[TN-Bird] Memphis Update + Black-bellied Report

From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:17:18 EDT
Sept. 15-16, 2008
MS. River, TVA Lake, Pits
Shelby Co. TN
 
A morning visit Monday, to Mud Island produced only 3 Sanderling, a few  
swallows and hundreds of Chimney Swifts. Two Broad-winged Hawks, an Osprey and 
a  
single Mississippi Kite sailed high over the Loosahatchie Bar all heading  
South.
 
At the pits, I had just about the same cast of characters reported on  
Saturday. At TVA Lake, no Wood Storks, still a lot of Egrets, a few Mallards,  
Shovelers and Blue-winged Teal. A single adult Ring-billed Gull rested, but no  
terns were present. Jay Walko called in the afternoon to report an adult and 5  
immature Black-bellied Whistling Ducks at TVA. When all the ditching and  
draining started at the pits the BB Whistling Ducks moved their 6 young  over 
to 
Horn Lake Slough to the east of the pits. I had seen the adults flying  in and 
out of there for a couple of weeks. Jay did not see the immature birds  fly but 
I was pretty sure they were on schedule to take flight  soon. 
 
In the afternoon on Monday, I met David Kirschke to see what might be  moving 
on the river front but a stiff cool wind and overcast made for poor  
conditions and we decoded to go to Ensley to see what we could when things  
started 
moving to the President's Island roost. Once there, we found the male  adult BB 
Whistling Duck with 5 fine youngsters, a loss of one young since my  last 
count at the pits. While scanning, 10 Caspian Terns flew over going south  and 
2 
adult Bald Eagles went toward the Mississippi River. Birds going to the  roost 
included, Great Egrets, Cattle and immature Little Blues. We gave it up at  
dark.
 
Tuesday morning, the river showed me only one traveling Caspian Tern and at  
the pits most of the large shorebirds evidently had taken the north wind  
express. At TVA Lake, a single Forster's Tern fed and both adult BLACK-BELLIED  
WHISTLING DUCKS and the 5 youngsters were seen and this time all of the  family 
was seen in flight. Mom and Dad fledged 50% of the original brood of 10;  what 
a treat and a privilege to watch only the second TN nesting become a  success 
story!
Late in the afternoon, David called to say the family was still  there 
resting . I'll post a few photos later.
 
 
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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[TN-Bird] Memphis Update + Black-bellied Report

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