Photos by Zeb Weese

Kentucky Department for Natural Resources

These photos were taken on natural areas protected by the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund. The KHLCF has over 90,000 acres for you to hike, paddle, and enjoy throughout the state – from parks and nature preserves to wild rivers and wildlife areas. For more information, including location maps, just go to heritageland.ky.gov.

A red eft on the Pine Mountain Scenic Trail in Bell County http://www.pinemountaintrail.com/.

Swainson’s thrush on the Kentucky River in Franklin County. These are fairly common migrants in wooded areas each spring – this male is passing through Kentucky on his way north.

Wild turkeys at Rockcress Hills State Nature Preserve in Franklin County http://naturepreserves.ky.gov/.

Garter snake at Rivercliffs State Nature Preserve in Franklin County http://naturepreserves.ky.gov/.

Ringneck snake at Rivercliffs State Nature Preserve in Franklin County http://naturepreserves.ky.gov/.

Box turtle at the Brigadoon State Nature Preserve in Barren County http://naturepreserves.ky.gov/naturepreserves/Pages/preserves.aspx.

Phoebe on the Kentucky River in Franklin County.

Louisiana waterthrush on the Kentucky River in Franklin County. These little warblers are fairly common in forested riparian corridors throughout the Commonwealth, but their numbers are declining due to habitat loss here and in their Central American winter homes.

Carolina wren on the Kentucky River in Franklin County.

Northern cardinal on the Kentucky River in Franklin County.

Tufted titmouse on the Kentucky River in Franklin County.

We first banded this little lady in May 2013 and recaptured her today. Indigo buntings are also neotropical migrants; they call Central America home in the winter.

This Acadian flycatcher was also banded in 2013 in Franklin County and then recaptured today after wintering in South America!

Brown thrashers are fairly common birds in much of Kentucky, but we rarely get such a good look at them!

We caught this banded Louisiana waterthrush today in Franklin County on the Kentucky River. By looking at the band number, we can tell that he was banded in May 2013. This little fellow has flown to Central America and back over the winter, and come right back to the same creek! And you think you’re tired.

You may think box turtles are common, but their populations are declining due to habitat loss and other factors. This one is probably a male; males generally have red eyes, females eyes are often a little lighter. This fellow was found at Flat Lick Falls in Jackson County: http://www.visitjacksoncountyky.com/#!natural-attractions/cc1o.

This wood thrush was originally banded at our Kentucky River station in May 2013, and we caught him again today! He’s made quite a trip since last spring, from Kentucky to Central America and back.

Red-bellied woodpeckers are frequent visitors to backyard suet feeders, although they prefer to nest in the woods.

We often catch wood thrushes at our bird banding station on the Kentucky River, but this one is pretty special. We orginally banded her in June 2013 and caught her again today. That means she has travelled from Kentucky to Central America and back again at least twice!

Nice black racer at the Big Rivers WMA in Union County!

This cute little feller is a northern flying squirrel we caught during our biological inventory at the Big Rivers WMA in Union County. He was released safe and sound at the base of his tree – we could hear his family calling.

We found this nice kingsnake while conducting the biological inventory at the KHLCF-funded Kentucky Wild Rivers Program site in Wolfe County : http://heritageland.ky.gov/Pages/SWWCA.aspx.

We frequently see copperheads on our upland sites – since we don’t pick them up we’ve never been bitten. This one was on a forest edge at the Smith Watershed and Wildlife Conservation Area in Wolfe County.

Black rat snake at Smith Watershed and Wildlife Conservation Area in Wolfe County.

Prothonotary warbler at Big Rivers WMA in Union County.

Black rat snake at Smith Watershed and Wildlife Conservation Area in Wolfe County.

Red-bellied snake at Natural Bridge State Park.

Red bat at Big Rivers Wildlife Management Areas in Crittenden County.

A gray catbird from the Franklin County bird-banding station on the Kentucky River.

A great-crested flycatcher from the Franklin County bird-banding station on the Kentucky River. There might be other crested flycatchers, but they aren’t nearly as great.

A pair of spotted salamanders at the David Bend Watershed Conservation Area in Hart County.

A spotted salamander at the David Bend Watershed Conservation Area in Hart County.

A Swainson’s thrush from the Franklin County bird-banding station on the Kentucky River. This fellow is just passing through, headed north for the summer.

This yellow-billed cuckoo was just banded by KHLCF biologists in Franklin County. West Coast populations of this bird are on the Federal Endangered Species list as “Threatened”. Help keep them common in Kentucky – protect forested habitat by buying your “Nature’s Finest” license plate!