[TN-Bird] Memphis - Sunday Birding
- From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
- To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2008 23:29:45 EDT
Aug. 3, 2008
Mississippi River
Ensley Bottoms
Shelby Co, TN
Early morning found the Mississippi River still picking up trash as it is on
another 6-8 foot rise. Nothing much happening except for a dozen Least Terns
feeding, 2 Black Terns riding the tide south and 2 DC Cormorants flying
north. I returned to eat lunch in the shade and had a large group of White
Pelicans on the only exposed sand at the far upper end of Loosahatchie Bar. Of
course a group of beet red boaters on a pontoon boat had to land and chase
them
with their dog until the Pelicans strung out and left. I counted 122 of those
graceful flyers. The dog also chased up 20 plus Least Terns (I hope they were
not trying to get in some late nestings). The was also one Forster's Tern in
the mix.
It was HOT today, at 3:30 the temp was reading 105 in my truck as I sat
scanning the shorebirds. Earlier an immature Cooper's chased everything up and
sat down in one pool in disgust. At the same time a bunch of Mississippi Kites
were keeping the Wind Birds on their toes as they fed on a huge hatch of
dragonflies. After the Cooper's put everything up, I looked down the edge of
one
pool and had 9 Spotted Sandpipers strung out in a line and they were all
looking up. I strained looking into the bright sky and finally saw a dot that
slowly transformed into my season first PEREGRINE......The big numbers of
shorebirds did not return till 2:30 and even then they all did not return.
Another season's first was a big surprise, I have yet to have an immature of
any migrating species yet and I always expect the first to be a Least
Sandpiper. In the thousands of Shorebirds I looked at and counted all day,
finally
at 4 this afternoon I photographed my favorite, an immature SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPER,
Two BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS were found out in the spread fields and the
pigweed looks right for Upland but not today.
Still count wise only 1 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Stilt Sandpipers, 12 Solitary,
16 Spotted, 18 Semipalmated Plovers in among the hordes of Least and
Semipalmated Sandpipers. Only 12 species but what a great number to look
through.
Friday, I had the largest number of shorebirds this early in the season that I
've ever had and numbers were just down slightly Saturday and Sunday.
Pectorals
are here in good but low numbers so we might set a numbers record this
season. Looking for the good one at the Pits to show up!
I've added some photos to MY 2008 photo page, start at:
_http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/image/101165277_
(http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/image/101165277)
Good Birding !!!
Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6300 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN 38135
http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/
What is this feathered thing that lifts my heart to the heavens.
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