Links to our Iceland and Yucatan Trip Reports

Here is a link to our Birding Trip to Iceland

http://birding123.blogspot.com/

Here is the link to our Yucatan Birding Trip

http://birdingtheyucatan.blogspot.com/

Robert

Falcons over Shelby Farms

   After a few morning chores, we drove to Shelby Farms, which is a huge city park in Memphis, Tennessee. Near the prison complex there we saw an Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus Tyrannus) perched on a metal pole at the edge of the bog. It flicked its white-tipped tail.

   In a small outflow from Patriot Lake, we spotted a beautiful Green Heron (Butorides Virescens) looking down into the water.

Gardener Road Area

• Dickcissel
• Common Grackle
• European Starling
• Red Winged Blackbird
• Eastern Kingbird
• Mallard
• Canada Goose
• Brown Headed Cowbird
• Purple Martin

Patriot Lake Area

• Bluejay
• Killdeer
• Muscovy (domestic)
• Snow Goose
• Swan Goose (domestic)
• Great Blue Heron
• Peregrine Falcon
• Turkey Vulture
• Bank Swallow
• Green Heron

   Right before lunch, the storm clouds gathered and picnics were abandoned. We saw three Peregrine Falcon (Falco Peregrinus) dive-bombing at things above the trees. These are powerful slate blue predators. When they pull in their wings, they drop out of the sky like a rock, making lightning fast attacks on insects, rodents or small birds.

Peregrine Falcon

Robert and Berry

photo courtesy of wikipedia

Black-Necked Stilts at Riverport

   When we drove across the Nonconnah Creek bridge, heading to Riverport Road, the air under the bridge was swarming with Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon Pyrrhonota). They have dark necks and orange rumps and they never stop flying in lazy elipses. Berry wanted me to use the word, "circles"; I wanted to describe what happened.

   All through the Riverport area, we heard the waxy squirting whistle of the Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) in the trees. We never actually saw this bird, yet we heard it clearly. We know this bird because we have experienced it many times. We know its distinctive call. On our birding trip list, when we hear a bird and can identify it from the sound, yet cannot or choose not to spend lots of time looking for it with the binoculars, we indicate this bird with an eighth note on our birding list.

Indigo Bunting♪

   We put an eighth note on the List for the Northern Parula (Parula americana), which we did not see either. We call it the zipper-bird, due to its zipper-like song.

   At the large Tailing Pond near the Allen Steam Plant, we saw an Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) seeming to hover in the updraft. This bird does not hover, but in the same way that seagulls hang above a crashing wave, these birds carefully ride the wind current. He seemed to be having fun.

   The only ducks we spotted were Mallards (Anas Platyrhynchos). I guess they have all gone to Canada for their Summer vacation. There were a pair of Pied-Billed Grebes (Podilymbus Podiceps) sitting in the middle of a wet area.

   On the right side of the road, in a slowly flowing ditch, there were two beautiful Black-Necked Stilts (Himantopus Mexicanus). These we usually see in the Maynerd Stiles Treatment Plant north of downtown. Nice choice for the "Bird of the Day".

   Other than these mentioned, we also saw the usual cast of characters. Nice little birding trip.

   Robert and Berry    Photo courtesy of wikipedia

Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge

   Peeling off the beaten path at Exit 52 on I-40 in Tennessee, Berry and I visited the Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge, a handsomely maintained shallow lake surrounded by swamps. The weather was perfect for birding.

• American Coot
• Pied Billed Grebe
• Blue Winged Teal
• Black Vulture
• Turkey Vulture
• Yellow Rumped Warbler
• Barn Swallow
• Red Tailed Hawk
• Eastern Bluebird
• Red Winged Blackbird (Typical)
• Common Grackle
• Double Crested Cormorant
• English Sparrow
• Purple Martin
• Great Blue Heron
• American Robin

Blue Winged Teal

Robert

photo courtesy of kkarlson

Birding Hot Springs, Arkansas

   We got up early, put our dog Cosmo in the kennel and set off to bird Hot Springs, Arkansas. We stopped at a little store because we needed a pad to write down our trip list, the list of birds we see on a birding trip. It is raining today so I wanted a handkerchief. And maybe some drinks for the cooler. We went up to the door of the store and the clerks were just opening up. They thought we were the "Breakfast Crew", there to bring them breakfast.

