[TN-Bird] Reelfoot Lake area; 5/11/07

From: "Todd, Michael C." <michael.c.todd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2007 21:23:08 -0500
5/11/07
Reelfoot Lake area (Obion & Lake Co.)
I birded the Reelfoot area with Mike Bernard today. We filled a few holes on
his TN list, but birding was a little slower than I had expected. We birded
the area from about 07:00 until about 14:00.

Walnut Log was very quiet, with very low warbler numbers. The highlight
being the 1st of several looks on the day at Cape May Warbler. Otherwise, a
couple of Yellow-crowned Night-Herons and a Veery were nice. Wood Thrushes
were very vocal, but there weren't even any Swainson's singing this morning.
For the entire day, we had only 16 species of warblers, though the stunning
looks at Cape Mays made up for some of the lack of diversity. Blackpoll was
certainly the most numerous boreal warbler coming through.

Black Bayou was the most productive location of the day, though we struck
out on the main target. Still no sign of the Bell's Vireo, which would have
been a lifer for Mike, and will make 5 years in a row if they return.
Shorebirds in the pool on the backside of the pump house included 2 Stilt
Sandpipers and several Semi Sands and Pectorals among the Least and both
Yellowlegs. For the day we had a total of 13 species of shorebirds. The
flooded field on the southwest side of Black Bayou had a couple of
Black-necked Stilts, a single Dunlin in nice plumage, and as many Semi Sands
as there were Least. We were able to pick out a couple of Westerns, one
coming into pretty nice plumage. There were at least 100 Semi Plovers in
this area as well. Other birds in the area included a Wilson's Snipe and
Spotted Sandpiper.

The highlight for me on the day was having looks at both Willow and Alder
Flycatchers singing at Black Bayou. The Alder was just north of Burnt Woods
Rd, and the Willow was singing from the edge of the field where we had the
Dunlin, etc. at Black Bayou. With a little scope scanning, I was able to
find the Willow sitting up in the top of a tree, as they usually do, and we
had great looks at the Alder from the road. Though we missed Bell's Vireo
here, we did have a couple of Philly's. Snowy Egrets are still in short
supply, with only 4 seen, and no Little Blue Herons.

Phillipy was a big disappointment, as was the Ibis Hole. I don't know if a
Peregrine had been through and scattered everything, but there was
practically nothing in either place. One Black-necked Stilt and a few Least
and Pectorals at Phillipy, and absolutely nothing at the Ibis Hole. The
water levels looked like they may have been up just a tad here as well,
maybe impacting the foraging of the birds. The flooded field that last
hosted the Ruff had a single Black-necked Stilt, and no other shorebirds.

We drove several miles of vetch covered levees, without a sight or sound of
a Bobolink. This and missing White-rumped Sandpiper completely were the
biggest surprises on the day to me. Several stops looking over Reelfoot from
different points, didn't produce anything at all; not a single tern or gull.


All in all, a very nice day to be out and to give Mike a taste of the
Reelfoot area, even if it was a little slow by Reelfoot standards.

Good Birding!!

Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.pbase.com/mctodd



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[TN-Bird] Reelfoot Lake area; 5/11/07

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