Kentucky Ornithological Society

Kentucky Rare Bird Alert

Submit reports of interesting bird sightings in Kentucky to Scott Marsh (SMarsh@ClayIngels.com), Brainard Palmer-Ball (brainard.palmer-ball@ky.gov), and/or David Roemer (dlroemer@yahoo.com). In addition, please report sightings to BIRDKY.  Click here to check out other North American Rare Bird Alerts.

Updated on April 24, 2006

On Friday afternoon, April 21, 20 MARBLED GODWITS were observed at the ash basin on the Peabody Wildlife Management Area. No mention has been made of them since. BANK SWALLOWS were also observed at the ash basin.

The SNOW x ROSS’S GOOSE hybrid reported last week was still at Griffin Park as of April 20.  

A YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was observed at Camperton Swamp on April 23, with a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was also observed there.

A single male WILSON’S PHALAROPE was observed at the shorebird impoundment of the Sauerbeher unit of the sloughs in Henderson on Saturday, April 22. It was reported to be associating with DUNLIN and LESSER YELLOWLEGS.

A VEERY  was reported at Mammoth Cave National Park on Saturday, April 22. Other birds mentioned for the first time this migration season were: TENNESSEE and NASHVILLE WARBLERS and YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS from Caperton Swamp on April 23; ORANGED-CROWNED WARBER at Tom Sawyer State Park on April 22; PHILADELPHIA VIREO (April 17), and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK (April 16) from Calloway County; NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH at the sloughs on April 22;  and LINCOLN’S SPARROW from Fulton County on April 22.

SEDGE WRENS were observed at the Sloughs WMA and at Ballard WMA. SORAS were also observed at the Ballard WMA.

Updated on April 17, 2006  

The only birds of note this week were a single LITTLE BLUE HERON seen along Klondike Road in the Sloughs of Henderson on April 13, and a ROSS’S X SNOW GOOSE hybrid seen on April 10 at Griffin Park in Warren County. Neither bird has been reported since.

 Otherwise, there are a good number of birds being mentioned for the first time this season. Included were:  OVENBIRD, KENTUCKY, BLUE-WINGED, HOODED, and CERULEAN WARBLERS, INDIGO BUNTING (Calloway County), BLUE GROSBEAK (Logan County), WARBLING VIREO (Pulaski County), ORCHARD ORIOLE (Calloway County), SCARLET TANAGER (McCreary  County) and GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Nicholas County). 

Updated on April 10, 2006

 During the KOS/Beckam Bird Club field trip on Saturday, April 8 at the sloughs of Henderson, a light-morph SWAINSON’S HAWK was observed and photographed. Also identified during this field trip were a pair of CINNAMON TEAL, KING and VIRGINIA RAIL, SORA, FISH CROW, LESSER YELLOWLEGS (200), GREATER YELLOWLEGS (50), PECTORAL SANDPIPER (300), SOLITARY SANDPIPER, DUNLIN, STILT SANDPIPER, and DOWITCHERS (probably Short-billed).

 Other recent observations include 2 WESTERN SANDPIPERS at Jonathon Creek on April 6; EASTERN KINGBIRDS, GREEN HERONS, WHITE-EYED VIREO, and PROTHONOTARY WARBLER at Blood River on April 7, and a WHIP-POOR-WILL in Elliot County on April 9.

Updated on April 3, 2006  

A single RED-NECKED GREBE was observed on March 28 and again on March 29 in Owensboro, but has not been relocated. A few warblers are beginning to make an appearance. On April 1 at Mammoth Cave, NORTHERN PARULA, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, YELLOW-THROATEDWARBLER, LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were noted. LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH and PINE WARBLERS were observed in Bernheim Forest on March 29 also.

A few shorebirds have been reported. WILSON’S SNIPE were observed at numerous locations, and GREATER YELLOWLEGS and LEAST SANDPIPER were observed at Jonathon Creek. PECTORAL SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER, and AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER were observed at Blood River.  And PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were also seen in Logan County.

An early WOOD THRUSH  was observed in Floyd County on April 1 or 2, and the first mention of a ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW was from Elliott County.

Numerous ducks are still being seen, with a ROSS’S GOOSE observed in Logan County. Several  AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS are still present on Jonathon Creek, and also observed at Jonathon Creek were 4 FISH CROWS.

