FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Henry & Patrick County, 5 Feb 05

[ckessler <ckessler@xxxxxx>]

Greetings,

Yesterday Goose Point at Philpott Lake finally lived up to its name.  After 
Ray Callahan dropped me off so I could walk a long stretch of Goose Point 
Road, he and my son Alan continued on to the point.  They found some Canada 
Geese, and six white Snow Geese.  The Canadas were in Henry County waters, and 
the Snow Geese were in Patrick County waters.  That is the first record that I 
know of for Snow Geese in Patrick.

They also observed a male Hooded Merganser near the point.

While I hiked along the road I found a couple of mixed flocks, one of which 
included a Blue-headed Vireo, which is a rare winter species around Philpott 
Lake.  This species also is present here in the summer.  I am not sure whether 
a few of the same individuals reside year round in the area, or whether the 
summer birds head south and a few northern Blueheads are the ones wintering.

I was also looking and listening for Pine Warblers, since the day was quite 
warm, but found none.  Usually there are a few present every winter.  I 
believe that this warbler is declining as a winter resident, and maybe as a 
summer resident in eastern Patrick County (still rather common as a migrant, 
and somewhat common as a summer resident in that area).  One reason for the 
decline could be the decimation of Pitch Pines in the area due to Southern 
Pine Bark Beetles.

We later travelled to Philpott Dam Overlook Park where we were treated to 
excellent views of three Red-tailed Hawks, and a distant view of an adult Bald 
Eagle.

At the Fairystone Ducks Unlimited Ponds we met up with Seth Williamson and 
Betsy Davis.   Not a lot of birds present, but we did get to hear several 
spring peepers calling and a few Wood Frogs as well.  We saw several Eastern 
Spotted Newts too.


Before we headed out we stopped at the Lighthouse Restaurant and got our usual 
dose of wonderful hushpuppies then we headed back home.
Below is a list of species of birds observed.


Best,

Clyde Kessler
Radford, VA



Species, Henry Co., Patrick County

Black Vulture 5, 0
Turkey Vulture 11, 7
Canada Goose 16, 0
Snow Goose 0, 6
Hooded Merganser 1, 0
Ring-billed Gull 1, 0
Bald Eagle 1, 0
Red-tailed Hawk 3, 2
Rock Dove 4, 0
Mourning Dove 0, 11
Belted Kingfisher 0, 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 0, 3
Downy Woodpecker 1, 8
Hairy Woodpecker 0, 4
Pileated Woodpecker 1, 6
Eastern Phoebe 1, 3
Blue-headed Vireo 0, 1
Blue Jay 1, 2
American Crow 7, 24
Carolina Chickadee 3, 18
Tufted Titmouse 5, 14
White-breasted Nuthatch 0, 10
Brown Creeper 0, 4
Carolina Wren 2, 4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2, 15
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1, 0
Eastern Bluebird 0, 21
Northern Mockingbird 0, 1
Starling 4, 8
Song Sparrow 1, 7
Swamp Sparrow 0, 1
Dark-eyed Junco 0, 97
Northern Cardinal 1, 4
House Finch 0, 2
American Goldfinch 0, 10

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