2/6/2014 Chickamauga Lake area (Dam, Webb Rd, Booker T, Vincent Rd) Normandy Lake on way home (Coffee/Bedford Co) Thanks to everyone who has continued to update the status of the great waterbirding down around Chattanooga right now. I left work at 4AM, and drove straight over getting to Chickamauaga Dam around 10 AM. Saw a few old friends, and Gary Brunvoll and Tim Jeffers showed me around the other close spots, up to Vincent Road, that I hadn't been to in years. The divers were scattered from one of the parking lot to the other, very impressive concentration. The White-wings were spread out some, the highest count I was able to make was 58, with at least 5 more way out in the Bufflehead raft out in the main lake. Saw a few more off of Webb Rd (none at Vincent), but counting those as additional birds. The young male Black Scoter was present as well, never saw a Long-tailed Duck or Surf Scoter all day. We had a pretty low number of loons (20 or so on the day), but 2 Red-throated's at Vincent Rd were nice (juv out from boat launch, and an adult from the end of the road there). Made a brief detour by Normandy Lake, remembering Stephen Zipperer have Scoters there as well recently. Sure enough, very few ducks on the lake, though lots of gulls, but 3 White-winged on the dam end of the lake ( 1 adult male, too far to age/sex others). Spent a lot of time playing with a new digiscope camera, which resulted in frozen hands of course! Hope to have decent images, will post some some. Well worth the trip over, though I was definitely looking a bed when I got home last night! Attaching 3 images, old news over there but highlights for me. Will post when I have more up. Good Birding!! Mike Todd McKenzie, TN birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx www.pbase.com/mctodd
Attachment:
DSC00086_Red-throated Loon.jpg
Description: JPEG image
Attachment:
DSC00167_White-winged Scoter.jpg
Description: JPEG image
Attachment:
DSC00185_Black Scoter.jpg
Description: JPEG image
