So, that is where my Great Egrets are! I was wondering since I am seeing none
in Barren County at the usual places. I think I have only seen 1 here all
summer. You need to send a few here after you count them!
Linda Craiger/Glasgow
Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S® 6, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
-------- Original message --------
From: brainard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: 7/12/20 9:04 AM (GMT-06:00)
To: BIRDKY <birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [birdky] INFO: Falls of the Ohio Great Egret numbers ....
For many years into the mid-20th Century, the Falls of the Ohio was one of the
best places to view waterbirds in Kentucky. It still has its moments, but in
recent years waterbird abundance and diversity has generally been on the
decrease. One exception has been the number of Great Egrets, in large part due
to the appearance of breeding birds on Shippingport Island.
In "Birds of Kentucky" (1965), Robert Mengel noted that "200 or more" Great
Egrets could be found at the Falls "prior to 1949." During the "DDT era"
numbers of all waders declined, and the typical number of egrets dropped into
the "dozens" during the 1950s and 1960s. Even fewer were normal during the
1970s and into the 1990s.
However, as the number of pairs in the local nesting colony has increased, the
abundance of Great Egrets feeding out on the Falls of the Ohio has increased
dramatically.
Last year, as many as 87 (Tom Becker, 9/28) were reported at the Falls of the
Ohio, but this year is a record-setter already! This morning, Jamie Baker
counted at least 225 there, and Clay Bliznick mentioned that there were "tons"
a few evenings ago.
If you bird the Falls of the Ohio in coming weeks, try to get a *careful* tally
of the egrets, as we are bound to set some more records for local high count
there.
bpb, Louisville
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