August 15, 2003 Ensley Bottoms Shelby Co. TN I could not get away to the pits over the last couple of days of slightly unsettled weather but I did pull of the drawing board early this morning for an hours run-about at the pits. There are more shorebirds down there now than last weekend!! No kidding it looks like a small version of the Little Creek flats in Delaware on a great day. The Pectoral Sandpipers and Lesser Yellowlegs have come in big time with Semipalmated and Least SP still holding in large numbers. I saw my first juvenal plumaged Western Sandpiper for the season plus Long-billed and Short-billed Dowitchers with my first immature Short-billed. I did not have time to scope the little stuff but with all the "stints" seen recently up north and the Curlew SP in Arkansas, anything can be hiding in the throng. The first Red-necked Stint down at the pits was on August 7th, so the time is right for a surprise bird. Even if one does not show there are enough species in various plumage's to dazzle anyone. If you are coming down, don't forget a chair or stool because you can sit at any number of spots and look for hours and not see every bird in front of you. They have cut a lot of grass from most of the viewing areas and levees to make viewing easier. Good Birding!!! Jeff R. Wilson OL' COOT / TLBA Bartlett Tenn. =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- 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. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 =========================================================