[birdky] RPT: Morgan's Pond ... nesting Northern Shovelers ... finally :o)

I spent much of yesterday afternoon in the vicinity of Morgan's Pond in 
southern Christian County; I wanted to make one more attempt to find evidence 
of nesting Northern Shovelers. It is impossible to count broods of Blue-winged 
Teal any longer; on each body of water there is now a large group of birds in 
several age classes, and many adult birds appear to have departed. What males 
remain are entering eclipse plumage and many of the youngsters are nearly 
indistinguishable from the adult females. Without being able to count distinct 
broods, I talled a total number of birds seen ... an astonishing 698 on about 
six ponds still holding water. With probaby a maximum of 8-10 birds per brood 
that is likely more than SEVENTY successful teal nests in the area this 
spring/early summer! Given that over the season, some females have been seen 
with only 2 or 3 ducklings in tow, one would have to suspect that the number of 
nests may have approached a hundred.
 
At one pond holding about 215 teal, there were 7 half-grown Northern Shovelers 
mixed into the group. The entire group was in constant motion as everything 
from small downy ducklings only a week old mixed with older young with 
half-grown primaries. The scene reminded me of school kids on a playground 
running in every direction; their appetites must be insatiable, which is good 
because as fast at these water bodies are disappearing, only the largest will 
likely end up making it. I guess one has to suppose that some females leave 
their young to their own devices at a certain point, thus explaining all of the 
apparent orphans (including the young shovelers). In all I probably saw about 
20 intact family units of teal, though, a few including small young (although 
the smallest ducklings are now Mallards ... I guess reflecting renesting 
attempts). All of the shovelers were about the same size, although some 
variation made me wonder if they had come from more than one brood. Also at 
this pond were a few broods worth of Wood Ducks and Mallards, making for a 
diverse mix. Also at this pond was a Lesser Yellowlegs, a Louisiana Waterthrush 
along a wooded shore, and a heron nest (invisible calling young) that must have 
belonged to a pair of Great Blue Herons.
 
Other birds of interest in the area included the following on the main "pond" 
... 1 Least Tern, 11 Black-necked Stilts (no chicks in sight and much moving 
around of all adults -- most of which are now molting innner primaries); 2 
White-rumped Sandpipers, one flying in labored fashion due to a hurt wing; and 
continuing coots, Ruddy Ducks, and Ring-necked Duck. An albino swallow that I'm 
pretty sure was a Northern Rough-winged was seen skimming back and forth over 
another nearby pond for about 10 minutes, and I got a new shorebird for the 
site on the year ... an American Woodcock flushed up along a fenceline on the 
margin of one of the ponds.  
 
Also a great thrill for me (a lifeong plane buff) was the arrival and departure 
of a few C5A aircraft ... I guess there was some shuttling of Marines going on 
... as I stood there enjoying my relatively casual approach to the day, I 
couldn't help but recognize the significance of what their days were like and 
say a quiet welcome home to those landing, and Godspeed to those departing.
 
bpb, FRANKFORT

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