[birdky] RPT: a few Louisville notes and Cumberland Gap NHP; Common Raven

I got Monday off this week so I decided to go to Cumberland Gap NHP, because it 
sounded promising and was the easiest high elevation area to get to in 
Kentucky.  I woke up on Monday morning at the campground already off to a bad 
start...at nearly 10:00am.  I had to leave the area at 5pm to get back to 
Louisville for prior engagements(that I wish now I had blown off.)  But a 
beautiful place nonetheless that i would like to spend more time at.  The only 
thing is most of this list is from the Virginia side, but regardless, the list 
of highlights:

 

July 6,9:40-12:00pm- a small 1/2 mile trail from the campground off Virginia 58 
that leads to an extensive cave where most time was spent finding salamanders

 

Acadian Flycatcher-5 or so heard singing 

Red-eyed Vireo- everywhere

Solitary Vireo- one heard in parking lot-song clearer, louder, higher and notes 
spaced further
Black-throated Green Warbler-2 heard only

Hooded Warbler-1 fem. seen scolding and preening for pics and 2 males heard 
singing along trail

Indigo bunting possibly the most abundant and vocal bird everywhere on the 
trail even in seemingly dense forest but it is all second-growth

 

12:30-12:45pm-Pinnacle Overlook Kentucky-Virginia border

Black Vulture-1 landed below and proceeded back into a crevice

Black-throated Green Warbler-1 heard on road up

 

2:20-5:00pm-White Rocks Trail on the North side of the park the most dramatic 
and also at the highest elevation but I only probably reached about 2,500 ft 
(on the Virginia side)and then after 5 minutes had to descend quickly-lame

 

pos. Ruffed Grouse?- may have heard one rumbling downhill but never really 
heard one before could just have as easily been a distant mower

Acadian Flycatcher-everywhere

Common Raven-several heard making a great assortment of strange calls-couldn't 
see them and quit calling before I could record them

Wood Thrush-4-5 none heard or seen all day and then at 4:30 started calling all 
around

Black-thr. Gr. warbler-3 heard at various elevations

Hooded warbler-2 heard only

Scarlet tanager-1 ad. male with begging juv.

Eastern Towhee- 1 male calling at about 2,500 ft.

 

En route- Eastern meadowlarks- calling throughout Va 58 paralleling the park

Purple Martin- large colony flying overhead around London

 

July 8- I was talking to a friend at 2:00am in Old Louisville when a Barred Owl 
crossed the road and landed on the roof silhouetted by the moonlight-amazing!

 

July 7-I was driving on Bardstown Road just North of the Gene Snyder when an 
ad. Black-cr. Night-heron flew over and appeared to be going in for a 
landing-the furthest by far I have seen one from the I-65 corridor in Jefferson 
County

 

There is no "dull" time of year to be birding just dull places, and then again 
not always.

 

 

 
Good Birding,

Michael Autin Louisville, KY



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