[tn-bird] RPT: West TN 6/5/02 (long)
- From: Mikectodd@xxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2002 11:19:41 EDT
I began the day by picking up Don Manning so we could run a Breeding Bird
Survey route which began in Henry and ended in Weakly Counties. I thought the
day was off to a good start when a Chuck-wills-widow practically tried to
perch on Don's head shortly before dawn. This is a nice route, which turned
up a respectable 69 species. A bird we had on the route last year, Lark
Sparrow, was one we were hoping to turn up again. We had no luck in the area
the Lark was last year, so we thought "oh well". On the 48th of the 50 stops
(Weakly Co.), surrounded by corn fields, a distant bird on an electric wire
looked interesting through my field glasses, through the scope it proved to
be a Lark Sparrow which promptly started singing. Interestingly, when we get
these birds in Henry, Carroll, or Weakly Co., they are invariably in the
vicinity of corn fields. Another bird we had hoped for to no avail, was
Mississippi Kite, which we also had on the count last year. While carrying
Don home I noticed a kettle of vultures soaring, with what appeared to be
several smaller birds up higher riding the same thermal. We stopped and the
1st of these other birds I got on was an adult Mississippi Kite, in company
with 3, 2nd-year Broad-winged Hawks, which appeared to be migrating. After a
couple of minutes of observation the Kite set its wings, left the group, and
promptly disappeared heading due west. Mississippi Kite is a treat for us
over here in Henry Co.
I next decided to head to the Reelfoot area, on the off-chance the Fulvous
Whistling-Ducks might still be hanging around, even though they hadn't been
seen since Monday. Naturally I arrived the same time as the storm that hit. I
creeped around in a driving rain and wound up at Hwy 79 to hopefully wait the
storm out. Glen Criswell had the same idea as he was parked there when I got
there. After an hour or so it finally let up and we got some birding in. Hwy
79 was pretty slow, so we headed to Mud Lake. As we pulled up to the west
side of Mud Lake, I noticed a couple of Mallards take off, near us, followed
shortly by a pair of FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCKS! I jumped out and Glen was able
to get on them as well, we watched them fly and they eventually went down in
the flooded wheat on the north side of Mud Lake. Mud Lake was a duck bonanza
for TN in June. In addition to the Whistling-Ducks, Mallards, Wood Ducks,
Blue-winged Teal, and Hooded Merg's, were 74 Ruddy Ducks (with many of the
males displaying) and a pair of American Wigeon.
We drove around to the location that the Whistling-Ducks were last seen, and
saw them two more times in flight while we were here. We saw them go down
once, but they disappeared as soon as they hit the flooded wheat. The second
time they got up here I lost them as they flew south toward the far treeline
at Mud Lake, but they were low when I lost them and probably stayed in the
area. Also at this location were two pair of Black-necked Stilts (one bird
appeared to be sitting on eggs), at least a dozen Coots, and Least Bittern,
which was calling and seen twice, once in a quick flight and then probably
another bird perched up in a bush out in the open water.
We continued north and had about a dozen each of White-rumped and Semi
Sandpipers in a field, along with a few Semi Plovers. I had to depart shortly
after this, but went by the Cargil elevators on my way home, and had both
Scissor-tails in view at once, so they are still doing fine. The nest
location they chose looks like it should ride out the worst of these storms.
Good birding!!!!!!!
Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
Carroll Co.
mikectodd@xxxxxx
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