TENNESSEE & KENTUCKY 
Booker T. Washington S.R, Hamilton, TN 9 
Mar (TR), Kentucky L., Marshall, KY 21 Mar 
(tBPa), and S. Holston L., Sullivan 26 Mar 
(RiK). The lone Red-necked Grebe reported 
during the season was at Boone L., Sulli- 
van AVashington, TN 4 Mar (GE, RiK). Three 
Eared Grebes at S. Elolston L., Sullivan, TN 17 
Mar (RoK et al.) were the last of the wintering 
flock seen. 
In addition to being quite a rare find for 
Kentucky, a female Anhinga nw. of Wickliffe, 
Ballard, KY 26 Mar (tJBr) was early for state 
by over a month. Six Anhingas and three 
nests were found in Haywood, TN 22 Apr 
(SS), and a remarkable flock of 24 at Chicka- 
saw N.WR., Lauderdale, TN 7 May (ph. MCT) 
was the highest count in the Region in 
decades. Perhaps the same imm. Brown Peli- 
can was present in Kentucky on L. Cumber- 
land, Russell 23-25 Apr (ph. T&CS), then on 
Cave Run L., KY 6 & 8 May (ph. CLe), and fi- 
nally on L. Carnico, Nicholas 16 May+ (fide 
W&GK, WH, ph. MMo, ph. BY). Similarly, in 
Tennessee, perhaps the same Brown Pelican 
was present on Percy Priest L., Davidson/ 
Rutherford 9-13 Apr (ph. SS) and Old Hickory 
L., Davidson 10 May (KO). 
There were six Kentucky and six Tennessee 
reports of one to 2 American Bitterns 22 
Mar-9 May. The only Least Bittern reported in 
Kentucky was one heard on the N. Eork Dry- 
den Creek embayment of L. Barkley, Lyon 20 
May (EHa). In Tennessee, one was calling at 
Williamsport Lakes, Maury 26 May (BPu), 
and one or more were present at Standifer 
Gap 3 May+ (KAC, DJ). A total of 355 Great 
Egret nests were counted at Shelby Eorest, 
Shelby, TN 22 Apr (SS). A rare spring Tricol- 
ored Heron was at Gallatin Steam Plant, Sum- 
ner, TN 25 Apr (ph. DK). A Plegadis ibis, 
thought to be a Glossy, was in Montgomery, 
TN 9 May (SY). A White-faced Ibis entering 
alternate plumage was present at Long Point 
25-26 Apr (ph. DH et al.) and represents a 3rd 
Kentucky record. 
RAPTORS THROUGH TERNS 
Single Mississippi Kites at Boatwright 
W.M.A., Ballard (SR), and at Clarks River 
N.W.R., Marshall, (HC), both 24 Apr, estab- 
lished a new early arrival date for Kentucky 
by two days. Mississippi Kites are rare outside 
the w. portion of the Region, so one at Sharp’s 
Ridge, Knox, TN 26 Apr (CN et al.) and 2 in 
Cheatham, TN 9 May QSt, JD) were notewor- 
thy. A male Northern Goshawk was in 
Knoxville, Knox, TN 6 Apr (tCW). Two 
Rough-legged Hawks at Peabody W.M.A., 
Muhlenberg, KY 19 Apr (DMt) were the latest 
to be reported. An imm. Swainson’s Hawk, 
one of only a handful ever documented in the 
Region, was at Ensley 25 Apr 
(ph. JRW). There were four re- 
ports of Golden Eagle: 2 juvs. 
at the Dry Creek Overlook, 
Daniel Boone N.E, McCreary, 
KY 21 Mar (RD); an imm. at 
Standifer Gap 13 Apr (DJ, JHe, 
DCn); a juv. or subad. over w. 
McCracken, KY 25 Apr (tJR); 
and one over Beargrass Creek 
S.N.P., Jefferson, KY 3 May 
(MW et al.) that was especially 
tardy. One to 2 Merlins were 
reported at three Kentucky lo- 
cales 4 Mar-5 Apr. In Ten- 
nessee, singles at Royal Blue 
W.M.A., Campbell 31 May 
(tJM et al.) and at Roan Mt., 
Carter 2 Jun (tDWi) were very 
late. Other than known nest- 
ing pairs, one to 2 Peregrine 
Ealcons were reported from 
four Kentucky and four Ten- 
nessee locations. A newly es- 
tablished nesting pair of Pere- 
grines in Boone, KY was incu- 
bating eggs during May (KH, 
LMcN, et al). 
There was only one Ken- 
tucky report of Virginia Rail: 
one at Lewis County W.M.A. 6 
May (SE). In Tennessee, some 
were present through the sea- 
son at Standifer Gap (fide 
KAC) and in Shady Valley, 
Johnson 16 Apr+ (RiK), both 
known breeding locations, al- 
though no breeding evidence 
was reported. One Virginia 
Rail at Kyker Bottoms, Blount, 
TN 30 May (BH) was also pos- 
sibly breeding. It was another 
poor season for migrant Soras, 
with only one to 3 reported at 
four Kentucky locales 4 
Apr-17 May; in Tennessee, 2 
were at Standifer Gap 3 May 
(KAC, DJ), and one was there 
9 May (DPa). Single Sandhill 
Cranes in Sullivan, TN 21 Apr 
(RiK) and at Rankin Bottoms, 
Cocke, TN 4 & 7 May (MS) 
were very late. 
Two Semipalmated Plovers at Ensley 12 
Apr (JRW) were early. Two Black-necked 
Stilts at Long Point 20 Mar (ph. BPa) estab- 
lished a new early arrival date for Kentucky. 
One at Brainerd Levee, Hamilton, TN 25 Apr 
(LW et al.) furnished the first se. Tennessee 
record. There were two reports of American 
Avocet: ca. 20 at Kentucky Dam Village S.P, 
Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks were at the Ensley Pits, Shelby County, Tennessee 
2 (here 28) May 2009 and later, with a high count of seven on 3 May. A pair was 
seen copulating 26 May, and at least one pair nested for the second consecutive 
year. Photograph by Jeff R. Wilson. 
An immature Brown Pelican (here 23 April 2009 on Lake Cumberland, Russell 
County, Kentucky), was found at different times on three different Kentucky 
reservoirs during April and May 2009, suggesting that it might have been the 
same individual. Photograph by Carol Stroud. 
K 
V 
K 
X 
Anhingas are rare but annual in small numbers in western Tennessee, but this 
flock of 24 photographed 7 May 2009 at Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge, 
Lauderdale County was remarkable. Photograph by Mike Todd. 
Marshall, KY 27 Apr (BPa, EHu) and ca. 20 at 
Barren River L. 28 Apr (MV fide DR). It was 
not a good season for migrant Willets, with 
only one to 4 reported at four Kentucky and 
one Tennessee locales 21 Apr-3 May, al- 
though a significant number apparently 
passed through the Region 9 May. with two 
flocks of about 12 and 40 at Minor Clark Pish 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
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