[TN-Bird] Shorebird Put Down - Rain delay in migration
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2007 07:57:56 EDT
April 14, 2007
Ensley Bottoms
Shelby Co. TN
I ran by the MS RV just to check for no particular reason, the fog had shut
down any distant views but it is always good to check. A few RB Gulls
silently eased up river and a brace of Cormorants floated down the big muddy
expanse. The river has held steady, not varying over 6 inches from 21 feet, for
almost 3 weeks until a quick turn down 4 days ago.
At the pits the early morning fog and rain pretty much precluded any birds
being seen right away, so I toured the cut grass fields and came away with zero
Uplands. When the fog lifted, the weather had stopped more birds on their
journey north. I spent 8 hours looking and counting. The birds were disturbed
once early on but I never saw the culprit but later around 3 PM, Ed Conrad
and I were treated to a dazzling display of daring do Peregrine hunting. This
cleaned out the pits entirely and it took 2 hours for most of the birds to
return.
The Pectoral count in the AM hit 4,800+ in just 2 pits so there were over
5,000 a high Spring count for me. By going through the birds practically one at
a time counting Pecs, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, I was able to find a few
gems and first of season birds. In the mix, we ferreted out, 1 Dunlin, 2
Baird's, 4 FOS Semipalmated, 1 FOS Western, 2 Wilson's Phalarope, 1 FOS Spotted
Sandpiper and 2 FOS Stilt Sandpipers. Yellowlegs totaled out at 545 for
Lesser and an unexpected drop in Greater to only 11 birds plus 97 Solitary
Sandpipers. Long-billed Dowitchers traveled early and I had 21 at one time in
the
AM but they could not stand the Peregrine HEAT and we were left with only 3 in
the late evening. I had hoped for some big surprises but maybe tomorrow. A
great but Cold, Windy total of 16 species of WIND BIRDS!
On the way out, after 6 PM, Ed and I had stopped to view a Pied-billed Grebe
nest I had been watching, when he spotted my FOS Eastern Kingbird and a
Green Heron also FOS, did a flyby. Other birds of interest were an Osprey and a
single Bonaparte's Gull still in immature plumage? An adult Great Horned Owl
had downed itself in the gunk but was not in too bad shape after dunking in
clean water, hopefully it will dry out and be able to fly, I'll check it again
Sunday. It really looks miserable in the photos.
Good Birding !!!
Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6298 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN 38135
What is this feathered thing that lifts my heart to the heavens.
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