[TN-Bird] NW TN 11/25/02

From: "Todd, Michael C." <michael.c.todd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 22:30:50 -0500
Halls area (Lauderdale Refuge)
Reelfoot area
11/25/02

As Jeff already mentioned, winter birds are in. I got most of the birds I
was looking for, with the exception of the Rough-legged Hawk which I never
located. I also tried until dark for Short-eared Owls, in the area that
Nancy had one recently, and a couple of other good areas, with no luck. The
largest concentration of Harriers I could find was only 5 though, maybe
they're still waiting for a big push.

Wilson's Snipe are in big-time, with 2 different small fields holding over
100 birds, with others scattered about in all suitable habitat. One of these
fields was the one out from Halls where I still had 8 species of shorebirds
earlier this month. This was down to 4 now, with a small flock of Dunlin and
a lingering Pectoral joining the Snipe and Killdeer. This field also held my
1st, of several, large flocks of Rusty Blackbirds. My 1st Brewer's
Blackbirds of the season were here as well, with 4 (3 male and a female)
cavorting with the Rusties. 

I spent a couple of hours at Lauderdale, after running into a guy I work
with, showing him the various ducks in attendance, although I think he
enjoyed the great looks at Bald Eagles more than the ducks. Nothing great
here among the 16 species of waterfowl, a small flock of 20 Greater
White-fronts that dropped in while we watching was nice. I couldn't get
anything up at the old airport, other than Horned Larks. 

I spent most of my time at Reelfoot in the open country, birding the lake
was practically impossible due to the wind and whitecaps. I didn't have any
big flocks of longspurs, but did have several Laps mixed-in most places I
had Horned Larks, Pipits were widespread as well. It took me about an hour
and a half to finally get a Smith's Longspur out of the "Smith's" field,
although getting these birds by yourself can often take awhile. I had made
several passes down the main aristida strip, with nothing but Savannah
Sparrows to show for it. Finally, after walking most of the isolated
patches, I flushed 2 Smith's which circled several times calling (neither
appeared to be the male bird), and headed off to the cultivated fields to
the south. 

A quick just into KY for the Common Ground Dove found over the weekend was
rewarded with a nice look at this special visitor for KY (evidently just the
2nd record). 

On the Red-tailed front, I had a gorgous adult Rufous-morph, and an adult
and immature dark-morph, among the multitude of "typical" (if there is such
a thing) Red-tailed's.

Good birding!!!

Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
Carroll Co.
mikectodd@xxxxxx





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[TN-Bird] NW TN 11/25/02

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