[birdky] RPT: West KY Dec 9-10, scoters
- From: "Palmer-Ball, Brainard (EPPC OOS KNPC)" <Brainard.Palmer-Ball@xxxxxx>
- To: "BIRDKY" <birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:46:41 -0500
A few highlights from some rainy birding:
Dec 9
Cannelton Lock & Dam on the Ohio River -- I hadn't been here in years
but it is a pretty nice set up for looking at gulls/waterfowl from KY
side access. 100+ R-b Gulls; 25+ Bonies; 1 juv. Bald Eagle; 2 Horned
Grebes
Farmland in e. Henderson Co. NE of Reed -- 16 Sandhill Cranes; multiple
Lapland Longspurs heard
Farmland se of Newburgh Dam, Henderson Co. -- 25-50 Lapland Longspurs;
50+ Am Pipits; adult Krider's Red-tailed Hawk
Newburgh Dam -- no gulls; 12 Greater Scaup above dam with commoner
waterfowl
East Volunteer Mine, Hopkins Co. -- Merlin; dark Buteo that I think was
my first Rough-legged of the year but couldn't be sure; probably a
*million* blackbirds going to roost to the south.
Lake Peewee -- 1 female Common Merganser; 2 Common Loons; + commoners in
fog
Dec 10
Ky Dam vicinity -- very few gulls other than 100+ Herrings scattered
about
Ky Lake, Marshall Co. -- fewer diving birds, but flocks of ducks
included 2 Black Scoters just above Ky Dam at one of the pullouts;
another Black Scoter farther south; 1 + 2 Surf Scoters 1/2 to 1 mile
above dam; lots of dabblers pooled up on the lake, perhaps escaping
hunting pressure or grounded by weather? Divers mostly Com Goldeneye.
Fewer Com Loons and Horned Grebes but visibility was far from as good as
last time I was there.
Lake Barkley, above dam -- most interesting bird was a swallow that I
*believe* was a Northern Rough-winged, but conditions were simply too
dark and far to be sure. It definitely did not have a pale rump and I'm
virtually certain it had a brown back and dark throat. Didn't seem white
enough below for Tree but I just couldn't be sure enough of flying shape
and lack of white throat to rule out Bank. Otherwise lots of waterbirds
but could pick out nothing rare.
bpb, Frankfort
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