[birdky] BKY: RPT - Nesting Snowy Egrets

Been busy and just catching up to posting . . .

Last Friday, I visited the heronry on Lake Barkley near the Old Kuttawa
Recreation Area, Lyon Co.  It's been apparent to me that Snowy Egrets have
been nesting in the heronry for at least a couple of years, but I needed to
confirm it, so I went by with some patience and a blind, and came up with
the following results:

Snowy Egrets: at least FIVE active nests observed; 4 with birds that
appeared to be incubating; the 5th pair had one young bird in the nest that
I watched being fed several times.  The male/female nest duty exchange
interactions were spectacular (like watching the Discovery Channel). In
addition to the birds at the nests, I saw 2-3 additional adults that were
likely at or near other nests I could not see.  The Snowies were mostly in
close proximity to small clusters of Little Blues, although one was in a
tree with about a half-dozen Cattle Egret nests close-by.  With the report
of nesting Scissor-tails today, that's two new nesting species in KY in four
days !

Little Blue Herons:  I saw at least 12 nests, but the number of adults
moving in and out makes me think there are 2-3 times that many.  There were
at least four groups of young that had already moved off their nest
platforms and into the surrounding vegetation (young herons/egrets look ALOT
alike, but the dusky tips to the Little Blue young are already apparent,
even if bill and leg color is not yet trustworthy).  Most of the Little
Blues also were still incubating or brooding.

Cattle Egrets: there is a staggering number of nests, some trees have 20-30
nests in them; one nest was simply sitting on some flood debris on the
island floor.  I have no idea how many nests there are, but 200 is likely a
minimum and 300-400 (more?) not improbable.

Black-crowned Night-Herons:  there aren't as many of these birds as in past
years (perhaps the Cattle Egrets are crowding them out).  I saw at least 35
nests, but there are likely 2-3 times that many.  Some young are already
walking about on the floor of the island and sitting out near the water;
other pairs are still incubating/brooding.

Great Egret:  I think there are at least two pairs in the heronry, although
I confirmed only one nest.  The presumed male was ferrying in sticks to a
nest that could not be seen well, but that I suspect was still under
construction (although the presumed female sat as if incubating for a few
periods).

Also present nearby were about 15 summering Double-crested Cormorants,
although there was no sign of them nesting there.

bpb, Louisville
brainard.palmer-ball@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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