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Birding Adventures:
Reflections in an Ol'Coots Eye
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Vermilion Flycatcher - Reelfoot Lake - December 6-7, 2003
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These photos are of the immature male Vermilion found on December 5, by Bud Johnson. It was located at Air Park Inn on the west side of Reelfoot Lake and spends most of its time hawking insects from the fence line along the air strip from the dog leg north to the camp ground. It appears to come from some distance to the east and disappears in the same direction. I relocated the bird for a brief period, Saturday morning at 10:30 AM and spent a wondrous hour with the bird that afternoon.
My last encounter with this species, in TN, was on September 20, 1987, when I found an immature male on Island 13, Lake Co. It was an all too brief encounter, as the bird actively fed and continually moved south giving us but short views. Sixteen years is too long between visits. There was an immature bird that showed up in Arkansas a couple of years ago for two straight years at Big Lake, NWR, which is located about 60 miles south- west of this bird's present location and some have started to winter again along the river in central Mississippi where they had been regular almost 20 years ago.
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These photos were taken after 3:30 in the afternoon sun. As you can see the lighting played acoss the bird giving it a beautiful warm hue.
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The shots above were taken through a telescope and with out the direct sunlight the coloration has taken on a more normal vermilion tint. The reason for the raised crest is shown below.
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I kept the Vermilion in view from 3:30 PM till 4:30 and during that time it was almost continually chased by the bad bandit on the right. The Vermilion acted as if it were only a game but the Shrike, I think, was really trying to add a little red meat to its afternoon fare.
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Vermilion Moon
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Anyway you look at it, it was not a bad way to spend an afternoon and with such a beauty. The bird was very cooperative on Sunday and of course, we hope it stays for all to enjoy. If we are lucky it might make the Christmas Count on the 20th. What better excuse for you, to join this highly productive count at Reelfoot??
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