TENNESSEE & KENTUCKY 
This Hudsonian Godwit, always rarity in the Tennessee & Kentucky re- 
gion, was at the Ensiey Pits, Shelby County, Tennessee on 17 May 2009. 
Photograph by Jeff R. Wilson. 
paired with a male Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in 
Shelby, TN 3 May ORW). 
A first-year Northern Shrike was present in 
s. Jefferson, KY 4-5 Mar (ph. EHu et al). A 
Rock Wren in ne. Jefferson, KY 11 May (ph. 
BPa, ph. MMo, ph. JHu et al.) represented a 
2nd state record. There was only one Kentucky 
report of Sedge Wren: one in e. Calloway 9 
May (RH); in Tennessee, up to 2 were at Bell’s 
Bend Park, Davidson 18-19 Apr (DK, TL), 2 
were at Ft. Campbell, Montgomery 22 Apr 
(DMo), and one was at Black Bayou W.M.A., 
Lake 18 May (MCT). A Gray Catbird in e. Cal- 
loway, KY 27 Mar (HC) was quite early. Cedar 
Waxwing numbers peaked in Kentucky during 
Apr, somewhat earlier than recent years. Num- 
bers of transient warblers were generally lower 
than average. Black-throated Blue Warblers are 
rare away from the higher elevations of e. Ten- 
nessee; presumably the same male lingered at 
Radnor L. 29 Apr-9 May (LK, CS, m.ob.). 
There were only two Kentucky reports of Con- 
necticut Warbler: 2 in w. Boone 9 May 
QCm) and 3 in e. Calloway 9 May 
(RH); in Tennessee, Connecticuts 
were widely reported in above-aver- 
age numbers, with at least 15 individ- 
uals reported from eight locales 5-20 
May. Single Mourning Warblers were 
reported on ten occasions at six Ken- 
tucky locales; one to 2 were regularly 
reported 7-17 May at regular loca- 
tions in Davidson, TN. A tally of at 
least 9 Wilson’s Warblers at Land Be- 
tween the Lakes, Lyon, KY 8 May 
(BPa et al.) was impressive. A first- 
year male Summer Tanager in Mar- 
shall, KY 20 Mar (tME) represented a 
new early date for the state by nearly 
three weeks; it is conceivable 
that this bird wintered in the 
Region at a feeder. 
Fifteen Lincoln’s Sparrows 
in Lauderdale, TN 28 Apr 
(MCT) was a noteworthy 
concentration. The only report of 
Bachman’s Sparrow was of 4 at the tra- 
ditional breeding areas on Fort Camp- 
bell (3 in Trigg, KY and one in Mont- 
gomery, TN) 17 Apr (DMo). In Ken- 
tucky, up to 4 Clay-colored Sparrows 
were present at the Lexington ceme- 
tery 8 May (ph. JSw et al.); in Ten- 
nessee, one was in Knox 26 Apr (ph. 
AH). As is the norm, small numbers 
of Vesper Sparrows were reported 
from scattered locales mid-Mar-mid- 
Apr; a bird seen in e. Mercer, KY 4 
May (GSc) was especially tardy and 
possibly on territory. Reports of Lark 
Sparrows in Kentucky were limited to 
sightings in recently used breeding areas on 
Fort Campbell, Trigg 17 Apr (DMo), in s. 
Warren 25 Apr (BPa, EHu), and in w. Hender- 
son 5 May (CC). There were two reports of 
late or possibly territorial Savannah Sparrows 
in Kentucky: 2 including a singing bird at 
Eonthill, Russell 16 May (RD) 
and one at the Starfire Mine, 
Knott 20 May (KH). Two to 3 
Le Conte’s Sparrows continu- 
ing from winter at Long Point 
20 Mar (BPa) represented the 
only report. In Tennessee, 
Henslow’s Sparrow popula- 
tions continue to increase at 
known breeding locations and 
to expand into new locations, 
including one in Overton, TN 
23 May (SJS). A Dark-eyed 
Junco at Lexington, KY 16-18 
May (ph. DCt) was quite tardy. 
Eight Brewer’s Blackbirds in 
Washington, TN (TM, RB) were rare away from 
w. Tennessee. A male Painted Bunting was in 
the same vicinity as several other reports from 
recent years in Knoxville, Knox, TN 14 Mar 
(tGW), and one was seen a few km n. of Mur- 
ray, Calloway, KY 9 May (TMMi). Purple 
Finches increased during late Mar and early 
Apr as migrants passed through; 2 males in n. 
Anderson, KY 6 May (TA) were the latest to be 
reported. Two to 7 White-winged Crossbills 
lingered at St. Anne’s Convent, Campbell, KY 
into mid-Mar (FR, DMt; TV, JL, fide FR), with 
4 or 5 last seen there 15 Mar (FR). Abundance 
and distribution of wintering Pine Siskins re- 
mained relatively stable into early spring, with 
larger numbers in the ne. portion of the Re- 
gion; e.g., ca. 70 were still outside Morehead, 
Rowan, KY 23 Mar (SF); ca. 80 were at Bee 
Rock Recreation Area, Daniel Boone N.F, Pu- 
laski, KY 31 Mar (RD); “great numbers” lin- 
gered at South Williamson, Pike, KY through 
the first week of Apr QCr); more than 50 were 
still near Big Gimlet, Elliott, KY 9 Apr (EM); 
and 40+ were still at St. Anne’s Convent, 
Campbell, KY 26 Apr (FR). A notable pulse of 
migrants appeared during the last week of Apr 
and first week of May; e.g., at least 50 arrived 
at Panorama Shores, Calloway, KY 3 May 
(KCo); numbers increased to 150-200 at Mt. 
Zion, Pulaski, KY during the first few days of 
May (RD); and numbers “increased to medi- 
um size flock” in e. Daviess 4 May (MTh). The 
species remained relatively widespread into 
the 2nd week of May, then decreased rapidly, 
with the latest reports being one at Bardstown, 
Nelson, KY on or about 29 May (PG), and 2 at 
Mt. Zion, Pulaski, KY 26 May with one still 
there into the first week of Jun (RD). In Ten- 
nessee, siskins were present through the sea- 
This Northern Shrike, the fourth to be found in Kentucky since 2003, was present 
4 and (here) 5 March 2009 in southern Jefferson County. Photograph byBrainard 
Palmer-Ball, Jr. 
Gulls that appear intermediate between Iceland Gull and Thayer's Gull 
occasionally show up in Tennessee and Kentucky. This first-cycle indi- 
vidual (photographed 21 March 2009 at Kentucky Dam) was probably 
the same individual seen at Kentucky Dam, Marshall/Livingston Coun- 
ties, Kentucky in late January. Whether or not such individuals repre- 
sent extremes in one "species" or the other is unclear, but a hybrid 
certainly makes sense. Photograph by Brainard Palmer-Ball, Jr. 
VOlUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
443 
