Aug. 15, 2002 Dacus Bar, Ensley Bottoms Shelby Co. TN I took lunch today and then took another hour before a 3 PM appointment and got to the Mississippi River and Ensley on the run. At the river, I had only a few of the birds left from yesterday but there were still 17 Black Terns and no sign of the Common Terns. It was still drizzling rain when I got to the pits and it was like a buffet laid out for me. Without being able to get to some of the areas, I still managed to find 18 species in a little over an hour. It was hard to tear myself away. The best birds were: 3 immature Wilson's Phalarope (2 male and 1 female), 132 Lesser Yellowlegs, 41 Stilt Sandpiper, 4 Sanderling, slightly molted but brilliant Black-bellied Plover that kept flying about and calling between short bouts of feeding, 2 adult Baird's Sandpiper, a Greater Yellowlegs and 6 Black Terns. The numbers were way up and no doubt if I could have gotten to all the areas and had more time, another species or two might have been added. I heard one of the Wilson's Phalarope call as it flew past, since they call so infrequently it sets me back every time. It is such an unusual sound to hear coming from a shorebird. Rain or shine you still get memories to bank. 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 =========================================================