Eddie Huber, Steve & Teresa Graham, and I birded the Lower Hickman Bottoms of
western Fulton County yesterday. We were hoping to enjoy the shorebird display
described by Hap earlier in the week. We did get to enjoy large numbers of
them, but it took some searching. The area received about 3.5 inches or rain a
couple of days ago according to locals, so birds had dispersed since Hap's
visit. Very few birds were seen at Open Pond all day, but most were in freshly
tilled fields with little or no water visible.
Highlight was the Ruff, a large (to me) rich, chocolate brown bird nearly the
bulk of accompanying Greater Yellowlegs. It is just coming out of basic
plumage, so not so spectacular in appearance yet. Some pics on my Flickr
stream. It was seen at four different places about 2 hours apart in the
afternoon. First seen in tilled field south of Midway Church Road east of Lake
No. 9, but later seen in a pool right along the north side of KY 2134 about
halfway between KY 971 and KY 94. It then moved with the yellowlegs flock to
two other pools farther out in the field.
Also present in various tilled fields and fields holding receding rain water
were 200-250+ American Golden-Plovers, probably 100-125 total Greater
Yellowlegs and 175-200 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1000+ Pectorals, and a few
Solitaries. Early in the morning I saw and heard 2 Long-billed Dowitchers and
heard a small flock of Least Sandpipers at Open Pond. We also had a single
Dunlin with one group of Pecs. Also scattered Killdeer and snipe, of course.
Waterfowl was the other part of the story, mostly five species of dabblers that
were on just about every rain pool. Numbers decreased from Green-winged Teal
(probably a total of 1500-2000) to Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, and Blue-winged
Teal (hundreds of each0, and American Wigeon (sevearl dozen).
Also nice was a Palm Warbler, an Orange-crowned Warbler (wintering bird?) along
Lake No. 9, a couple of Vesper Sparrows, and 3 Brewer's Blackbirds. Didn't hear
any Western Meadowlarks. Lots of Bald Eagles (3 different nests noticed just
thru the course of birding) and a few Northern Harriers.
bpb, Louisville
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