Reelfoot Lake vicinity 4/28/03 After talking to Jeff yesterday, I hoped to head to Reelfoot this morning, luckily circumstances allowed me to go. Let me 1st say that I didn't relocate the Marbled Godwit Jeff found over the weekend, the river has taken a jump and the sandbar the Godwit was on is submerged. BTW, there were also two separate Marbled Godwit sightings in KY over the weekend! I also didn't get the Upland Sandpipers either, although this afternoon when I was on Hwy 79 in Lake Co., there was a steady stream of traffic (trucks & dumptrucks) that may have kept these shy birds in alert mode. I started the morning on Walnut Log, with little breeze, making for some nice passerine viewing. I got several first-of-seasons like Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Gray Catbird, Philly Vireo (all 6 regularly occurring TN vireos on the Log), and singing Gray-cheeked Thrush. It was a good day for warblers (for April anyway) on Walnut Log, with 20 species. These included FOS birds, all singles, of Orange-crowned, Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian, Bay-breasted, and Cerulean. Ironically, I wouldn't pick up another warbler all day, and as a matter of fact, I only had 8 warbler species outside of Walnut Log. Something else kind of funny, I'm up to 28 warblers this spring, with no Redstart yet, must be a mental block or something. As Jeff mentioned, shorebird habitat is pretty scarce right now at Reelfoot. Only 9 species, none of which unexpected. My best find was a lone American Golden-Plover keeping company with several of its little Semipalmated cousins. A couple of brief looks at the Lake produced only Forster's Terns. One of my highlights of the day was spending some time with one of my favorite birds, Bobolinks. I ran across 2 groups (all males), one of 3 birds, the 2nd of 28 birds. The larger group was working the levee near Mud Lake, and paid me little attention when I got out to admire them, as they bubbled and tinkled away. Anyone who hasn't birded Hwy 79, should give it a run if you're in the area. It's a neat area, when it's not underwater anyway, which in spring is often the case. I must second Jeff's sentiments regarding the White-crowned Sparrows along 79, I've never seen anything like it. At one time, in one small puddle in the road, 22 White-crowned Sparrows were splashing around. It was like this for miles, it was neat also to hear their song in surround sound, with 6 or 7 birds singing nearby from every direction, so that one was always singing! It was a great day to be out, winding up with 124 species, can't wait for May! I've added a few shots from today to my website, nothing rare by any means, just a few birds that cooperated long enough for me to get a decent shot (which takes awhile). Blue Grosbeak, Dickcissel, Bobolink, and both Yellowlegs. If anyone's interested, this is in the "misc." folder at http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=330&groupID=116215&folderview=thumbs&ck= . Good birding!!!!!! Mike Todd McKenzie, TN Carroll Co. birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 =========================================================