After missing the Rufous Hummingbird's window of visits in the morning, I
birded the Sinclair Unit for a few hours yesterday while I waited out the
middle of the day when it wasn't coming. There were pockets of songbirds
scattered about, although it appears a cedar berry crop is absent and most of
the birds were in thickets of Autumn olive, Bush honeysuckle, and Bradford pear
. . . I think the dry summer weather resulted in poor seed production on the
cultivated small-headed sunflower fields as there were few finches.
Highlights included two different Orange-crowned Warblers, a Great Egret, and
three different Eastern Screech-Owls answering my whistles.
Deer hunters have moved into their various encampments, and the place will not
be too safe to bird for the next two weeks.
On the way out I stopped at the marsh along Rockport-Paradise Road and had at
least two and probably three Virginia Rails respond to tape playback.
Oh . . . and the three *iconic* hourglass shaped cooling towers at the Paradise
Power Plant were imploded yesterday morning . . . very odd to see that skyline
change . . . I wonder if anyone will re-build the old river town of Paradise
now? ? ? ?
bpb, Louisville
