TENNESSEE & KENTUCKY 
Records of wandering immature Brown Pelicans — such as 
this one at Duck River Unit, Tennessee National Wildlife 
Refuge, Benton County, Tennessee 27 July 2009— are on 
the distinct increase in the interior of eastern North Amer- 
ica. Photograph by Clayton Ferrell. 
Barkley, Lyon, KY 19 Jun (DR, JR) may have 
been summering; a flock (number unspeci- 
fied) was at Barkley Dam, Livingston/Lyon, KY 
31 Jul (DR). The imm. Brown Pelican present 
at L. Carnico, Nicholas, KY during late May 
was last seen 12 Jun (WK, GK); perhaps the 
same imm. bird was observed on the Ohio R. 
at Dayton, Caiupbell, KY 13 Jul (ph. FR) and 
again on the Ohio R, about 6 km upstream 
from Charlestown, IN/OIdham, KY 14 Jul 
(ph., tWB). Another (or the same?) imm. 
Brown Pelican was at the Duck River Unit 
Tennessee N.W.R., Humphreys, TN Tl Jul+ 
(ph. CF, ph. MT et al). Single Anhingas were 
observed in Dyer, TN 21 Jun (GC), in Lake, 
TN 3 Jul (GC), and at the Long Point Unit, 
Reelfoot N.W.R., Fulton, KY 13 Jul (tDR). 
There were only three reports of Least Bit- 
tern in Kentucky: 2 at Peabody W.M.A., Ohio 
6 Jun (DR, CS) and one at Sauerheber 6 Jun 
(BY, MY) and 23 Jul (EHa, MM). In Tennessee, 
2 ads, were at Standifer Gap 7 Jul (TR), al- 
though no other breeding evidence was re- 
ported. A Great White Heron was on the Ten- 
nessee R. below Chickamauga Dam, Hamilton, 
TN 9 Jun-2 Jul (HS, JG, m.ob.). Astounding- 
ly another was confirmed 8 km away at the 
Thomas Farm, Hamilton, TN 21 Jun-3 Jul 
O&CW, DJ, m.ob,). A group of at least 1300 
Great Egrets at Island No. 8 Slough, Fulton, 
KY 26 Jul (BPa, EHu) represented the seasons 
peak count of post-breeders. Great Egrets are 
rare breeders in e. Tennessee, so five nests on 
Cherokee L., Hamblen 14 Jun (MS) were note- 
worthy. A Snowy Egret nest with 2 ads. and 2 
chicks at Little Elder L, TN 7 Jul (DSw, JSw, 
DHa) was a rare find in the Region, and espe- 
cially away from the Mississippi River; 141 
fledgling or nestling Cattle Egrets were also 
present. A Tricolored Heron was in Dyer, TN 
4 Jun (BPu). Three GlossyAVhite-faced Ibis 
were seen flying in the distance at Chickasaw 
N.W.R,, Lauderdale, TN 7 Jun QRW). An im- 
pressive number of imm. White Ibis turned up 
in middle and e. Tennessee during late Jul: 2 at 
Little Elder 1. 20 Jul (DSw, JS, SS); 15 at 
Rankin Bottoms, Cocke 24 Jul (MS); 3 in 
Hamilton 26 Jul (TB et ah); one at Mossy 
Creek, Jefferson 30 Jul (MS); and 7 at Duck 
River Unit, Tennessee N.W.R., Humphreys, TN 
26 Jul (CF), with 4 still there 30 Jul (MT). 
Two other White Ibis were reported: an ad. 
