[tn-bird] Reelfoot Area and White Ibis
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2002 19:11:15 EDT
June 29-30, 2002
Reelfoot Area
Dyer, Obion and
Lake Co. TN
Saturday afternoon I drove up toward Reelfoot using back roads and looking in
wet areas for shorebirds and ibis. At Memphis I had seen a Lesser Yellowlegs,
a few Least Sandpipers and an early American Golden Plover along with
remarkable numbers of Killdeer and Black-necked Stilts.
In Dyer Co. I saw 4 Least Sandpipers, another Lesser Yellowlegs and 4
Pectoral Sandpipers along the Great River Road. At White Lake Refuge I was
pleasantly surprised to find the first large concentration of Little Blue
Herons that I've seen in two years. On Saturday afternoon many were leaving
going to the roost across the river but I estimated about 120 still in the
area. On Sunday I positioned myself in the late afternoon to watch them leave
and counted over 320. Great Egrets were also seen in large numbers and are
using a roost to the east of White Lake Refuge and also the rookery/roost on
Reelfoot Lake. Snowy Egret numbers are still way down.
Just north of White Lake Refuge, I found another species I was looking for,
an immature White Ibis. Even at a great distance and with heat shimmers I was
able to get an IDable photo. The bird was feeding with about 10 Great Egrets.
It was not found later nor was it seen on Sunday. I did photograph an adult
Pintail using the same wet hole as the ibis. This area along with most of the
others I looked at will be dry in a week without some rain.
At Mud Lake, I counted 61 American White Pelicans that Ken Leggett said had
been around for a few days. The pair of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers on the
Mississippi River in Lake County are still on location and the female is
tending her eggs with only brief breaks to get a quick bite. At Champy's
Pocket on Reelfoot Lake I located the summering male Lesser Scaup along with
the two males and one female Ruddy Duck. Two adult Bald Eagles were sharing a
stump out in the lake and two Osprey were seen perched near their nest site.
I ran into Nancy Moore and Hap Chambers late Sunday and they had seen another
bird that I have been scanning the river for, Caspian Tern, 4 at Tiptonville
Landing. They had also seen a Lesser and a Greater Yellowlegs at the
Phillippy Pits. I was able to find the Greater Yellowlegs for my 7th
shorebird species for the weekend and when I arrived at the landing, the
Caspian Tern number had increased by one. Least Terns are happy with nesting
sites now rising with the falling of waters and minnows are being offered for
sex at all the local bars.
Sunday, I had a calling Willow Flycatcher along the south border of White
Lake Refuge. I had had another singing bird near the entrance some weeks
before. North of White Lake I found a Blue-winged Teal escorting 4 young and
later a pair in a barrow pit near the Dyer/Lake Co. line. The numerous
soaring birds included immature Red-tailed, Red-shouldered Hawks and first
and second year Mississippi Kites. Breeding season is roaring along and it
seems as if success is being enjoyed by many species.
Good Birding!!!
Jeff R. Wilson
OL' COOT / TLBA
Bartlett Tenn.
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