[TN-Bird] An Odd Duck Day

From: "Desgrosellier, Jay" <jay.desgrosellier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <TN-BIRD@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 10:49:44 -0600
Sunday, February 23, 2003
9 am-6 pm
Radnor Lake (Davidson Co.) to Pardue Pond WMA and Dyson Ditch WMA
(Cheatham Co.), TN
 
 
The day began with a nice walk through the snow-covered landscape of
Radnor Lake. Not many birds were active, but the beauty of the scenery
made up for it. All that was of note here were 4 CANVASBACK and 8
BUFFLEHEAD. Since the lake was totally frozen not too long ago this is a
good sign that the ducks are returning.
 
From Radnor I ventured to Pardue Pond WMA in Cheatham county. Although
it was fairly chilly, the two mile hike out and back was worth it! As
soon as I neared the extensive open fields bordering the river I heard
pipits. In fact, they were everywhere in the fields. They were mostly
hidden, but when they took flight I saw good-sized flocks, the largest
containing about 50 birds. It was while I was scanning the fields for
pipits that I came across distant large birds also out in the field. It
took a second to register, but they were WILD TURKEY! Not just a few,
but at least a hundred. As I got closer I could hear more up in the
trees surrounding the field and then suddenly here they came, gliding
out into the field. I tried to count them all, but I stopped at 200+!!
This must represent a large proportion of the turkey population in the
area. Obviously this was a pretty spectacular sight! The woods
surrounding the fields were also productive. I found the single largest
flock of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS that I've ever seen in Tennessee. A few
are usually here every year, but this year an entire fence-line was full
of them! I estimated between 50-75 birds! Also in the trees were 4 FOX
SPARROWS singing away on this cloudy and gray day. However, the oddest
find of the day was when I came to the pond. In it were 6 COMMON
GOLDENEYE! Not exactly a place I would think to look for goldeneye.
 
On the other side of the river at Dyson Ditch I had a similar experience
with 5 more COMMON GOLDENEYE. But just to add a little more oddity to
the day, they were with 4 male REDHEAD! This along with a flock of 30
RING-NECKED DUCKS, 5 HOODED MERGANSERS, all of the usual dabblers and
good numbers of returning WOOD DUCKS made for a pretty good day for
ducks. Also present at Dyson Ditch were flocks of blackbirds. Not just
small flocks, but flocks that stretch to the horizon as they pass
overhead. One particular flock landed in a field only to be spooked and
as they passed overhead it sounded like a wave tidal wave crashing as
the crescendo of flapping wings built up as the birds approached and
then let up with a slow and loud rush of air as they passed over. To the
best that I could figure most of these birds were immature and female
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, with a few COMMON GRACKLES and BROWN-HEADED
COWBIRDS thrown in the mix. Oddly enough, the whole time the flocks were
passing over, two RUSTY BLACKBIRDS sat near each other singing their
squeaky song, oblivious to the whole spectacle of other blackbirds
around them. Another good day in the field!
 
Good Birding!
 
Jay Desgrosellier
Nashville, TN

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[TN-Bird] An Odd Duck Day

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