[tn-bird] 50+ W. Storks and 3 Roseate Spoonbills - TN
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 24 Aug 2002 23:06:58 EDT
Aug. 24, 2002
Mud-Cocklebur Lake
Shelby Co. TN
After birding the pits with Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi birders today
I went south to see if Wood Storks had shown up yet in Mud Lake on the TN/MS
line. Over 300 were there on the 26th of August last year. I was not
disappointed, as I quickly found some roosting in the same tree that they had
used last year. I could count only 34 but the bill clacking I was hearing
told me there were more hidden behind the tree line that has grown up and
blocks most of the view from the levee into the area.
I birdied further down the levee and back into Mississippi, there I found an
Olive-sided Flycatcher at the Horn Lake Pass Boat Ramp off of Star Landing
Road. I also photographed a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher on the levee coming
back north before entering TN. I knew the Wood Storks would go out to feed at
dusk and I arrived back in time to count three groups totaling 51 birds
flying west into Cocklebur Lake. After the last group flew, I picked up three
smaller birds and at first I thought they were White Ibis but when I put my
glasses up I could see that they were three immature Roseate Spoonbills! They
also dropped into Cocklebur Lake.
There were hundreds and hundreds of Great, Snowy and Cattle Egrets (the most
I've seen anywhere this year) along with a few dozen DC Cormorants flying
east to roost in Mud Lake. Since the only viewing is from the levee and this
is restricted by the trees that have grown up, I am trying to get in touch
with the owner which a friend of mine knows, to see if some of us can enter
the area. There is no telling what is in there as I heard and saw a bunch of
birds behind the tree line. I had Black-necked Stilts, Greater Yellowlegs and
hundreds of Egrets and Herons at the few places where I could see into
Cocklebur Lake.
In the TN Gazetteer on page 13 in the center bottom of the page you will see
Mud Lake. The small lake to the west is Cocklebur Lake. The red line is the
Mississippi River Levee. You have to go into Mississippi to Walls and go west
to get back up on the levee. You can go to this site:
http://topozone.com/map.asp?z=15&n=3876081&e=753750
and follow the roads out to the road that forms a Y just under Lake in Mud
Lake and start looking through the tree line around the red x mark. This map
and the Gazetteer will show you when you are in TN.
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
=========================================================
Other related posts:
