FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] RPT: Northeast KY chickadees, 2 February 2008

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

Mark Monroe and I did a whirlwind tour of several potential Black-capped 
Chickadee sites in northeastern KY yesterday, Feb 2nd. The chickadee ratio 
appears to continue to be 100+ to 1 with only one good Black-capped seen.  In 
addition to stopping along rural roads inspecting random feeders and roadside 
titmouse/chickadee flocks, here are the results of our effort:
 
Grayson Lake Office feeders off KY 7, Carter Co.: several Carolinas present 
plus another bird that we never saw well, but suspect was just another Carolina 
with extensive whitish edgings to the flight feathers and a hint of the white 
"hockey stick" look to the greater coverts. Fox Sparrow was a bit unexpected 
here.
 
Laurel Gorge Cultural Center, off KY 7, Elliott Co.: feeders had been allowed 
to go empty ... nobody home.
 
Feeders next to the general store in Blaine, Lawrence Co. (thanks Scott 
Freidhof for this suggestion): perhaps a dozen Carolinas with one very nice 
Black-capped and maybe or probably a second less well-marked individual. We 
focused our attention on the good bird and spent about an hour and a half 
attempting to trap it [unsuccessfully]. We had many birds going in and out of 
the trap, but the Black-capped was a bit shy and only got as far as perching on 
the outside looking in at the seed. This individual had extensive white cheek, 
VERY obvious white on the flight feather edgings, very nice whitish tips to 
greater coverts, whitish edged outer tail feathers, and distinctive flight 
notes as it shuttled seeds back and forth to a cache. We also saw at least 3 
Purple Finches here.
 
Cherokee Road on Yatesville, WMA, Lawrence Co.: only a handful of Carolinas 
with no chickadees seen in vic. of my Black-capped observation in December. We 
did have both kinglets, Red-br Nuthatch, Hermit Thrush.
 
Happy Ridge Road, Greenup Co. (vic. of Ashland CBC sighting): only a few 
Carolinas seen.
 
Emitt Drive, outside Ashland, Boyd Co. (site of earlier in season banded BCCH): 
only 4+ banded Carolinas in wood next to yard; feeders empty.
 
BPB, Frankfort