[TN-Bird] Weekend Scouting
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:20:13 -0400 (EDT)
Oct. 22-23, 2011
Memphis, Reelfoot, Pace Point area
It is time to get ready for the winter birds, so I started at the Memphis
River front with 220 White Pelicans which pretty much set the stage because
I had them everywhere I went from there. On the river, there was very
little movement a few bobbing Coots and ducks but lots of P-b Grebe. A couple
of
Bald Eagles and a Harrier but I was too early for other raptors.
A trip to Benwood Lake just across the bridge in AR, produced the 15
Avocet and lower numbers of the standard fare but a few thousand Greater
White-fronted Geese and 10 Snow wiffled down which is always great to watch.
Along the Mississippi River in Dyer and Lake Counties, more pelicans and
few ducks but added to the white column numbers were Ring-billed and Herring
Gulls, plus a nice movement of Red-tailed Hawks including 2 Krider's and a
feisty Merlin.
At Reelfoot, the lake was covered with pelicans and DC Cormorants, plus 2
Horned Grebe, just a few scattered ducks and a bunch of coots. An Osprey
and Bald Eagles filled the raptor list on the lake with Red-tails and Harrier
numbers working the ridge east of the lake. The lake is heading down and
will soon look like last years "Field of Stumps" is we don't get some rain.
White's Landing is now owned by TWRA and will give birders a much needed
area to view the south end of the lake and the RIGHT amenities would greatly
help if they don't screw it up.
I got to Paris Landing around 5 PM, and found an eagle on one end of the
sand bar out from the park and a few gulls at the other end. A watch there
of the birds moving in and out produced 1 Franklin's and a 3rd year Lesser
Black-back that flew in from above the bridge also a good number of adult
and immature Herring Gulls were seen pulling out to go to roost. Eleven
Common Loons, lots of P-b Grebe, Coots and very few ducks at dusk while a nice
bunch of gulls and Forster's Terns used Eagle Creek.
Sunday was spent going into every nook and cranny around Big Sandy reach.
The lake is low and that changes where things congregate but again White
Pelicans are taking over the world. A few Loons were seen from Port Road,
more from Trailer Road plus an Osprey and a Peregrine. There must have been
some high winds there as the shells and rocks were piled higher up on the land
than I've ever seen. Antioch Point had more gulls, few loons and
practically no ducks.
The point at Britton Ford does not close till Nov. 15 and it always
produces sparrows and held a nice collection, The only White-fronted Goose
there
was with a bunch of Canada Geese and a trio of Snow ( one Snow and 2 Blue)
plus Bald Eagle keeping them honest. A brief stop at a good stand of
Barnyard Grass and Panicum mix produced the regular sparrow mix plus LeConte's
Sparrows.
The treat here was a bunch of roosting gulls, 4 adult Herring, 22
Ring-bills, 26 FRANKLIN'S and a pair of Bonaparte's Gulls. Farther south the
Big
Sandy Flats produced just Great Egrets and Great Blues, water is too low for
even gulls except up toward Springhill.
The rest of the day was spent going to all the points and creeks around
the point. Except for Killdeer, I had no other shorebirds. Butter-buts were
everywhere and 3 Palm Warblers were rewards for looking through the bunches.
One pod of Pied-billed Grebes numbered 92 birds and they were scattered
all around; among the few gulls was a 1st year Lesser Black-back. Two pods of
3 and a single brought the Horned Grebe number to a measly seven. Three
trips to Pace Point paid off near dusk with about 100 Loons going to roost
but not in their regular areas, they might get this worked out before the Big
numbers arrive. A very, large distant loon will hopefully stay around and
come in closer for more definitive looks.
Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6300 Memphis-Arlington Rd.
Bartlett, TN. 38135_http://WWW.pbase.com/ol_coot/_
(http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/)
What is this feathered thing that lifts my heart to the heavens.
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