[birdky] Ohio River 18 and 19 February 2007

Robert Dever and I spent a couple of days birding the
River at various spots between the Falls and Meldahl
Dam.  The bitter weather had birds on the moved as
hoped for.  Highlights are listed below.


18 February

Nineteen species of waterfowl for Louisville area.

FALLS/ABOVE DAM
Canvasback (92)
Redhead (40-50)
Greater Scaup (10+)
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER (2 seen)
DC Cormorant

NEAR PORT OF INDIANA
Canvasback (150)
LONG-TAILED DUCK

COX PARK
Am Tree Sparrow

LAGRANGE REFORMATORY LAKE
Mute Swan
Common waterflowl including N Shoveler (5)

MARKLAND DAM 

The river was solid/bank-to-bank chunk ice for at
least 1/2 mile above the dam with the open river above
that a maze of drifting ice.  A fabulous downriver
movement of waterbirds was underway when we arrived
and we spent the last two hours of daylight scanning
flocks of gulls.  Although there wasn't a large number
below the dam, there was a steady procession of gulls
above the dam with most flying but many drifting on
ice.  Most of these flew over or around the dam and
proceded downriver.

SWAN SPECIES (flyover with flock of geese)
Canada Goose (many hundreds)
Common Merganser (3 males flyover)
DC Cormorant
Ring-billed Gull (1000++)
HERRING GULL (200++)
GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL (2 1st winter birds)
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (adult and 1st winter)


19 FEBRUARY

MARKLAND DAM

I arrived at the dam before sunrise and with the air
temperature at 12 degrees.  After checking below the
dam and seeing little and with very few birds above, I
headed upstream and measured the ice.  It was solid
for over two miles above the dam.  There were a few
birds of interest at the inside river bend across from
the juncion of hwys 127 and 8 which was relatively
free of ice near the bank:

C Goose (700+)
Wood Duck (3)
Rusty Blackbird (50+)

I then met Robert and we headed to Meldahl Dam where
we ran into Lee McNeely.  The dam was a flurry of
activity with the river frozen above except for
patches of open water in which there were many birds. 
The 3 of us enjoyed the following highlights:

MELDAHL DAM
Several hundred ducks/geese representing at least 16
species.

Canvasback (140)
Redhead (110)
Greater Scaup (6-8)
SURF SCOTER (1st winter male below dam.  All black
plumage with no white on head and yellowish-orange
tipped bill.  When I first saw the bird it was distant
and facing us and I thought is was a male Black
Scoter, but the profile gave it away when it turned
its head.  Really interesting bird, I don't remember
ever seeing one totally dark.  Somewhat similar to the
1st winter male depicted in Sibley.) 

Common Merganser (5)
Red-breasted Merganser
Horned Grebe
RED-NECKED GREBE
Bald Eagle
Ring-billed Gull (2500-3000)
HERRING GULL (415+)
SNOW BUNTING (flyover flock of 6-8 birds with at least
1 bunting present in the flock seen through trees, may
have all been buntings.  Another flyover heard.)

Robert and I ended the day above the dam at Louisville
watching 3 White-winged Scoters swim and feed
together.

David L. Roemer
Bowling Green, Ky.




 









 
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