I have some welcome news that greatly helps to highlight the sensitive status
the Brown-headed Nuthatches of Kentucky. The Brown-headed Nuthatch is now
officially listed by the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves as Endangered
category S1, Critically Imperiled. Here is how it comes out on the National
Website tracking these things.
[https://explorer.natureserve.org/.../ELEMEN.../Sitta_pusilla](https://explorer.natureserve.org/.../ELE.../Sitta_pusilla...)Hopefully
this will boost our efforts to get the London, Kentucky Ranger Station
Shortleaf Pine area preserved for the future. Also this should help to educate
the public as to the significance of the Brown-headed Nuthatches in Kentucky.
This should be a motivating reason to manage for more Shortleaf Pine habitat in
the state. If you have property in Kentucky, especially in Eastern or Western
Kentucky you may want to consider doing this independently as well. Open
pasture land with scattered groves of Shortleaf Pines makes for ideal habitat
for this species. More such habitat could help facilitate the return of our
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers to Kentucky as well. Much thanks to all the great
folks at the Office of the Kentucky Nature Preserves for this special listing
status for the Brown-headed Nuthatch. A win-win for avian species diversity in
Kentucky!
On a related note, I took a day trip down to Laurel County, Kentucky Sunday,
April 16., 2023 to study and survey the Brown-headed Nuthatches breeding there.
Despite some periods of strong winds, and dark, overcast skies and plunging
temps in the afternoon, I was able to confirm their presence at all of the
three primary breeding locations, so I had a very successful day. In total I
found several at the first non-Ranger Station location where I had feared they
had vanished last year after some tree removals there.
A highlight was to find an active Brown-headed nest at the second non-Ranger
Station location I also discovered on my own several years back where I had not
found a definite nest before but had found recently fledged young there for
several years prior. It is possible there may be a total of two or three pairs
at this location. I am hoping to confirm more on that in the course of this
nesting season.
It was also good to see the London Ranger Station Pines are still there as well
including the traditional pine nest snag dead limb they have been using. The
wind there was gusting at this time but I did at least hear them a few times
near the snag tree. However it appeared from comparing photos from several
years ago that many of the small deciduous understory trees and shrubs seem to
have been removed, which is not likely to be good for the Brown-headed
Nuthatches as many of the small trees had potential nest cavity sites (there
are not many in the actual pine trees themselves) and the nuthatches would
formerly forage in them quite a bit also. I did find an active Red-shouldered
Hawk nest there (last photo) maybe that should hold off the logging for a few
months possibly? Hopefully we can get it stopped completely though.
I may have some more good news to post soon on another important status update
from another Kentucky Agency. I am just waiting for the official email and
hopefully also website confirmation on that development. The TVA Natural
Heritage Project is also mentioned in some connection with the Kentucky S1
status as listed on the NatureServe link above. I am hoping this might might
help in further decision making on the status and importance of Shortleaf Pine
and other pine plantings at TVA areas. Hopefully it might also favorably impact
The Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area's decision-making in regard
to their pine habitats as well.
Frank Renfrow Fort Thomas, KYfrankrenfrow@xxxxxxx