[birdky] Re: Where are the Yellow-bl. Cuckoos?
- From: "Palmer-Ball, Brainard (EEC)" <Brainard.Palmer-Ball@xxxxxx>
- To: "BIRDKY" <birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:26:12 -0400
I agree with Michael, it is quite interesting that following a spring
when cuckoos were more conspicuous than in any recent year, that now
they are scarce. I've run 7 Breeding Bird Survey routes in Kentucky and
southern Indiana and have hardly had any at all, and missed them on one
route.
Another species that appears to be scarce to me following a good spring
for it is Cedar Waxwing. Waxwings have become a quite regular bird on KY
BBS routes over the course of the past 20-25 years, but I've hardly seen
any on my routes and have missed them on a couple this year. Henslow's
Sparrows also seem to be scarce this year, but they are uncommon enough
that this could be just some bad luck.
I ran the last of my routes in Livingston County last Thursday. I was
really surprised to see a flock of 22 Cattle Egrets heading north, some
28 [!] miles as the egret flies northwest of the Kuttawa heronry.
Another group of 4 adult Little Blue Herons was several miles south (and
closer to Kuttawa) a few stops later. If these birds are, indeed, coming
from the Kuttawa heronry it is really amazing they travel that far to
feed! There is certainly some suitable nesting habitat along the Ohio
River in the pool of Smithland Dam, but I'd bet they were from Kuttawa.
Also of interest was a singing Bell's Vireo between two stops west of
Burna.
Afterwards, I birded the Smithland/Kentucky/Barkley dams area for most
of the afternoon. I put in quite a search for the local Scissor-tailed
Flycatchers. Paula Lisowsky reported seeing one cross I-24 near the KY
453 exit near Grand Rivers about 10 days ago, so they *are* probably
around. I searched high and low along I-24 and the quarry with no luck.
They must be somewhere! I also checked the Osprey nests that are not on
the main body of Lake Barkley, updating the status of 13 and finding 4
new nest sites (although 2 were unoccupied). Twelve of the 13 known
nests were occupied by brooding adults and those that I could get an
angle on all contained young.
bpb
________________________________
From: birdky-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:birdky-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of michael autin
Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2009 2:08 PM
To: birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [birdky] Where are the Yellow-bl. Cuckoos?
I haven't been out that much since all of the summer residents have come
back, but there is one thing strange that I am missing entirely this
year...where are the Yellow-bl. Cuckoos?
I have heard/seen to Black-bl. Cuckoos this year but that is it.
Michael Autin Louisville, KY
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