[TN-Bird] Ruff in Hardin Co. TN
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2003 21:52:18 EST
The report below is from Damien Simbeck. Over the last week I had told at
least three other birders to be on the look out for Ruffs. Looks like the
time is right. Ruffs evidently come through early and Reeves much later.
Jeff Wilson
OL'COOT/TLBA
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Subj: RUFF day in the rain!
Date: 3/17/03 8:39:00 PM Central Standard Time
From: <A HREF="mailto:TNbarredowl";>TNbarredowl</A>
To: <A HREF="mailto:OL COOT 1">OL COOT 1</A>
I spent the day giving Jack Hugus (VA) and Jerry Schaefer (SC) a tour of
Tishomingo Co. MS and Hardin Co. TN. Rain was the order of the day and
knocking off state birds for them was difficult. Woodland and field birds
were all but completely inactive, and waterfowl and gulls were all but gone.
Around 2:00 the rain broke and we made our last run into the Savannah Bottoms
before heading east toward Lawrenceburg. We crossed the Tennessee River
traveling west on Hwy. 64 and turned right on the unnamed road at the end of
the bridge. The road takes a sharp left curve and passes by a flooded field
to the north. At this field was a single white goose with 6 Canadas. Single
white goose sends me a Ross' signal so we put up the scope...yep, a Ross'
Goose. We scanned the flooded area and found several Bw Teal and Shoveler,
both yellowlegs and 50 Pectorals. We then continued west on the unnamed
road, through a flooded brush area and found a small area of water about 100
feet south of the road. This area had about 30 yellowlegs (both sp.). With
naked eye, we saw one bird with a black belly and immediately called an A.
Golden Plover...WRONG. When we got the binocs on the bird, we noticed an
orange bill with black tip, white ring at the base of the bill, grayish-brown
head, yellowish-brown neck, black breast with black splotches along the
flanks and bright orange legs. It was obvious...an adult male RUFF. Great
view at 100 feet!! This bird was even nice enough to flare out his neck
feathers on several occasions, warming up for later displays. He also
eventually showed us his tail so we could see the large white patches on the
sides of the tail and the dark terminal band. After we enjoyed the view for
a while, Jack began scanning the yellowlegs, then asked, "Is that a
phalarope?". We looked left and there it was, a Wilson's Phalarope. Three
first county records (to my knowledge) within 200 yards of each other...not a
bad end to a slow, rainy day birding.
If you look for the Ruff and it's not in the small wet area, check back in
the large flooded field with the Ross' Goose. He may join the other
yellowlegs there.
Please post this to TNbirds.
Damien Simbeck
Killen, AL
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Good Birding!!!
Jeff R. Wilson
OL' COOT / TLBA
Bartlett Tenn.
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