Brainard—-thanks for this biology lesson, vast birdie report, and the lovely
prose. Very vivid
Carol Friedman (Muz)
Hart Co
On May 14, 2020, at 9:42 AM, brainard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
I believe it was a college biology course that first taught me about a family
of flies called the Chironomidae, also known as blood worms or midges. These
tiny insects can be found in great abundance around water bodies of all
kinds. The larval forms are small worm-like creatures that live in the mud
and organic matter of the bottom of lakes and streams. One of my old
textbooks states that as many as 50,000 can be found per square meter of
surface area on the bottom. The adults emerge from the water surface and
swarm overheard or nearby. They are often mistaken for mosquitoes.
These midges are the fuel that is currently powering a giant feeding frenzy
of bird life at McElroy Lake in southern Warren County. The mass of birds has
been building over recent weeks as the lake lowers and shrinks; this serves
to concentrate the food and expose its floor and the millions of larvae to
hungry migrants.
Yesterday afternoon it was impossible to put your binocs out over the lake
and not see hundreds of birds in every direction. Swallows, probably a few
thousand of them, were foraging for the adult midges that were emerging from
the surface. Several Black Terns and maybe 30 Common Terns joined them in the
feast. And, of course, around the lake in the receding shallows and on the
exposed mud were hundreds of shorebirds including the two jewels that David
Roemer found.
The two Red Knots represent only our state's fourth spring record and first
since 1974, not coincidentally all from the "transient lakes" near Woodburn.
The collection of shorebirds also contained what I believe is a new state
high count for Short-billed Dowitchers ... we counted at least 375 scattered
around in groups along the shoreline. I had never heard so much calling from
the dowitchers; in small numbers you hardly ever hear them calling, but
yesterday they were constantly "singing" as they moved about an fed. Also
present were at least 200 Semipalmated Plovers, 25 Black-bellied Plovers, 9
Ruddy Turnstones, and the continuing female Red-necked Phalarope. Least
Sandpipers were the most common with probably more than 500 scattered about
in groups of up to 100 or more individuals.
During the early evening it appeared that migrant birds were still dropping
in. Visually the habitat of this large, shallow lake out in the middle of
farmland must be appealing to migrant waterbirds passing overhead. The din of
calling shorebirds from below must also invite more birds to stop in,
presuming that food is abundant at this smorgasbord on the migration highway.
Paige from Nashville noticed a small flock of Ring-billed Gulls drop in that
had a second-year Franklin's Gull with them. A single Cattle Egret also
showed up.
While there are plenty of small insects to eat, there aren't many larger prey
items like fish or tadpoles, so some visitors like the three Common Loons
that were diving in search of such prey often don't stay long. One never
knows how many birds that are present will depart for destinations farther
north each evening . . . they have important places to go this time of year!
... but the food supply is good enough to keep some birds around, and of
course new birds arrive during each following day. You never know what will
be the next great find. I first visited McElroy Lake in 1984 and have looked
forward to seeing it rise from the farmland ever since. It is not present
every year, being dependent on the amount of late winter rain, so you have to
enjoy it during those years when it appears.
As has been posted here in the past, the landowner is very accommodating to
birding visitors, but we need to park along the small gravel lane along KY
884 near the southwest corner of the lake. From there you can walk around the
entire lake if you want, but the gravel lane along the south end provides the
best viewing and you can also walk along the edge of the wheat field to the
north. Just stay away from all the equipment and activity at the farm
compound if you go as far as that.
bpb, Louisville
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