[TN-Bird] Sightings Report 14 Dec 2013, Sardis Lake (Lower) and (Upper-dam area),Panola Cty Ms

From: John Walko <walko@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: jr.rigby@xxxxxxxxx, collinsm@xxxxxxxxxx, missbird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2013 23:14:49 -0600
For you West Tn Birders there is a lot of nice waterfowl on the lower lake at 
Sardis, brave the drive, wind chill and be rewarded. Need scope.

Sardis Lake--Lower Lake, Panola, US-MS
Dec 14, 2013 1:10 PM - 3:40 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.5 mile(s)
Comments:     Combined totals of three individuals JR Rigby, Mike Collins and 
Jay Walko. Started observations for the most part at the west end of the south 
side parking lot at the spillway. Scoped for a good 2 hrs. Looking for the 
recently reported Scoters, and Blk-backed Gull. We were successful in two 
species of Scoters Black(1) and White-winged(3), also the single Blk-backed 
Gull who stood out like a Tux at a beach party with all the Bonaparts & 
Ring-bill Gulls. An adult Bald Eagle made several appearances above us. 
Weather: lousy= 43 degs but a north wind made it somewhere in the 30's. 
Overcast, lousy light conditions, choppy water.
35 species
Snow Goose  35
Canada Goose  12
Gadwall  4
Mallard  37
Canvasback  100     quite a few count is conservative they were spread out over 
the lake and moving back and forth among the other ducks.
Redhead  100     quite a few count is conservative they were spread out over 
the lake and moving back and forth among the other ducks.
Ring-necked Duck  39     Mostly staying to the outer edge of the main float of 
ducks and on the opposite shoreline.
Lesser Scaup  20     Spread out in the float of ducks.
White-winged Scoter  3     Three females that were seen earlier this week. Both 
the white cheek patch and oval lore patches visible, had to wait for the birds 
move some and then the white wing patch of the secondaries became visible.
Black Scoter  1     single female that was seen earlier this week. Low riding 
bird with distinct pale white cheek patches and dark cap.
Bufflehead  50     quite a few count is conservative they were spread out over 
the lake and moving back and forth among the other ducks.
Common Goldeneye  18     count is conservative they were spread out over the 
lake and moving back and forth among the other ducks.
Hooded Merganser  200     quite a few count is conservative they were spread 
out over the lake and moving back and forth among the other ducks.
Ruddy Duck  12
Pied-billed Grebe  11
Double-crested Cormorant  1     seen when I drove around the lake , seen neer 
one of the beaches on a pylon.
American White Pelican  600     Oce I got to 150 I stopped and estimated they 
came in over us in streams along with what was already on the lake. Most were 
roosted up one of the beaches and a couple hundred were feeding near them and 
near the spillway.
Great Blue Heron  26     Spread out along the shoreline
Black Vulture  3
Turkey Vulture  12
Bald Eagle  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Bonaparte's Gull  300     quite a few count is conservative they were spread 
out over the lake and moving back and forth among the  ducks.
Ring-billed Gull  50
Lesser Black-backed Gull  1     Good looks at this large gull as it milled 
around the Ring-bills and Bonaparts. Size and dark wings gave it away amongst 
the others. huge wing span dwarfed evrything else on the lake.
Forster's Tern  100     quite a few count is conservative they were spread out 
over the lake and moving back and forth among the ducks.
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-headed Woodpecker  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
Northern Flicker  1
Northern Mockingbird  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  30     lg flock below a big cedar tree were feeding and 
spooked as I drove near.
White-throated Sparrow  6
Dark-eyed Junco  19     feeding under the trees in the day use area.

View this checklist online at 
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15970060

Sardis Lake--Sardis Dam Area, Panola, US-MS
Dec 14, 2013 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Comments:     Before leaving the Dam area I parked up top here to scan the main 
lake. Ducks were few and far between and to far out in the rough water to 
determine what they were. Most all of the White pelicans had already moved to 
the lower lake, remaining were lonely singles out on the big lake scattered. 
Hundreds upon hundreds of gulls spread out over the lake each about 20 ft apart 
from each other. Horned Grebes in big numbers after I got excited in seeing the 
first 12, once I opened up the scanned area I was having to count them by the 
tens. Conservative estimate of 300+.
8 species (+1 other taxa)
Canada Goose  19     Fly-overs
duck sp.  250     Too far away to determine most likely more.
Pied-billed Grebe  7
Horned Grebe  300     quite a few count is conservative they were spread out 
over the lake  amongst the gulls.
American White Pelican  32     spread out singles.
Great Blue Heron  5
Bonaparte's Gull  250
Ring-billed Gull  250
Herring Gull  2

View this checklist online at 
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15970112

John "Jay" Walko
Collierville, TN
www.pbase.com/jwalko
[TN-Bird] Sightings Report 14 Dec 2013, Sardis Lake (Lower) and (Upper-dam area),Panola Cty Ms

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