[TN-Bird] NTOS Field Trip to Wheeler Wildlife Refuge - 11/8/2014

From: Cynthia Anne Routledge <routledges@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tn Bird <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 18:41:21 -0600
Dear TN-birder
  On Saturday, November 8, 2014, seven NTOS members ventured to Wheeler
Wildlife Refuge in Decatur, Alabama for our November field trip.  We were
met at the Visitor¹s Center by Refuge Project Manager and longtime friend
Dwight Cooley.  It was a beautiful sunny morning and no sooner did we step
out of our cars when the delightful song of Sandhill Cranes filled the air
and treated us to great looks as they flew directly overhead.  Our first
stop was the observation tower at the Visitor¹s Center.  Highlights there
included PINE WARBLER, SANDHILL CRANES, WOOD DUCKS, GADWALLS and AMERICAN
WIGEON then it was onto Beaver Dam.  Highlights here were HORNED LARKS,
NORTHERN HARRIER, AND A VESPERS SPARROW.    Limestone Bay was our next stop
where we were treated to GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 700+ WHITE PELICANS, LEAST AND
PECTORAL SANDPIPERS AND A REDHEADED WOODPECKER.  From there we enjoyed a
delicious lunch at Greenbrier Barbacuethe hush puppies were plentiful and
oh so yummyafter lunch we went to the opposite side of Limestone Bay where
we found about 250 SNOW GEESE and about 4 ROSS¹S GEESE among the group.
Onward to White Springs Dike next where highlights included NORTHERN
SHOVELER, GREAT EGRETS, A GREAT HORNED OWL, AMERICAN PIPITS and another 400
WHITE PELICANS.  WE  ended our day back at the Visitor¹s Center where we
were treated to fantastic views of 3 adult WHOOPING CRANES right outside the
observation tower.  A wonderful ending to a great day.  All tolled we had 69
species.  The complete list can be viewed below.
Many thanks to go out to Dwight for a delightful bird filled day.  And for
those who are interested mark your calendars for SATURDAY, JANUARY 10,
2015and join us at the FESTIVAL OF CRANES at Wheeler Wildlife Refugeit¹s a
educational fun-filled day of everything crane.

Complete trip list:
Snow Goose
Ross¹ Goose
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
American White Pelican
Double-crested Cormorants
Great Blue Heron
Great Egrets
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
American Coot
Sandhill Cranes
Whooping Cranes
Killdeer
Least Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning Dove
Rock Pigeon
Great Horned Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Larks
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
American Pipet
Cedar Waxwings
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Field Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow


 

<")
  ( \
  / |`  Cyndi

³Don¹t ever let people tell you
something isn¹t true or can¹t be
done. Explore it and examine it
for yourself!²  ~ Dr. Jane Goodall
[TN-Bird] NTOS Field Trip to Wheeler Wildlife Refuge - 11/8/2014

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