[TN-Bird] Re: [Bristol-Birds] Least Tern, Ruddy Turnstone, etc. (Cocke, Hamblen, Jefferson Co., TN)

  • From: david kirschke <dkirschke@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: TN-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, butternuts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, pandion@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2012 20:42:48 -0700 (PDT)

A couple photos of the tern at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkirschke/

David Kirschke
Johnson City, TN

--- On Sat, 8/18/12, Alice Loftin / Don Miller <pandion@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: Alice Loftin / Don Miller <pandion@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Bristol-Birds] Least Tern, Ruddy Turnstone, etc. (Cocke, Hamblen, 
Jefferson Co., TN)
To: TN-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, 
butternuts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Saturday, August 18, 2012, 11:13 PM

#yiv2140812852 p {margin:0;}#yiv2140812852 p {margin:0;}August 18, 2012

Cocke County (C): Rankin Bottoms
Hamblen County (H): Leepers Ferry Road and Nolichucky River upstream of Rankin 
Bottoms
Jefferson County (J): Leadvale / Douglas Lake area

Observers: David Kirschke and Don Miller, in motorized canoe to and from 
Leadvale boat launch, and along Leepers Ferry Road viewing bottomland adjacent 
to Nolichucky River.

Water levels at Rankin Bottoms are still too high for good shoreline viewing, 
although a few peripheral flats can barely be seen with a scope and a lot of 
patience.  We spent much time looking for shorebird habitat and found only a 
moderate amount of it.  Birding was good nonetheless.

Highlights today:

Blue-winged Teal (24 H, along Leepers Ferry Road)
Green-winged Teal (1 C)
Double-crested Cormorant (230 C, 19 H, 1 J)
Great Egret (43 C, 31 H, 3 J)
Little Blue Heron (11 C (including 6 also seen in H), 14 H (including 6 also 
seen in C))
Green Heron (9 C, 8 H, 1 J)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (2 C, 2 H)
Osprey (2 C, 1 H)
Broad-winged Hawk (1 H)
Spotted Sandpiper (4 C, 2 H)
Solitary Sandpiper (1 C)
Greater Yellowlegs (2 C)
Lesser Yellowlegs (4 C)
Ruddy Turnstone (1 C; heard twice and seen briefly in flight)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (5 C)
Least Sandpiper (15 C)
Pectoral Sandpiper (25 C, 1 H)
Least Tern (1 C)
Caspian Tern (2 C)
Prothonotary Warbler (1 J)

The Least Tern was perched on a spit of land located about 3/4 of the way 
between the tipple viewing
 area and the mouth of the Nolichucky River.  It was on the side of the spit 
facing the Nolichucky and was not visible from any shoreline.  David was able 
to get quite a few photos, as the bird appeared tired and unwilling to fly.

Don Miller
Greeneville, Greene Co., TN

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  • » [TN-Bird] Re: [Bristol-Birds] Least Tern, Ruddy Turnstone, etc. (Cocke, Hamblen, Jefferson Co., TN) - david kirschke