If 15 minutes in eastern Jefferson County this morning is any indication, I honestly have to wonder if American Redstart may be the commonest bird in Kentucky today. Held back by a about two weeks of south winds and the recent rain, last night's frontal passage and clearing skies certainly opened the floodgates for migrants. I saw at least 12 redstarts in fifteen minutes around the house. Other migrants included a Bobolink, Swainson's Thrush, Black-and-white Warbler, Palm Warbler (pretty early), Magnolia Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler and Tennessee Warbler. Regarding the numbers of redstarts, this species has always been common as a migrant in KY, esp in fall, but land use changes on its breeding grounds are likely resulting in significant increases. Early successional forest abounds in southern Canada and the northern Great Lakes states as a result of several insect pests that have ravaged some northern conifer types, logging of older forest tracts, and reversion of some abandoned farmland. This combination apparently has created a bonanza for this and others inhabiting young forest and edge. bpb, Louisville brainard.palmer-ball AT mail.state.ky.us ================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS============== The BIRDKY Mailing List requires you to sign your messages with first & last name, city, & state abbreviation. -------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, send e-mail to: birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx -------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: birdky-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Kentucky Ornithological Society web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos.htm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison, Richmond, KY E-mail: gary.ritchison@xxxxxxx