   We spotted a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) in flight on our way out of Memphis. This large bird flies with its long neck coiled tightly under its chin. It is so distinctive that identification for us is easy.

   The drive to Little Rock was made difficult by the rain. We found fish farms just south of I-40 near Little Rock. Blue Winged Teal (Anas discors), Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata), Pied Billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps), and Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) were some of the highlights. Berry thinks the Double Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) ought to be a highlight too.

   We made it to Hot Springs and the rain stopped. Delightful! At a golf course Berry found American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos). These are perfectly white pelicans, but easy to identify in flight with the back edge of their wings being black. The fellow at the golf course guided us to a dam where we saw the Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor), Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis), the Dark Eyed Slate Colored Junco (Junco hyemalis) and a family of Chipping Sparrows (Spizella passerina).

Arlington Hotel

   Having birded after lunch we stopped at a Starbucks to get something warm to drink and to fiddle with our blog. In Hot Springs we stayed at the historic Arlington Resort Hotel on the same floor as Al Capone had when he was here.

   For dinner, Berry had the Red Snapper. I had the "Lamb Lollipops". Very nice. Berry relaxed doing the whole bath house experience with a mineral bath and then a nice massage. I chickened out, relaxing instead in the room, surfing the internet, planning tomorrow's birding adventure.

Robert and Berry

The House Finches Move In

   This morning we were looking out our den window. I spotted a moving van pulled up to the English ivy growing on one of our Pine Trees. It was moving day and here came our new neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. House Finch (Carpodacus Mexicanus). He was dressed smartly in a crimson and gray suit. She was more demure in her brownish gray striped jumpsuit.

Mr. House Finch

   Mr. House Finch busied himself gathering nesting materials from around our roses. Mrs. Finch just supervised the operation from our grapevine trellis. We thought we heard them remark to each other what a prime location their new home was. Within sight of tall trees for cover, near enough to a handy suet feeder and not three feet from a birdbath full of fresh water. The couple had thought ahead. The grapevines would bear fruit in season. The privet bushes would provide berries in the fall. They will need hook-ups and change-of-address cards. There was so much to be done.

   The friendly American Robin (Turdus Migratorius) perched on the fence and watched them move in. Later a carpenter Red Bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes Carolinus) started pounding on the side of the Pine Tree. It is nice to have helpful neighbors.

Mrs. House Finch

   The Finches appeared not to have any children. We feel certain they will be blessed with baby Finches in the coming months. We welcome our new neighbors and hope to see a lot of them.

Berry

photos courtesy of dmckenzie

Riverport Road in Memphis

   One of the best places to bird in the Memphis area is Riverport Road. To get there is difficult since they closed the main road in. From the 240 Expressway you can take Third Street going north, turn left on Mallory Road, then left again on Horn Lake Road and look for the right turn into the railroad yard area and Riverport Road. We exited the Expressway, taking Third Street heading south, turned right on Peebles Road and right again on Horn Lake Road. Coming up from the south we turned left on the road heading to the railroad.

Riverport Road

   We drove slowly along Riverport Road. In the small ponds to the side of Riverport Road, adjacent to the now closed T.H.Fuller Golf Course, we observed lots of birds. It was fun getting our spotting scope focused on the "pied bill" of the Pied Billed Grebe (Podilymbus Podiceps). The Wood Duck (Aix Sponsa) has a characteristic white bridle on its neck, even in its winter coloring. We saw more than a thousand Lesser Scaup (Aythya Affinis) in the tailing ponds of the Allen Steam Plant. In the back, behind the huge flock of Scaup, we spotted five or six Double Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax Auritus) who submarine for tiny fish, then come to shore, spread their wings and hold them out to dry them. One of the drawbacks for us as far as this bird-rich area would be the nasty smell of the local Waste Treatment Plant, but we endure.

