Duck River unit of TN NWR Humphrey's County July 22, 2013 about 6:15 pm After seeing Clayton Ferrell's posting about the immature Roseate Spoonbill at Duck River, our family hurried out there after my husband got off work. Clayton had reported the Spoonbill (as well as an immature White Ibis) in Pool 3, which is the interior area of the interpretive drive called "Blue Goose Blvd." Not knowing if the Spoonbill would have any pink coloration, we looked at many Great Egrets through binoculars and scope. We had made our way along the Blue Goose road past the "Marvelous Mud" sign, and were on the last section of "cobblestoned" road, looking toward our left at Pool 3. Eventually, we saw an odd bird flying in and it landed in the area we had been scoping, It was the Roseate Spoonbill, in 2nd year plumage... light pink with a greyish bill. We had brief but good looks as it came in and out of obscurement. The area it was in had many bushes in the way. It walked around feeding for several minutes. At one point, several egrets flew away, and as they did we got binoculars on them and saw the immature White Ibis flying away with them. It must have been feeding in the same area but we had never seen it on the ground... the mottled brown coloration must have been good camouflage, or it was in total obscurement behind bushes. We looked again at the Spoonbill until it also took off, flying rather near us over the road and making its way toward the right and Pool 2. I managed a few blurry but diagnostic photos as it flew. A great bird which we had needed for our Tennessee List, as was the White Ibis. Another bird of note was a Snowy Egret which we saw briefly in flight... we noticed it was smaller than the Great Egrets it flew alongside and I saw the contrasting yellow feet through binoculars. We also had a good look at a Great-horned Owl in another part of the refuge. We had been in the refuge on Saturday as well, and had noted then that there was increased shorebird activity. Saturday we saw Solitary Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs, Dowitcher species and Least and Semi-palmated Sandpipers. We did not notice as much migratory shorebird activity today. We had an enjoyable time. Many thanks to Clayton for his alert on the Spoonbill and Ibis. This seems like an exciting time at the refuge! Ellis family Paris, Henry County
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