[TN-Bird] Standifer Gap Marsh, Construction, Least Bittern
- From: "David & Gloria Patterson" <dgpatterson@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 17 May 2003 17:35:16 -0000
Standifer Gap Marsh, Chattanooga, Hamilton Co., TN
May 16, 2003
Least Bittern: 2; anyone wishing to see them: - - Each of the dozen or so
times I have seen this species it has been by chance seeing 1-3 individuals
flying 100 ft or so along the edge of the cattails or across the gravel road.
I have never flushed it; I believe I wade too slowly; a group wading rapidly
would probably flush any that happened to be there. The sightings were usually
brief, and side views; not enough time to get binocs on it or to see field
marks. Recognize it by the heron shape and light tan color; imagine a tan
Green Heron shruck to half size with wing beat twice as fast.
Wood Duck: 1 male alone, 1 male with female, 7 males in tight group staying
together.
Northern Bobwhite: 3, calling various places on east side.
Coot: 1
Virginia Rail: 6 + calling steadily (2-note song)
Sora: neither heard nor seen
Lesser Yellowlegs: 8 flew in, circled low, left
Sparrows: haven't seen any except a few Field Sparrows for a couple of weeks.
Construction: Railroad tracks built on levy-like ridges terminate the marsh on
the north end. There is a 4 x 4 ft rectangular concrete culvert under the
tracks. In the last rain this culvert got clogged with brush, and the
industrial area north of the tracks was flooded. Now a crew is installing two
5 ft diameter by 180 foot steel tubes as culverts. This will reduce or
eliminate flooding on the north side of the tracks but will result in more
severe flooding on the marsh. (During the recent flooding the water in the
marsh rose only about a foot.
David Patterson
Chattanooga, Hamilton Co, TN
=================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
=========================================================
Other related posts:
- » [TN-Bird] Standifer Gap Marsh, Construction, Least Bittern
