Dec. 26, 2003 Pickwick Dam, TN Dec. 26 and 28 in North Alabama On my way down to Birmingham to participate in the Christmas Count, I made a stop at Pickwick State Park and the Dam. Out from the state park during a 2 hour vigil, I had an adult Red-throated Loon. This bird was a typical RT. Loon, as I would see it briefly (the first time it just popped into my scope) and then it would just disappear to show up in another distant part of the lake. I saw the bird on 3 occasions in an hour and a half for 2 or 3 dives each time before it would disappear. I see more immatures than adults and I enjoyed this classic and classy adult bird, sporting very clean plumage and features. Also from the park, I had 3 Surf Scoters. There were less than 100 gulls on the lake and below the dam with nothing other than the 3 expected species. There were also 3 Common Loons, 9 Horned Grebes, 44 Pied-billed Grebes, 4 Greater Scaup, 1 Mallard hen, 27 Coots and a 3rd year Bald Eagle. Pretty slim pickings but Pickwick is much better in February. Traveling through north Alabama over the weekend, I had a white Christmas as there is an almost pure white Red-tailed Hawk east of Florence; I was lucky enough to get photos. The bird was found by others on Christmas Day, what a treat that bird was in the bright afternoon sun. On Sunday another white bird appeared below Wheeler Dam in the form on an immature Glaucous Gull. The bird was out from the lower boat ramp. I also had 180 Common Goldeneye and 9 Common Loons at the same time. I then took a wrong turn and ended up in an area I had never been into down there and as luck would have it I found an adult Little Gull. This bird rested and played in front of me all afternoon and I was joined by Steve McConnell and we got up close and personal with this most beautiful of small gulls. I'll share photos if interested just drop me a line. Steve got some great photos of the bird sitting on the water and I can furnish some in-flight shots. The bird was found off the point just east of the boat ramp at the Mallard Recreation Area north of Highway 20 on CR. 400 just south east of Wheeler Dam and across from the Brown's Ferry Nuclear Plant. Good Birding!!! Jeff R. Wilson OL'COOT / TLBA Bartlett, TN =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ========================================================