FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] RPT: Misc observations

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

Mostly out and about work sightings:

June 1: a pair of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers is now back at the "original" site 
on KY 453 with a female incubating on a nest on the same pole ... different 
crossbar again; the Bell's Vireos nearby had a nest with 4 eggs (county 
record). I have been trying to find evidence of breeding Virginia Rails in 
Muhlenberg County, but the empty but fresh nest I found in late May seemed to 
be abandoned with no birds calling nearby.

June 2: male Ring-necked Duck on surface mind pond in se. Hopkins Co.

June 3: last heard Swainson's Thrush singing in Frankfort.

June 8: southeastern Hopkins County/northeastern Christian County -- Henslow's 
Sparrows in great abundance on reclaimed mine habitat in both counties; 
Northern Harrier nest with 5 young in Hopkins (county record); Bell's Vireo 
nest with 4 eggs in Christian (county record); Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 
carrying sticks overhead on way to nest along West Fork Pond River along county 
line.

June 9: Camp #9 ash basin Least Tern count is up to at least 18 with 7 
apparently incubating eggs; 6 Semipalmated Sandpipers still around. Only 1 
Spotted Sandpiper remaining at Horseshoe Road Slough in western Henderson 
County, but recent rain brought it and the KY 268 slough back up for a couple 
of weeks or so. The Bald Eagle chick in the "Audubon" heronry north of KY 414 
near Audubon State Park has apparently survived a recent lightning strike of 
the nest tree! A fresh lightning rip extends down most of the tree, but the 
large chick and adult were sitting there happy as could be ... how in the heck 
could the chick have survived such a strike????

For the second year in a row I have now done both of my USGS BBS routes on 
which I used to get an every-other-year-or-so Bewick's Wren without hearing one 
:o(  The only one reported in the state last year in Scott County has not been 
heard so far ... might they be gone for good with Loggerhead Shrikes to 
follow?????

bpb, Louisville