FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] RPT: Past couple of days in west KY

["Palmer-Ball, Brainard (EPPC OOS KNPC)" <Brainard.Palmer-Ball@xxxxxx>]

Work took me out to west KY Jan 25-26. Didn't get a chance to look around
much, but did have a few observations of note.

Jan 25th: 

I walked a portion of the big field below Barkley Dam. I've been working
with the Corps on management ideas for this field and they planted it in
native grasses in 2004. The field has been slow to take hold, but this is a
good thing for LeConte's Sparrows (which I believe do not like the thicker
stands of these grasses). By myself, I kicked up one LeConte's and another
Ammodramus that was probably a LeConte's, too. Otherwise, there were 15-20
Savannahs. I suspect there are more LeConte's, but it might be better next
winter. If anyone walks this field this winter or early spring, I would
appreciate being notified of any finds of interest.  It may be a good field
to walk in early April for Yellow Rail???

Not much else besides a couple of flocks of 25+ Black Vultures in eastern
Carlisle and ne Hickman counties while mapping BBS routes with Hap Chambers
and Melissa Easley.

Jan 26th: 

The male Spotted Towhee continues along Bethel Church Road in western
McCracken County. Scott Record has been putting some corn out for it along
the northern edge of the weeds in the small patch of woods with the fallen
down barn.  If you go to see this bird, you might take along a little
cracked corn to replenish the supply and increase your chances of seeing
this generally quiet and sometimes-hard-to-find bird. 

I was at this spot pre-dawn and heard at least a couple of American
Woodcocks in full performance in the frosty, 22 degree air!

At Kentucky Dam, in a quick, late afternoon scan of the lake and tailwaters,
I saw only the three common gull species ... there remain a lot of Bonies
above the dam for this time of year (at least 500). The only thing of note I
could see in a brief scan among the grebes and scaup was a female Surf
Scoter (and perhaps a second) some distance up on the lake.

At Barkley Dam there were only Ringers, along with a smaller-than-normal
number of Herrings.

Last stop was at Kuttawa on Lake Barkley where many hundreds of scaup were
scattered about. Only observation of note was a flock of at least 280 Am
White Pelicans on the nearest bar (the lake is high and many bars are not
exposed).

bpb, Louisville


================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS==============

The BIRDKY Mailing List requires you to sign 
your messages with first & last name, city, & 
state abbreviation.
--------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, send e-mail to:
birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
-------------------------------------------------- 
To unsubscribe, send e-mail to:
birdky-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
Visit the Kentucky Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos.htm
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison, Richmond, KY
E-mail: gary.ritchison@xxxxxxx