June 9-10, 2007 Memphis, Shelby Co. TN Here on the frontier of these two eastward expanding species, the mix and match goes on and on........... The hybrid Scissor-tail/Western Kingbird that is paired with a male Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was feeding at least 3 young this weekend on President's Island. On Saturday, she was sitting on the nest early in the day but acting like a typical nervous mother, moving around and checking the eggs continually. Sunday, AM she was busily feeding the young but the normally attentive male was not seen during an hour and a half vigil. This is his 4th year at this location. Photo : _http://www.pbase.com/image/80335526_ (http://www.pbase.com/image/80335526) One of the hybrid females, in North Memphis that is paired with a Western Kingbird, was sitting tight on the nest Saturday but acting fidgety on Sunday, so young can be expected today, my guess. I located a second nest at this location but could not determine if it belonged to the second hybrid female that attempted a nest earlier in May. It will be difficult to monitor as it is located in a restricted area but it can be seen with a scope. When young are being fed, I'll be able to determined the ancestry of this female. I saw at least 3 more Western Kingbirds at this site plus the male attending the hybrid on the occupied nest. This site, last year produced 5 hybrid young from an apparent hybrid female and a Western Kingbird pairing. The two female hybrids that showed up this year, appear to be from this last years' batch as the tails match the photos taken of the young at that time. The third site, east of there, where up to 5 Western Kingbirds have been seen, yielded only one bird; I suspect the others are on or attending nests in another restricted area that can only be seen with a scope. I did not see the Ensley Bottoms, Western Kingbirds, this weekend but that pair is using a site that is even more remote on McKellar Lake but once there are young, the pair might become more active. At the Mississippi site, on the DeSoto/Tunica Co, line just south of Memphis, I found one Western Kingbird in Tunica Co, but did not see any activity at the old nest site that they have used for the past few years. These birds have tended to nest later so I'll keep checking. Good Birding !!! Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA 6298 Memphis-Arlington Road Bartlett, TN 38135 http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/ What is this feathered thing that lifts my heart to the heavens. ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ 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. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at //www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ EXCELLENT MAP RESOURCES Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________