[TN-Bird] Big Sandy to Paris Landing (10/17/03) long
- From: <birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2003 23:18:56 -0500
Big Sandy & vicinity, Britton Ford Unit TNWR, Paris Landing & vicinity
Henry & Benton Co.
10/17/03
Highlights:
American White Pelicans
Laughing Gulls
Franklin's Gulls
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Bobolink
I made a repeat of the last day I was out, with quite a different cast
of characters. It was obvious that the winter birds are taking hold,
with transient migrants being few and far between. I had the following
1st of season winter birds: Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck, Winter Wren,
White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco. On the other hand, warblers were
only represented by 3 Tennessee, 2 Orange-crowned, 1 Black-throated
Green, and 75+ Yellow-rumpeds, and no vireos. Indigo Buntings are still
around big time, and a single Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Gray Catbird
about rounded-out the passerine passers-through.
The Danville levee area was quiet, and while there are still alot of
Cormorants about, the big flock has dispersed. I did have a flyover of 3
American White Pelicans in this area though, and on the way out ran
across the 1st 3 Juncos of the fall. Lick Creek had the 1st Dunlins of
the day, a migrating flock of 10, with a couple of Least Sandpipers
tagging along. There were once again 3 Wilson's Snipe on the flats, but
no other shorebirds.
Big Sandy Unit (Pace Point), as always had some nice birds. Sparrow
numbers are up big time, with literally 100+ Swamp Sparrows, along with
plenty of Song, White-throated, and Savannah, were flushed while walking
the wet fields and edges in search of a "goody". No luck with the goody,
but I did get great looks again at Marsh and Sedge Wren (along with
several House), and a surprise in the form of the 1st of 2 Bobolinks I
would flush today (the 2nd was at Britton Ford). The 1st White-crowned
Sparrow (an immature), was hangin out at one of their usual haunts, and
I had an almost great photo-op with a Lincoln's while at Big Sandy
(almost great because I didn't have my camera ready). Chipping Sparrows
are still easy to come-by, and keep hoping for a Clay-colored.
Pace Point itself had some gulls back on it today. Among the Ring-billed
Gulls, were 3 spiffy 1st-winter Franklin's Gulls. Also, an adult
Laughing snuck in on me while I was there, as I didn't see it when it
came in or when it left. Also on the Point were a couple of Dunlin, and
a small group of Ruddy Ducks has taken up residence in the Bay that they
usually winter in. Today is the 1st-time in several months that I didn't
have any terns in the area all day.
The area at the mouth of the Big Sandy, where the Avocets were Monday,
looks great, but today there were only Killdeer, no other shorebirds.
Lots of ducks and gulls in this area, and a Black Duck here would have
completed the sweep of TN's regular dabblers at this location today.
Britton Ford was pretty quiet overall. Still very few ducks, although
the 1st couple of Black Ducks have arrived at this stronghold of theirs.
No luck with sparrows here either (no Vesper today), but the 2nd
Bobolink was a surprise, and I love hearing that call-note. The flats at
Britton Ford were covered with Snipe, 35+. Also among the Killdeer were
a couple each of Dunlin and Least Sandpiper, making only 4 species of
shorebird for the day.
Paris Landing was my final stop again today. The island was once again
covered with gulls, and immediately apparent was a sleeping Lesser
Black-backed Gull. I only saw the one today, a molting adult with a neat
while covert flash on the upperwing due to molt. Herring Gull numbers
are up, with several nice juvenile birds around. While scanning around,
I saw a 2nd Laughing Gull in the area, although this bird was a
2nd-winter, so not the same bird seen earlier at Pace Point. I had a
2nd-winter a couple of weeks ago at Pace, so this bird is probably
hanging around. No Loons today either, although I did finally see a few
Lesser Scaup trying to hide out in a big Coot flock.
I have added a few photos to my site from today, these being shots of
Lincoln's Sparrow and Sedge Wren, and much better shots of Franklin's
than I had previously posted. For anyone interested, these shots are in
the "Uncommon to rare birds, vol. 3" album at:
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=330&groupID=116215&folder
view=thumbs&ck=
Good birding!!
Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
Carroll Co.
birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=116215&ck=
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