August 19/20th, 2016, Memphis TN, Ensley Pits and a few adjacent areas,
including the TVA Lake and the North Treatment Plant.
Victor Stoll and I finally got a day off to do some birding, but the
forecast for the local area around home made us head West.
Tricolored Heron was still present at 5 p.m. Friday on TVA Lake, but not
seen there again on 2 different stops Saturday.
Probably still in the area though, as most of the other waders seen were
traveling between other local feeding and roosting areas, and not on TVA
Lake.
14 species of shorebirds were seen, which is rather low for the season,
but good numbers of most of the common ones.
Highlights were a single Western Willet and Black-bellied Plover. The
Plover was a flyover, but the Willet remains very visible in one of the
first pits on the right when you first enter the facility.
It was also nice to see good numbers of Western Sandpipers mixed in
everywhere peeps were seen, (Probably 45/50 total)
as well as good numbers of juvenile Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers.
Good numbers of Terns were around, with 63 Black Terns seen passing
through at the pits! Also 6 Caspian, 2 Forster's and several Least were
seen at TVA lake.
4 Western Kingbirds were still at the North Treatment Plant, likely a
family group.
The most unexpected bird of the day was an apparent male Cinnamon x
Blue-winged Teal hybrid in basic plumage, hanging with several Blue-winged
Teal at the back end of the pits.
I've got some photos that hopefully will confirm whether this ID is
accurate.
Ruben Stoll, Centerville TN
