FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] Anhingas and Others 6-9 May 2007

[David Roemer <dlroemer@xxxxxxxxx>]

Highlights from days in the field this week:

May 6

HENDERSON COUNTY/Some previously reported by Charlie
Gadwall (2 Horseshoe Rd)
Northern Shoveler (2 males Uniontown Rd)
Hooded Merganser (female Hardy Slough)
Glossy Ibis (Hardy Slough)
Common Moorhen (Pond Creek)
Semipalmated Plover (~50 Horseshoe Rd)
Dunlin (~20 Horseshoe Rd)
Stilt Sandpiper (2 Honey Slough)
Caspian Tern (Ohio River)
Eastern Kingbird (45 in one field...probably same bare
field as reported by Ben)
Least Flycatcher (Vocally dueling males in adjacent
trees...singing their hearts out)
Alder Flycatcher (pipping at Honey Slough)


May 7 

While driving in the Obion Creek WMA in the Upper
Hickman Bottoms, Fulton County, I looked up and saw
four birds high in a thermal.  One was a Turkey
Vulture, and the others I recognized by the long
pointed wings, long rounded tail, and headless look
due to slim bill, head, and neck, as Anhingas.  I
quickly snapped a few photos which don't show detail
due to distance, but the distintive silhouettes can be
seen.  

After retrieving my scope, I was able to determine
that they were all males being solidly dark below. 
They thermalled for a few more minutes when the Turkey
Vulture drifted off to the east.  The Anhingas
continued circling for many minutes until well out of
sight to the naked eye, attaining an altitude which
would have made even a Black Vulture dizzy.  They
finally broke off in formation in a glide to the
north.  I watched them for maybe another minute when
they suddenly vanished into the haze of a forming
cumulus cloud!  I really believe those birds were
higher than any I've ever seen.  It sure makes me
wonder what flies over that we never see.

The levee along the Mississippi River was alive with
the Hairy Vetch in bloom.  Clouds of butterflies,
dragonflies, hummers, the song of flocks of Bobolinks,
and starbursts of indigo as flocks of buntings
exploded from the vetch made it seem like a leisurely
drive through a wonderous dream.  

Other sightings from the day:

DAMS AREA
Lesser Scaup (~15 above Barkley Dam)
Bufflehead (Ky Dam)
Common Loon (4-5 above Ky Dam)
Cattle Egrets and Little Blues nest building at
Kuttawa
Snowy Egret (Kuttawa)
Willet (5 Ky Dam)
Laughing Gull (adult Ky Dam)
Bonaparte's Gull (2 1st cycle Ky Dam)
Herring Gull (5 immatures Ky Dam)
Fish Crow (several around Ky Dam)

FULTON COUNTY
Great Egret (~80 Obion Cr wma)
Mississippi Kite (many)
Northern Harrier (Long Point)
Olive-sided Flycatcher (2)


May 8

FULTON COUNTY
Gadwall (Lake 9 and Obion Cr)
BW Teal "
Common Goldeneye (male Lake 9)
Red-breasted Merganser (Lake 9)
Hooded Merganser (female w/ducklings Fish Pond)
Semipalmated Plover (~50 at pond near Long Point...one
partial albino with white scapulars and scattered
mantle feathers)
White-rumped Sandpiper (7)
River Otter (Lake 9...I think there were 2)

KY DAM
Bufflehead
Laughing Gull (3 adults)
Herring Gull (4 w/1 adult)

GRIFFIN PARK/BOWLING GREEN
Snow Goose (1st cycle bird still present and has
completed much of first prebasic molt.)


May 9

PEABODY

Spent most of the day photographing dragonflies until
the discharge from Paradise into the atmosphere
precipitated an all afternoon thunderstorm.

Mississippi Kite (Sub-adult along hwy 70 in Butler
County)

HOMESTEAD/COPPERBELLY UNIT
Hooded Merganser (female w/12 ducklings)
Little Blue Heron (adult)
Laughing Gull (adult flyover)
Least Flycatcher

SINCLAIR/PARADISE
Great Egret (I think there are at least four pair in
the Great Blue rookery with some incubating and at
least one pair nest building.  

LIME BASIN VIEWED FROM S1
Least Sandpiper (16)
Semipalmated Sandpiper

Bell's Vireo (20+ singing on Sinclair)
Willow Flycatcher (2 singing on Sinclair)


David L. Roemer
Bowling Green, Ky












 
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