   Berry and I think the Northern Shoveler (Anas Clypeata) is dressed in clothes from the Gap (store). It is covered attractively in patches of brown, white, green and red. Hiding in the tall reeds was the green headed Mallard (Anas Platyrhynchos). Mallards are usually plentiful and common in Memphis, but today we only saw one hiding in the back. There were hundreds of Gadwall (Anas Strepera), almost camouflaged in drab olive gray with a black spot on its rump. The American Coot (Fulica Americana) is easy to differentiate from ducks because it is not a duck. It is shaped more like a Moorhen or Purple Gallinule. We saw two large Canada Geese (Branta Canadensis) munching grass on the side of the levee of Riverport Road.

   There were Mourning Doves (Zenaida Macroura) on every manmade structure on Riverport Road. On power line towers, on railroad tracks, on telephone lines, on fences and on the edges of buildings. Berry found two Great Blue Herons (Ardea Herodias) but it is still a little early in the season for the large waders. We saw a large flock of American Robins (Turdus Migratorius) on the side of the levee. The local Robins do not migrate away from Memphis in the wintertime, but this flock may have been cold weather visitors from Canada or the northern states. European Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris) are an introduced species, originally from Europe. We twist our faces when we see them, because they are pest-like.

   We saw only a handful of Red Winged Blackbirds (Agelaius Phoeniceus) singing "Conk-a-ree" in the swampy areas. We will see lots more of these in the summertime. In the bottomland between Riverport Road and McKellar Lake we looked at a Pine Warbler (Dendroica Pinus) in the top of a tree next to a Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) complaining in the same tree. There, under that tree, we reminisced about Ol' Coot with whom we had birded.

   The Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella Magna) has a characteristic four note call which drew our attention. We saw plenty of them in the open fields of Ensley Bottoms next to Paul Lowery Road. We spotted a bright red male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) in the tops of the small trees. On the struts of a power line tower, we saw two Eastern Phoebes (Sayornis phoebe), twirling their tails diagnostically. Further down Paul Lowery Road, heading south past several factories we were looking for the Bobolink (Dolichonyx Oryzivorus) which migrates through the Memphis area about this time. We did not see it but we did see the Dickcissel (Spiza Americana) and it became the bird of the day. This handsome visitor resembles the Eastern Meadowlark in color but has the shape of a sparrow and is about the size of a Northern Cardinal.

Dickcissel

   As the sunlight was fading in the west, we drove down a gravel road toward the line of trees. In the soybean stubble of the fallow field next to a steel plant, we saw a pair of handsome Horned Larks (Eremophila Alpestris). We have seen these birds at the same place several years in a row. Very nice day of birding!

Robert and Berry

photo courtesy of rebelat and googlemaps

We called him Ol' Coot

   Jeff R. Wilson passed away on February 11, 2013. Here is the obituary from the local newspaper.

"Known to many in the birding community as Ol' Coot, Jeff spent much of his time outdoors searching for rare birds, conducting Christmas bird counts or leading groups on birding expeditions all over the world. He was a member of The Audubon Society and American Ornithological Society. Jeff was also a member of the Tennessee Watercolor Society. His artwork has been shown at the Brooks Museum of Art."

   I must add a favorite Ol-Coot story at this point. He and I met down at the Ensley Bottoms off Riverport Road. He was studying the shorebirds in the tailing ponds of the waste treatment plant. I was very new to birding then. He showed me this bird and talked about that bird; I was impressed with the massive experience he had.

   He took me down the small path, behind the treatment plant itself. The small forked path leading down to the tail end of McKellar Lake, where the out-flow pipe empties fresh water back into the Mississippi River. We stood next to a line of bushes and Jeff whispered, "There is a Yellow Billed Cuckoo in here." My eyes got big.