(rarely seen in the Region) in Dyer, TN 4 Jun 
(BPu), and an imm. in Bristol, TN late Jun-11 
Jul (EO). A Wood Stork was in Lauderdale, TN 
5 Jul (ph. DBr-TN). 
RAPTORS THROUGH TERNS 
Single Mississippi Kites at Louisville, KY 25 
Jun QBr) and in Jefferson, TN 27 Jul (BB) were 
away from the normal summer range of the 
species in the w. portion of the Region. A new 
Osprey nest was located along the Ohio R., 
Pendleton, KY (DSt). A Northern Harrier 
along the Dyer/Lake line, TN 6 Jul represent- 
ed yet another summer report from an area in 
the Region where the species has not been 
confirmed breeding. A loose group of approx- 
imately 35 American Kestrels at the 
Louisville, KY landfill 16Jul (RA) represented 
a remarkable post-breeding concentration. It 
was a good season for nesting Peregrine Eal- 
cons in Kentucky, with three new pairs dis- 
covered this year: in w. Louisville, Jcj^erson; at 
Covington, Kenton; and in w. Boone (all KH, 
DSt et al.). This brings to 11 the total number 
of active nesting territories, all along the Ohio 
R. corridor. These 1 1 pairs produced a record 
35 young that survived to fledging age in 
2009 (KH). In Tennessee, no nests were re- 
ported, and only 2 individuals were reported, 
one each on 19 & 23 Jul at Ensley (JRW). 
As last year, Virginia Rails bred again at 
Standifer Gap, with an ad. and a chick present 
there 3 Jul (DJ); one at Shady Valley, Johnson, 
TN 26 Jun (TM) was suggestive of breeding, 
whereas one lingering in a yard in Nashville, 
TN 13 Jun-8 Aug (AM, JKS, m.ob.) had an in- 
jured wing and eventually died. A Common 
Moorhen was heard at Pond Creek Marsh, 
Sauerheber, several times during late Jul 
(MM); 2 ads. and at least one young were at 
Camp #11, Union, KY 25 Jul (BPa, EHu). A 
Semipalmated Plover in Muhlenberg, KY 6 Jun 
(DR, CS) was unusually late; one and 8 in w. 
Henderson, KY 2 & 8 Jul (CC), respectively, 
were the earliest returnees. Two American Av- 
ocets in Dyer, TN 3 Jun (GC) and one at Mud 
L., Lake, TN 16 Jun were in between normal 
migratory periods; one at Rankin Bottoms, 
Cocke, TN 12 Jul (MS) was an early returnee. 
A few Black-necked Stilts bred successfully in 
the Lower Hickman Bottoms of w. Fulton, KY 
during Jul (BPa, EHu, DR). A Greater Yel- 
lowlegs in s. Jefferson, KY 5 Jun (EHu) was 
likely a tardy spring migrant; one at Obion 
W.M.A., Fulton, KY 26 Jun (DR, DBr-KY) and 
one along the Dyer/Lake line, TN 3 Jul (GC) 
were likely early southbound migrants. Spot- 
ted Sandpipers lingered into early Jun at sev- 
eral locations in both Tennessee and Ken- 
tucky, with nesting confirmed at two locales: a 
pair vUth 4 small young along the Ohio R., 
Dayton, Campbell, KY 2 Jul (ph, FR) and 2 
fledglings at Ensley 24 Jul QRW). A pair of 
Spotteds in se. Muhlenberg, KY 6 Jun (DR, CS) 
also appeared to be on territory. Single Upland 
Sandpipers were found in Ballard, KY 26 Jul 
(BPa, ph. EHu) and at Ensley 26 Jul O^W). 
Two Least Sandpipers in w. Fulton, KY 20 Jun 
(DR) were likely early fall migrants, A flock of 
8 Sanderlings on the Mississippi R., Hickman, 
KY 10 Jun OBr) established a new late spring 
date for Kentucky. Two molting ad. Sander- 
This Great White Heron was on the Tennessee River below 
Chickamauga Dam, Hamilton County, Tennessee 9 (here 16) 
June through 2 July 2009. Astoundingly, a second bird was 
confirmed about eight kilometers away at the Thomas 
Farm in Hamilton County 22 June through 3 July. Photo- 
graph by Richard Schier. 
lings were at Dacus Bar, Mississippi R., Shelby, 
TN 19 Jul ORW). A Western Sandpiper in w. 
Fulton, KY 2 Jul (HC) established a new early 
fall arrival date for Kentucky. White-rumped 
Sandpipers are uncommon spring and very 
rare fall migrants, so 2 at Ensley 21 Jun QRW) 
606 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
