[TN-Bird] Whoopers in Blount!
- From: Charlie <cmmbirds@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: TN-Bird <TN-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 12:24:50 -0800 (PST)
Hi folks,
All locations noted are in northwest Blount County, Tennessee.
I feel comfortable posting this, despite the important cautions
listed by Michael Roedel last week for 2 reasons: 1) the birds are
apparently gone, and 2) the location they were in is viewable from
quite a distance, and is difficult to physically get to due to lots
of mudflats.
I recieved a phone call Monday morning from a man who reported that
he and his wife saw 4 WHOOPING CRANES in the mud flat across from
Louisville General Store, which is at the corner of Louisville and
Topside Roads on Sunday evening.
His description of the birds sounded very good, and he says he has
seen both Great Blue Herons and Sandhill Cranes at that location
numberous times. He gave good reasons for these individuals to not
be either of those species. He also reported seeing color marks on
both legs of each bird, as well as telemetry devices. Their sighting
was at 5:30 or 6:00 pm on Sunday, March 13.
On Monday morning he stopped there briefly, but did not see any
cranes.
On Monday afternoon I went there and also did not see any cranes.
I know of at least 2 other birders who did not see any cranes on
Monday.
However there exists some possibility that they are still around
because this extensive mudflat is not entirely visible from public
lands. I personally believe the birds stopped for one night then
moved on.
Of course, I urge everyone to take Michael's cautions to heart.
Please do not go on private land without permission. If you are
fortunate enough to see the cranes, please report them immediately to
Michael, as he is our state ornithologist. After the safety of the
cranes is secured (for instance, after they leave, or if they are
visible from a distance) then the rest of us would like to hear about
it. Please never get close to them.
While in that area, I stopped briefly at Louisville Point Park and
the ponds around the Phelps Dairy Farm. Canada Geese were everywhere
I looked.
For several minutes 3 of us watched the Osprey, Double-crested
Cormorants and Ring-necked Ducks flying and swimming about.
Ish Pond had only 20-30 ducks, mostly Gadwall.
Phelps Dairy Pond had few ducks, mostly Mallard and Ring-necked with
one drake Northern Shoveller.
The "Stilt" pond had a pair of Wood Ducks with many mallards
Scenic Point still has 2 drake Red-breasted Mergansers, about 12
Pied-billed Grebes and a handful of Double-crested Cormorants. An
Adult Bald Eagle on the ground was a nice surprise.
Closer to my home, the greenway in Maryville, behind the county
library, still hosts a drake Northern Shoveller. This bird has been
there for months. Carole Gobert told me about it, I don't know if
she was the first person to find it? Or maybe Jean Alexander did?
This bird hangs with Mallards and even follows people around looking
for a handout as the Mallards do. It is a great opportunity if you'd
like to photograph it.
A beautiful adult male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has been regular
around the feeders of our house in south Blount County.
And for those who care, the many Osprey I saw yesterday were county
bird #111 for 2005.
Charlie
*******************************************************************
Charlie Muise, Naturalist in
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
"To the dull mind all nature is leaden. To the illuminated mind
the whole world sparkles with light." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
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