   Ol' Coot cupped both hands together and started making a low steady cooing call. I could not believe it when a Yellow Billed Cuckoo hopped out of the bushes and looked down at us. Ol' Coot had called a wild Yellow Billed Cuckoo and it came when he called. Amazing !

   Here is a link to Jeff Wilson's excellent pbase database of bird photos.

   Jeff Wilson will be missed. Our condolences to his loved ones. After the passing of Caroline Bullock two years ago, and now Jeff Wilson, Memphis has lost its greatest birders.

Robert and Berry

photos courtesy of jwilson, dspeiser

Day Trip to Reelfoot

  Berry and I would like to say we jumped out of bed, but it was more like a cringing crawl at first. We packed the car with our birding stuff, binoculars, spotting scope, field guide and a pad to make our list of birds. We drove 200 miles north to Reelfoot Lake, making only one stop to purchase cold weather gear that Robert had forgotten to bring.

Eastern Phoebe

   We went to Reelfoot to monitor the comeback of the Bald Eagles. But as experienced birders, we quickly focused in on the less newsworthy birds. One of my favorites is the Eastern Phoebe(Sayornis phoebe), the only flycatcher which winters in the southeastern United States. This is a drab gray and olive flycatcher with a slightly darker head. If you were not looking, you would not have noticed it.

   The Eastern Phoebe feeds on insects while there are insects in the summer, but eats berries in the wintertime. I noticed this bird when it dipped its tail and started making quick circles with it. This phenomenon is diagnostic, as no other bird does this, drawing circles with its tail.

• American Kestrel
• Red Tailed Hawk
• Northern Cardinal
• White Throated Sparrow
• English Sparrow
• Carolina Chickadee
• Common Grackle
• Pine Warbler
• House Finch
• Darkeyed Slate Colored Junco
• Bald Eagle
• Carolina Wren
• Eastern Phoebe
• Tufted Titmouse
• Red Bellied Woodpecker
• Ruddy Duck
• Horned Grebe
• Yellow Shafted Northern Flicker
• American Crow
• Red Bellied Woodpecker
• Yellow Rumped Warbler
• Snow Goose
• Bluejay
• Turkey Vulture
• Savannah Sparrow
• Downy Woodpecker
• Northern Mockingbird
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Northern Shoveler
• Ring Billed Gull
• Horned Lark
• Green Winged Teal
• American Coot
• Ground Dove

  We stopped around 1pm to eat lunch. I had catfish steaks, onion rings and cinnamon apples. Berry had the potato soup to warm up from the blustery winter winds. At one point, I pulled out my work computer to answer email, but mainly we chatted about birding hot spots and our exceeding good fortune. When it was time to go home, both of us agreed that our Nikon spotting scope is invaluable. And hot coffee does warm you up.

Robert

photo courtesy of 910mmman

Red Tailed Hawk on the Fence !

   The maids were toiling quietly. Berry was in the back of the house. I was sitting at my desk around 9:30am, when suddenly and all at once, a large Red Tailed Hawk swooped down from a tree into our backyard. This does not happen every day, hence the posting of it here. Cosmo was actually in the backyard at the time but did not seem to notice the large raptor's visit.

   The hawk finished his tour of our backyard by landing confidently on the back fence. It was facing our neighbor's yard, so we got a great look at its brown and banded tail. But, this was a "RED TAILed hawk..." you are saying. Well, it was a juvenile red-tailed hawk, so the tail on this one was not red at all. It was banded in two tones of brown, about twelve bands in all.

Juvenile Red Tailed Hawk

   I yelled for Berry to come quickly. We scrounged around for an old pair of binoculars that I do not keep handy. The Sibley's Bird Guide was much easier to find.

   The hawk was still on the fence when we settled down to look at it. We think it was looking for squirrels in our neighbor's yard. This was not the first Red Tailed Hawk seen in our heavily treed but smallish east Memphis property. But anytime is a good time for a hawk.

The Fence later at Night

Robert

photos courtesy of kmcgowan, rfowler