[birdky] RPT: west KY goings on

From: Brainard.Palmer-Ball@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2003 09:46:57 -0400
A few days in the field was a welcomed break from computer work.  In the
course of primarily non-bird field work, I encountered several interesting
things.

April 15: Big Woods, Mammoth Cave NP -- found a pair of Eastern Bluebirds
nesting in a small snag in the woodland!  This woods is an old growth tract
with large trees and an open mid-story, apparently favorable for these
denizens of usually fairly open habitat. Got my first Worm-eating Warblers
and Red-eyed Vireo of the year, mixed in with late-season Golden-crowned
Kinglet (1), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1), Hermit Thrush (1) and Winter Wren
(1).

Chaney Lake, Warren Co. -- didn't kick up a single rail in the wet
vegetation, but did find two American Bitterns and a mixed flock of
Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Palm Warblers.

April 16: Morgan's Pond, Christian Co. -- water almost gone. One small pond
near the Truck Stop off US 41 contained SEVENTY Blue-winged Teal. Main basin
had 7 spp of shorebirds including a Dunlin.  Other pools in southern
Christian Co added Semi Plover, Greater Yellowlegs and Spotted Sp for 10 spp
in the area.  At one farm pond close to the Trigg Co. line, I was scanning
the shore looking at Blue-wg Teal when I heard what sounded like the
courtship call of a Ring-necked Pheasant. I looked around, and walking along
the edge of a weed patch down the rural lane was a gorgeous male.  I pulled
up alongside him as he ducked into the weeds and tried to hide in the sparse
cover.  What spectacular colors and markings in the feathering . . . why
couldn't starlings look like these things!  The habitat where the bird was
seen has been converted from ag use to set-aside and must be some sort of
hunting preserve.

The Kuttawa heronry is already a hub of wader activity.  Even from across
the lake, the bowing convolutions of a courting pair of Great Egrets was
amazing to watch thru the scope.  A few Snowy Egrets were standing around as
if on nests; without full leaf out on the island, there is quite a bit that
is visible right now.  Also seen were a number of Black-crowned Night-Herons
on nests, a single adult Little Blue and 25-30+ Cattle Egrets.  A fly-by
adult Franklin's Gull with it's bright peach-colored underparts was
certainly beautiful -- I don't know why the guides never seem to show this
color as bright as it can be in spring.  Closer to the dam a first-year
Laughing Gull was sitting with some Ringers on a small shoreline.

Obion WMA, Fulton Co.  just before dusk I was able to scan through a few
more shorebird flocks.  Among mixed groups of 3-400 birds mostly Pectoral
Sps and yellowlegs were a single Stilt Sandpiper (still in basic plumage)
and a single Long-billed Dowitcher (well into alternate plumage and called
nicely a number of times).

April 17: Lake Barkley above the dam -- 75-80 Am White Pelicans were
stealing fish from a large pod of D-cr Cormorants that were fishing in a
wrything mass of more than 1,000 birds.  As corms would surface with a fish,
at least one and sometimes three or four pelicans would pounce on them,
about 1/2 the time snaring their fish -- freeloaders!  

Songbird arrivals noted included a Blue Grosbeak, Nashville Warbler, Hooded
Warbler, and Common Yellowthroats seeminly everywhere since the day before.

At Kentucky Dam marina, a wet Killdeer seemed injured or sick.  As I
approached, I realized it had more than two legs!  Sure enough, beneath the
birds outstretched brooding wings were four pairs of little blue-gray legs
along with her own!  Upon too close of an approach, the ten-legged Killdeer
exploded in every direction as she and her little fuzz-balls went scurrying
in every direction.

Back to the computer :o(

bpb, Louisville
brainard.palmer-ball@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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[birdky] RPT: west KY goings on

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