FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] West Ky, March 17, 2004

["Brainard Palmer-Ball, Jr." <brainard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mark Monroe and I (with Matt Stickel for a portion) enjoyed a wonderful day
of birding in west KY today, March 17th. As we continue to pick up scraps
of the great birding in TN this winter, an adult California Gull was added
to the list (could you guys please send a Vermilion Flycatcher or Sage
Thrasher next? :o)  The bird was seen twice during the afternoon from the
easternmost pulloff on Ky Dam, loafing just above the dam with the other
gulls. It is in immaculate alternate plumage with dark eye, yellow
legs/feet, and a black -and-red spot on the mandible of the long
orangish-yellow bill.  I'm not good on subspecies of these birds, but the
back color is at least a shade or two darker gray than the Ringers and
Herrings and it was noticeably smaller than numerous Herrings around it.

We, too, saw the Yellow-billed Loon again during the morning.

Twice during the afternoon we also saw the first-year Little Gull, which
has now on my last two visits been working the NE part of the lake upstream
of the lock (east) side. It has required some close scanning of the lake
because the bird continues to feed, phalarope-like, by picking probably
emerging midges or miscellaneous detritis from the surface of the water
without flying for long periods.

Also observed in the vicinity of Kentucky Dam were 2 first-year Glaucous
Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, an adult (loafing above) and a
first-year (feeding below).   At one point late in the afternoon, we had 7
species of gulls in view at one time, with 5 in one field of view!

Overall, I was amazed at how many fewer waterbirds there were on Ky Lake
today as compared to Sat/Sun when the lake was alive with all kinds of
birds.  American White Pelicans were scattered about with about 40 below
Barkley Dam, along with another first-year Glaucous Gull. Our last surprise
of the day was a loose group of 15 or more Cliff Swallows kiting for
insects above Barkley Dam, about a week earlier than previous reports for
the state (can anyone say "Global Warming?"

Mark and I also visited the home of Ron and Renee Hooks in Lovelaceville,
in the extreme SE corner of Ballard County, and Mark photographed what
turns out to be their immature Harris's Sparrow, a very accommodating and
neat looking bird.  Lovelaceville has a healthy population of Eurasian
Collared-Doves, about 6 of which we observed.

bpb, Louisville
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