FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] RPT: KY "lifers"

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

You never know which day you go out is going to be the one when you experience 
something new. Today I was lucky enough to experience not one, but two, firsts 
:o)
 
Bud Veverka (with Ky Fish and Wildlife) and I traveled to Pine Mountain to 
place a data logger in an important hibernaculum for Indiana bats in Letcher 
County.
 
On our way, we noted a dead raptor on the side of US 119 in Bell County. I 
stopped and picked up the bird, which was a Sharp-shinned Hawk. The amazingly 
special thing about this bird, however, was that it was banded ... certainly a 
first for me! It will be interesting to see where this fellow (I think by size) 
was captured!
 
Later in the day after accomplishing our task in the cave, we found a Common 
Raven where Bud had seen one last spring. The rock outcrop it was perched near 
looked great for a nest, and after scanning the rock face for a few minutes, we 
found a sizeable stick nest in one of the crevices. Sure enough, a second raven 
flew out from the spot where they are apparently building a nest. I've seen the 
raven nest at Bad Branch before, but actually finding our own nest was another 
really neat first!
 
bpb, Louisville