[tn-bird] Ensley Report
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 10:14:14 EDT
July 31, 2002
Ensley Bottoms
Shelby Co. TN
After a rainstorm it is hard for me not to drive down and see what was
dropped in at Ensley. Yesterday was no exception. A late afternoon trip and a
little scanning showed not hide nor feather of Her Highness; the Reeve may
well be on her way to Patagonia or someplace in between but the search was
not extensive enough to rule out her hiding in some distant pool.
The storm did just as expected and dropped in a lot of larger shorebirds not
present last weekend. Nothing new in species but the numbers were impressive.
Lesser Yellowlegs and Stilt Sandpipers doubled, tripled and doubled with 40+
Lesser and 30+ Stilts. Pectoral Sandpipers carpeted the flats, so there is
room for one Sharp-tail in the mix if we just look and look :o) A lot of
birds were moving out at dusk, some to roost but others to that hole of no
return in the southeastern sky. Another group of 12 Lesser Yellowlegs came in
at dusk but stay only 5 minutes.
The immature male Wilson's Phalarope was curled up in a tiny white ball and
only occasionally woke and looked around. His feathers stuck out as it rested
indicating a nice roll of fat beneath. Now if it can just get up the gumption
to go. A single Short-billed Dowitcher called, off and on, trying to find
like kind but none answered. The Golden-Plover was not seen but many more
Solitary Sandpipers were sprinkled along the pool edges. Black-necked Stilts
are down to only a few nests, young were everywhere and it looks like two
pairs have been great parents with one pair raising 6 young to flying size
and the second pair with 5 that are only slightly smaller. The normal clutch
is 4 eggs and the later nestings always produce fewer viable eggs as
indicated by the number of eggs left in old nests that are scattered over the
flats. Needless to say it has been a VERY productive year
The collection of swifts was down 80% from the weekend and the male Painted
Bunting was escorting around at least one young bird. This is the second
brood this year for this pair at this location.
Good Birding!!!
Jeff R. Wilson
OL' COOT / TLBA
Bartlett Tenn.
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