Wintering birds still being reported included large numbers of PURPLE FINCHES, PINE SISKINS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, and WINTER WRENS.

Updated on March 13, 2006  

A HARRIS’S SPARROW was reported in Bath County near Owingsville on March 5, but no further sighting of the bird has been mentioned.

Waterfowl are being reported from around the state. A report from the sloughs of Henderson on March 11 included: TUNDRA SWAN, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, NORTHERN SHOVELERS, AMERICAN COOTS, PIED-BILLED and HORNED GREBE, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, REDHEADS, RING-NECKED DUCK, AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, NORTHERN PINTAIL, LESSER SCAUP, and HOODED and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. Other birds noted there included BROWN CREEPER and FOX SPARROWS at the Jenny Hole unit, and WILSON’S SNIPE at the Crenshaw Tract.

On March 12, the following were reported from Minor Clark Fish Hatchery and Cave Run Lake: RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, GADWALL, and BUFFLEHEAD. A single GREATER YELLOWLEGS was also observed.

Observed during an outing on Saturday, March 11 to the South Shores WMA were WOOD DUCK, AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, AMERICAN WIGEON, HOODED MERGANSERS, and AMERICAN COOTS. A MARSH WREN was also seen there.

From Boone County, REDHEAD, BUFFLEHEAD, and RING-NECKED DUCKS were reported. And, from Freeman Lake in Hardin County CANVASBACK, LESSER SCAUP, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, and both HORNED and PIED-BILLED GREBES were observed.

In addition, TREE SWALLOWS were noted from numerous locales this week, PINE WARBLERS were heard singing at Cumberland Falls, a BROWN THRASHER made its return to Pike County, and an OSPREY is again tending nest on Lake Barkley.

Updated on February 6, 2006  

A VARIED THRUSH has been seen at the home of David and Clara Ann Pallares in Louisville. The bird was first seen on February 4 and was again reported on Sunday, February 5. The Pallares’  phone number is 502-893-4015, and their address is 77 Westwind Road. This is between Brownsboro Road and River Road off of Indian Hills Trail.

Approximately 400 SANDHILL CRANES were observed flying over Munfordville in Hart County in a northward direction on Friday, February 3, and 47 PURPLE FINCHES were counted in a backyard in southeastern Jefferson County on February 3.

Updated on January 23, 2006 

Postings slow down during the time between the winter bird counts and spring migration, and this year is no different. However, a few sitings of interest have been reported. A vulture roost in the Frankfort area had 653 birds on January 20, with over 400 of them being BLACK VULTURES.

 LEAST SANDPIPERS were observed on Wildcat Creek of Kentucky Lake and in Fulton County, along the road to the ferry, with counts of 9 and 16, respectively.  300 BONAPARTE’S GULLS were seen at Wildcat Creek on January 21 along wiith the sandpipers. A single AMERICAN PIPIT was observed in the same area as the sandpipers in Fulton County.

 Five ROSS’S GEESE were noted among the Snow Geese at Reel Foot, and a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was seen on the southwest portion of the 425 bypass around Henderson on January 19. This bird has been seen there before.

 Following the observation of a single INDIGO BUNTING on the Somerset Bird Christmas Bird Count, a second INDIGO BUNTING was observed in Pulaski County; the amount of blue in the plumage identified it as a different bird.

Updated on January 3, 2006

A few unusual birds were observed during Christmas Bird Counts over the past week. A BLUE-HEADED VIREO was seen near the dam at Green River Lake on December 29. Also noted in the park camp grounds was a flock of approximately 60 PURPLE FINCHES. 

An INDIGO BUNTING was observed on the Somerset CBC on December 31, the location of which has not been reported yet.  

LECONTE’S SPARROW and SEDGE WRENS were counted at the Ballard WMA on December 29.

A BARN OWL was observed in Calloway County on December 31, and a SHORT-EARED OWL was flushed from a field of corn stubble in Logan County.

Open water has allowed for a good variety of waterfowl. GREATER SCAUP were noted from Green River Lake, Campbellsville City Lake, and Lake Herndon outside Russellville. Approximately 48 TUNDRA SWANS were seen at the sloughs of Henderson County on the south side of Highway 268. AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were seen in Ballard and 254 were observed in Calloway County. And the CACKLING CANADA GOOSE was observed on three counts: Ballard, Green River, and Calloway. The Ballard count also had 2 ROSS’S GEESE.