essential if you want to know what state you are in, (besides my
normal state of confusion.)
There was a migration in progress all morning with fly by flocks of
shorebirds and terns; some groups of shorebird stopping to preen and rest
allowed
close approach. Trudging across the loose sand reminded me of the good old
days
at Island 13, before the river deposited too much sand there and its approach
now blocked by a hunting club.
During the 6 hour adventure, we totaled 55 Black-necked Stilts in family
groups among the 15 species of shorebirds which also included; Am. Golden
Plover, Semipalmated Plover, lots of Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Willet,
Sanderling and a group of BUFF BREASTED SANDPIPERS strolling through the
Pigweed on
Hickman Bar.
Black Terns, adults and immature birds, were feeding again at Dacus Bar and
a few singles were seen traveling down the river. The only other terns were
the Least with some still doing a little practice courting with males carrying
around fish and offering them to uninterested females. On one bar we were
attacked by a bunch of them as if there were late hatching young around. We
immediately left the area much to their relief.
We also saw the following raptors over or crossing the river; Osprey,
Mississippi Kites, Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered, Red-tailed Hawk
and
Kestrel.
Good Birding!!!
Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA
Bartlett, TN
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