[TN-Bird] Red-throated Loon, Surf Scoter - Cook Rec Area, Percy Priest Lake

From: Scott Somershoe <Scott.Somershoe@xxxxxx>
To: TN-Birds <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:29:33 +0000

I went to see what was roosting on Percy Priest Lake off the Cook Rec Area, 
Davidson Co., on Wed, 28 Nov 12.  Few gulls for this time of the year (only 
about 350 Bonaparte's and 1500 Ring-billed), but the duck numbers and diversity 
were excellent for Priest and the loons were in force.  I had 13 species of 
waterfowl, including 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Redhead, and a pair of 
Northern Pintail.  The hordes of Horned Grebes were present, although I ran out 
of daylight to get a decent count.  Other ducks were too distant and/or 
sleeping to ID and count.

Highlights were an adult male Surf Scoter and an immature Red-throated Loon.  
The loon was initially seen only about 100m off the shore and was later seen 
swimming with 20 Common Loons not much further from shore.  Having the 
Red-throated in with the Common Loons at relatively close range was a real 
treat.

On my way back to the truck at last light, I flushed a woodcock from the edge 
of the woods along the small manmade pond by the boat ramp parking lot.   I 
also had 4 different Great Horned Owls calling up a storm, 2 on an island 
across the lake and 2 on Cook Rec Area proper.

Here is a shortened link to the Cook Rec Area site page on the Tennessee's 
watchable Wildlife web site.  I'm slowly but surely creating site pages for 
each of the good birding places around Priest Lake.
http://tinyurl.com/cpquevj

See full eBird list below.

Great birding!!
Scott Somershoe



J. Percy Priest Lake--Cook Rec Area, Davidson, US-TN Nov 28, 2012 4:00 PM - 
5:15 PM

Protocol: Traveling

0.5 mile(s)

30 species



Canada Goose  X

Gadwall  50

Mallard  2

Northern Pintail  2

Green-winged Teal  75

Redhead  2

Ring-necked Duck  60

Surf Scoter  1

Bufflehead  65

Common Goldeneye  3

Hooded Merganser  55

Red-breasted Merganser  2

Ruddy Duck  35

Red-throated Loon  1

Common Loon  295

Pied-billed Grebe  45

Horned Grebe  212

Great Blue Heron  4

American Coot  450

Killdeer  3

American Woodcock  1

Bonaparte's Gull  350

Ring-billed Gull  1500

Herring Gull  1

Great Horned Owl  4

Belted Kingfisher  1

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1

Song Sparrow  8

White-throated Sparrow  3



View this checklist online at 
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S12183419


State Ornithologist
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
P.O. Box 40747
Nashville, TN 37204
615-781-6653 (office)
615-781-6654 (fax)

[TN-Bird] Red-throated Loon, Surf Scoter - Cook Rec Area, Percy Priest Lake

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