[TN-Bird] Rutherford Co. birds, 28 Apr 13

From: Scott Somershoe <Scott.Somershoe@xxxxxx>
To: TN-Birds <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:05:15 +0000

I ended up in Eagleville, Rutherford Co. yesterday afternoon (28 Apr 13).  I 
could have spent all day birding the flooded fields on Swamp Rd and at the sod 
farm.  I ended with 11 species of shorebird, which is really good for 
Rutherford county.

Semipalmated Plover - 30
Killdeer - 6
Spotted Sandpiper - 8
Solitary Sandpiper- 9
Greater Yellowlegs - 1
Lesser Yellowlegs - 8
Upland Sandpiper - 1, found by Daniel Estabrooks.  I have photos of the bird 
standing on the shoulder of Hwy 99.
Least Sandpiper - 15
Pectoral Sandpiper -7
Long-billed Dowitcher - 2 (one on the sod farm, one on Swamp Rd)
Wilson's Snipe - 1

I'm also pretty certain I had a Baird's Sandpiper on the sod farm.  It was on 
the far side of the sod and it was a little breezy, and I just couldn't be 100% 
sure.  The shape, movement/behavior, and color were spot on for a spring 
Baird's.  The bird was not associating with a flock of Least's and the 
Semipalmated Plovers that were staying on the far side of the sod.  It flew at 
some point and I never relocated it. The one that got away.

Swamp Rd - LOTS of flooded fields with blue-winged teal scattered around.  
Shorebirds mixed in the vegetation everywhere.   All the fields I scanned 
closely had birds, but many were hunkered down, making it very difficult to 
find them.  I think close scanning would have yielded dozens of yellowlegs and 
solitary's.  I saw a PAIR of Lark Sparrows together (photos) in the road 
between 2 flooded fields and another SINGING Lark Sparrow just up the road a 
half mile!

I'll eventually get photos up.

Great birding!
Scott Somershoe

[TN-Bird] Rutherford Co. birds, 28 Apr 13

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