[TN-Bird] merlin at sod farm coffee county
- From: Jeannie Swant <jswant@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: tn-bird <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2012 17:57:09 +0000
Interesting birding continues at the sod farm adjacent to bark camp barrens.
Sand pipers included pectoral,western,and semipalmated (having both was an
identification blessing). The only plovers were killdeer and bank swallows were
among the other more common species
of swallows. The hotspot continues to be the just harvested bare dirt near the
road. Leaving that spot I noticed a very dark small raptor on the ground in the
plowed section of field on the Asbury Rd end of the sod farm. As intuition
suggested it was a merlin. It was soon harassed by the local falcons (kestrels)
and I was very entertained with the air to air combat moves on display. I got a
few pictures before the fighting started but was too interested to put down my
binoculars during the on going action. Please stay on the very low traffic road
as to not wear out our welcome with the owners and refer to Ruth Luckado's
excellent directions in her "sandpipers" posting if you want to come have a
look. Also be sure to look at the sod fields on Hwy 55 just south of
Summitville as I spotted an American golden- plover there among the killdeer
yesterday (one of the all grass fields).
Jeannie
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