TENNESSEE & KENTUCKY 
j. 
White-rumped Sandpipers are rare transients in fall in the Tennessee & Kentucky region, 
but autumn 2008 produced an unusually large number of records, mostly of adults, in- 
cluding these two in Rowan County, Kentucky 1 September. Photogmph by Don Martin. 
ley 1 Nov O^W). It was a down season for 
Buff-breasted Sandpipers in Kentucky (al- 
though considered average in Tennessee), 
with one to 3 reported at a few traditional lo- 
cales 27 Aug-20 Sep. There were four reports 
of juv. Red-necked Phalaropes: 3 at the 
Kingston Steam Plant, Roane, TN 27-28 Aug 
(ph. BHo, m.ob.); one on the Mississippi R., 
Fulton, KY 31 Aug (ph. BY, MY); one at Ensley 
6 Sep (ph. JRW, MT); and one at the Minor 
Clark Hatchery, Rowan, KY 20-23 Sep (MWr, 
ph. LH, GR et al.). A Red Phalarope was at 
Upper Douglas L., Jefferson, TN 25 Sep (MS). 
GULLS THROUGH FINCHES 
One to 3 Laughing Gulls were reported at 
normal locales in the w. portion of the Region 
3 Sep-25 Oct. Franklins Gulls put in a good 
showing across the Region, with a new Ken- 
tucky state high count of 220 tallied at six w. 
Kentucky locales 26 Oct (DR); other reports 
of interest included 30 at Upper Douglas L., 
Jefferson, TN 25 Oct (ph. MS) and 37 on the 
Mississippi R., Shelby, TN 8 Nov QRW). It 
was an excellent season for Lesser Black- 
backed Gulls, with one to 5 birds reported in 
the vicinity of Kentucky Dam, Liv- 
ingston/Marshall, KY 3-23 Sep (DR et al); per- 
haps some of the same birds were observed at 
times on adjacent L. Barkley, Lyon, with 4 
birds there 17 Oct (BP); a second-cycle bird 
on Barren River L. 8 Oct (ph. DR) was a local 
first. In Tennessee, single Lesser Black-backed 
Gulls were at Paris Landing S.P., Henry 3 Sep 
(MT), at Reelfoot L., Lake 11 Oct ORW), at 
Woods Res., Franklin 25 Nov (DSw), and in 
Heniy 29 Nov (MT). An ad. Sabine’s Gull was 
on the Mississippi R., Shelby, TN 8 Oct 
ORW). 
A mid-Aug check of 
Least Tern nesting areas 
along the Mississippi R., 
KY confirmed dismal 
nesting success, with 
only a few juvs. ob- 
served, most likely birds 
fledged from agricultur- 
al fields along the river 
corridor (JBr, DB, CBo, 
BP). A flock of at least 
50 Black Terns at Barren 
River L. 6 Sep (DR) rep- 
resented the season’s 
peak count. Common 
Terns were typically un- 
common; at least 20 at 
Barren River L. 6 Sep 
(DR) represented a 
noteworthy high count. 
A count of at least 200 
Forster’s Tern’s on Ken- 
tucky L, Marshall, KY 14 Oct (HC) represent- 
ed the season’s peak count. A Juv. Long-tailed 
Jaeger was at Paris Landing S.R, Henry, TN 3 
Sep (tMT), and another was at Reelfoot L., 
Lake, TN 14 Sep (TMT, JRW, NM, GK). 
A Black-billed Cuckoo in Elliott, KY 24 Sep 
(EM) was the only one reported. Twelve 
Northern Saw-whet Owls were netted in Jef- 
ferson, KY 27 Oct-10 Nov (MMo, BP et al.). 
Five Common Nighthawks in Knoxville, TN 
25 Nov (GW) were late. Tennessee’s first and 
the Region’s 2nd Green Violetear was belat- 
edly reported from a 
feeder in Germantown, 
Shelby, TN 15 Sep 2007 
(ph. JMu). A Calliope 
Hummingbird in John- 
son City, Washington, TN 
31 Oct (ph. KN, RKt) 
furnished Tennessee’s 
and the Region’s 6th 
record. A few Ruby- 
throated Hummingbirds 
lingered into late Nov, 
and one in Obion, TN 
lingered through 6 Dec 
(fide NM). For the first 
time in nine years. Ru- 
fous Hummingbird went 
unreported in Kentucky 
during a fall season; far 
fewer than normal were 
reported in Tennessee. 
Single Olive-sided Flycatchers were report- 
ed from five Kentucky and five Tennessee lo- 
cales 26 Aug-7 Oct. There were four Yellow- 
bellied Flycatcher reports: singles in Boone, 
KY 30 Aug (LMcN, NKBC, BBC), at 
Knoxville, TN 8 Sep (KDE), in Hamilton, TN 
24 Sep (KAC), and in Elliott, KY 24 Sep (EM). 
There were two Kentucky reports of Western 
Kingbird: 2 of the nesting birds along the 
Ohio R. at a power plant at Joppa, IL were 
seen out over the river (and, thus, judged to 
be in McCracken, KY) 7 Aug (FBe); and one 
w. of Smithland, Livingston 13 Aug (ph. DR). 
Single White-eyed and Blue-headed Vireos in 
Hamilton, TN 8 Nov (DSo) were both late. An 
even later Blue-headed was at Pace Pt., Henry, 
TN 20 Nov (MT). A Barn Swallow in Austin 
Springs, Washington, TN 5 Nov (RKt) and 2 at 
Woods Res., Franklin, TN 9 Nov (LMcC, 
RLu) were exceptionally late. Also late were a 
Tree Swallow at Sauerheber 26 Nov (DR) and 
a Northern Rough- winged Swallow over L. 
Cumberland, Pulaski, KY 10 Nov (RD). A fe- 
male Red-breasted Nuthatch drinking water 
at a feeding station in se. Jefferson, KY 2 Aug 
(TBW, AL) was exceptional for midsummer. A 
relatively light flight of the species com- 
menced during the last week of Sep, with 
small numbers reported at scattered locales by 
mid-Oct. There were no reports of nesting 
Sedge Wrens and only three reports of single 
migrants: in Jefferson, KY 26 Sep (MA), at ij 
Sauerheber 18 Oct (DR, KOS), and at Pace '' 
Pt., Henry, TN 5 Nov (MT). Five Marsh 
Wrens were reported from four locations on ! 
four dates 4-15 Oct. A Bewick’s Wren in War- 
ren, TN 5 Oct (SM, MMc) is likely the first 
from that county in 33 years. A female Varied I 
Thrush was reported from Shelby Farms, 
Shelby, TN 17 Aug (tMWa). 
A Tennessee Warbler at Green River L., Tay- 
lor, KY 28 Nov (ph. ML) was very late. A 
Nashville Warbler in se. Jefferson, KY 15 Aug 
(EH) tied the early fall arrival date for the state. 
A Cape May Warbler in ne. Jefferson, KY 23 
Aug PB) established a new early arrival 
This spritely juvenile Red-necked Phalarope was one of several in the Tennessee & Ken- 
tucky region in fall 2008. It was present in Rowan County, Kentucky 20-23 (here 21) Sep- 
tember. Photogmph by Lana Hays. 
94 NORTHAMERICANBIRDS 
