[TN-Bird] Weekend Shorebirds - West TN
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 00:19:06 EDT
April 10-11, 2003
Lake, Lauderdale, and Tipton Co. TN
On the VERY WINDY Lake Co. count Saturday, we could find only 12 shorebird
species with nary a Pectoral. I finally found 2 Pectoral on Sunday and after
the rain located another 8 species to bring the total up to 20 Wind Birds for
the weekend.
Numbers were low but there was a lot of water and birds were found in close
proximity to their scattered but regular haunts. Since they only will rest in
new water finding birds was strictly hit and miss outside of historic sites.
We found Semipalmated Plovers (10) at only two locations. Greater and Lesser
Yellowlegs were scattered but most found at Phillippy Pits and Mud Lake.
Solitary Sandpipers (5) were located also only twice and Spotted (3) at 3
locations. Upland Plovers (2) were flushed along 79 Highway in the same field
that held 4 birds 2 weeks ago. One Upland just stood about 30 feet away, out
in the open for the longest time and looked at us, relying on its camo we
guessed but it finally broke and ran for cover.
Least Sandpipers numbered under 50 for the day and White-rumped Sandpipers
finished at half that number. A single Baird's was a nice bird to ID and a
single bright Dunlin in full bloom dress was the only one of its kind we were
to find. Another single was a Wilson's Snipe flushed from a roadside pool.
Sunday was a different matter with many birds set down by the weather that
had filled all the low areas to the brim. Water is wide spread to say the
least in the counties along the river and the Obion has laid claim to most of
Dyer County. The Mississippi River rose 18 feet in the last week and is still
climbing. High water again has carp rolling in among the corn which will have
to be planted again. In late high water years anything can show up in the
temporary wetlands.
On Sunday afternoon, Nancy Moore and I found 6 bright Short-billed Dowitchers
south of Tiptonville along 78 Highway. We also located a pair (m&f)
Black-necked Stilt at Mud Lake along with 2 female and 1 male Wilson's
Phalarope in breeding plumage, the 2 above mentioned Pectoral SP, and 7
breeding plumaged Stilt Sandpipers. Farther south north of Miston we located
about 35 Lesser Yellowlegs and 20+ Greater Yellowlegs in a newly flooded
field. Fool hardy, never say die Grasshopper Sparrows could be seen singing
from grass stalks in this field with Yellowlegs wading all around. A single
Solitary was seen in a puddle in a yard in the small town of Miston. Water
surrounds this little town that flooded out just last year.
On my way home, a real surprise and tops in eye candy came in a wet area off
Highway 51 north of Collierville. Here I saw 17 BREEDING plumaged
Black-bellied Plovers pacing and calling, my high count in TN for this
species. Along with these formal dressed dandies were 2 equally delicious,
caramel colored Short-billed Dowitchers lit up by a setting sun, 2
Semipalmated Sandpipers, 1 Semipalmated Plover and 9 Least Sandpipers. Just
as I was leaving, in flew a very bright and flashy Ruddy Turnstone, a nice
touch to end the day.
Good Birding!!!
Jeff R. Wilson
OL' COOT / TLBA
Bartlett Tenn.
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