[TN-Bird] Shorebirds and Peregrines

From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 07:36:32 EDT
May 4, 2008
Ensley Bottoms
Shelby Co, TN
 
To 3,000 Wind Birds, add 2 Peregrine Falcons and you don't have to stir,  the 
skies look like someone has gone after the mix with a huge blender, birds of  
all kinds racing in every direction. Mike Todd and I enjoyed a shorebird walk 
 around the muddy ponds after the rains Saturday. We had 17 species but never 
 could get through the whole area because of the hunting Peregrine Falcons, 
one  smaller adult and a large bird transitioning to adult plumage from 
immature  plumage. We were constantly adding new species through the day as the 
birds 
 would settle back only to be stirred again. The birds hiding in the weeds 
and  the cold, constant high wind did not help either.
 
We did find the younger Peregrine feeding on a kill, way back in the south  
fields, past the Nucor Plant but never saw a kill made at the pits. The  
shorebirds kept us scanning after their eyes picked up high flying dots of  
migrating and resident raptors. We saw about 20 Mississippi Kites. We got some  
photos 
of the Peregrine pair in full speed pursuit of Wind Birds. 
 
Counting was difficult but here are some species and some numbers we were  
able to count in view at one time with many hiding only to be seen when the  
speed machines came through: Semipalmated Plover - 6 (five traveling together), 
 
Killeer, Black-necked Stilt spread all over with dozens of pairs building  
nests and breeding, Greater Yellowlegs - 3, Lesser Yellowlegs - 400+++, Willet  
-1, Solitary - 300++, Spotted Sandpiper - 22+, Pectoral Sandpiper - 50+, Least  
Sandpiper -250 ++, Semipalmated Sandpiper - 20+, Western Sandpiper -2, Dunlin 
-  1, Stilt Sandpiper - 20+, Short-billed Dowitcher - 24 (the change over  
between these two species from last week's numbers quite evident with a 
reversal 
 in totals) Long-billed Dowitcher -3, WILSON'S PHALAROPE - 6 ( 4 breeding  
females and 2 plain Jane males. There is a huge movement across the south at  
this time with groups in the 100's of these Phalarope's being  reported). 
 
Mike had a Black-billed Cuckoo at Eagle Lake plus we had an Alder  Flycatcher 
and lots of Blue Grosbeaks. We had a nice push of warblers in my  yard late 
in the afternoon with colorful, Black-throated Greens, Bay-breasted,  
Black-poll and Chestnut-sided in the mix. Also a Painted Bunting is back  
singing on 
territory at Ensley. Can't wait to see what Ensley holds for  Sunday..........  
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] Shorebirds and Peregrines

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