FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Re: va-bird Digest V3 #92

["Harry & Melitta Glasgow" <aglasgow@xxxxxxx>]

Ben - I'm very sorry to read of your loss, but glad to know that the scope
was the only thing taken.  Your question about replacement scopes prompts me
to let you know that the Wild Bird Center is having a 10% off all optics
sale this week.  That's about $160+ off the Swarovski 85 and a bit more off
the 65.  the sale goes on all week.  I'm working Sunday afternoon if you
want to come in a look through some scopes.

Cheers,
Harry





----- Original Message -----
From: "FreeLists Mailing List Manager" <ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "va-bird digest users" <ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, April 02, 2004 2:02 AM
Subject: va-bird Digest V3 #92


va-bird Digest Thu, 01 Apr 2004 Volume: 03  Issue: 092

In This Issue:
[va-bird] No April Fool's Joke
[va-bird] More crossbills on Twelve O'clock Knob
[va-bird] Hull Springs Update
[va-bird] Eurasian Wigeon
[va-bird] Rural Retreat Lake, Sandhill Crane, 30 Mar
[va-bird] Back Bay Ibis & BCN Herons
[va-bird] Norther Rough-winged Swallows in No.Va.
[va-bird] Waxwings!
[va-bird] Beware of discriminating optics thieves

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Tim and Alyce Quinn" <twoquinns@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [va-bird] No April Fool's Joke
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 10:35:33 -0500

Believe it or not, we had a male red crossbill at our sunflower feeder this
morning up on Twelve O'clock Knob (2200' elevation).  One spent a couple of
weeks on Bent Mountain (the next peak over, about 2500') last April.  Maybe
this one will stay around, too.

Alyce Quinn
Roanoke, VA


------------------------------

From: "Tim and Alyce Quinn" <twoquinns@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [va-bird] More crossbills on Twelve O'clock Knob
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 11:07:50 -0500

O.k., now this is getting ridiculous.  I filled my feeders and immediately
there were three red crossbills--an adult male, an adult female, and a first
year male (judging by Sibley's guide).  Anyone in the area who wants to come
up is welcome, whether I'm here or not.  (I have an appointment I'm leaving
for now, unfortunately.)  They are feeding at a cylindrical sunflower feeder
behind the house.  You can see them from inside the carport, or there is a
table and chairs on the other end of the house at the back where you can sit
and watch them.

Alyce Quinn
Roanoke


------------------------------

Date: Thu, 01 Apr 2004 14:32:45 -0500
From: "Andrew Dolby" <adolby@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [va-bird] Hull Springs Update

Good news for the Annual Foray!  A few more reservations have arrived
for the Main House at Hull Springs Farm...enough to cover the rental
cost of just that facility.  I have canceled our reservation for the
Camp House since no one has expressed interest in it.   So, the Main
House will still serve as our headquarters for the foray.  However,
there are still beds available!  Please send me your reservation form by
April 15 (deadline extended!) if you would like a bed in the air
conditioned and fully equipped Main House!

Regards,
Andrew Dolby, VSO Research Chair




^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Department of Biological Sciences
Mary Washington College
1301 College Avenue
Fredericksburg, VA  22401
Phone: 540-654-1420
FAX: 540-654-1081
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


------------------------------

From: "BENJAMIN COPELAND" <ben_cop@xxxxxxx>
Subject: [va-bird] Eurasian Wigeon
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 16:59:44 -0500

Hi: All
At 3 Pm today the was a Male Eurasian wigeon at Ridgeway Park in Hampton
Ridge way park is at the coroner of Mercury Blv. and Foxhill Rd In Hampton
Va.
 I birded Crany Island for a couple hours Yesterday Still a lot of great
birds there were 100s of Horned Grebe
along the lower side all in full breading plumage. It was cold cloudy and
drizzling Make Id Hard I did see 2 Red Necked grebe. There could have been a
eared mixed in. There were Lots of Ruddy duck, Canvas Backs and  R-Breasted
Mergansers a few Scaup. There was a Peregrine Falcon making is presents
known. He but some Blue Winged teal in the air I wouldn't have see Also keep
shore birds on the wing
The Birding Great !
Ben Copeland
Hampton Va

------------------------------

From: BlkVulture@xxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 18:09:51 EST
Subject: [va-bird] Rural Retreat Lake, Sandhill Crane, 30 Mar

Greetings,
You'll recall last week that Wallace Coffey reported that Glen Eller found a
Sandhill Crane at Rural Retreat Lake in Wythe County.  There was a note on
the
New River Valley listserv from Allen Boynton that the bird was seen again on
Tuesday (30 Mar).

Sandhill Cranes are pretty tough to come by in these parts, so it's nice
that
one's sticking around.  Might still be there.  Don't ask me how to get
there.
 I haven't got a clue (other than to pick up my DeLorme).

Cheers,

Todd

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Todd Day
Jeffersonton, VA
Culpeper County
Blkvulture@xxxxxxx
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -



------------------------------

From: Chirp50@xxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 18:41:25 EST
Subject: [va-bird] Back Bay Ibis & BCN Herons

Birders,
Today I lead a birdwalk for the local Institute in Learning in Retirement
group. Rain held off long enough for us to enjoy the birds. Our first stop
was
the entrance road (about a half mile from the parking lot) on the left side
of
the road (as you would leave the refuge) we happened upon 7 Black-crowned
Night
Herons. We flushed them from down near the water to rest in the scrubby
bushes. Three stayed perched at the top of the bushes giving us good looks.
I saw
something that puzzled me. While looking at 2 adults in breeding plumage I
noticed that one of the birds had orange-red legs instead of the usual
yellow
legs. I looked in Sibley's to see if perhaps it was a breeding plumage thing
and
didn't see it. The sun was not playing tricks on me as the sun was not out
and
there was considerable cloud cover at the time. Has anyone ever seen this in
an adult?
Several groups of White Ibis flew overhead during the morning walk. The
largest group containing 5. Close to 20 were seen in all. The Osprey were
very busy
with nesting material and fishing. We observed 2 nest sights. On the ocean
side the Gannet were in VERY CLOSE! The scope was not needed to see the
beautiful coloration on the face. We observed 4 separate Common Loon in
breeding
plumage that were close to shore as well. As we left, in a hurry as the rain
had
begun, we flushed a Wilson's Snipe.
I was pleased with the outing as it was the first birdwalk for the
participants and we were able to see 37 species. Hopefully some will take to
the birding
trails in the future with a new hobby!
Karen Beatty
Virginia Beach, VA



------------------------------

Date: Thu, 01 Apr 2004 21:25:09 -0500
From: John Fox <jfox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [va-bird] Norther Rough-winged Swallows in No.Va.

Hi Va Birders

I stopped by the Columbia Island Marina/LBJ Memorial park in Arlington
around 1:00 pm this afternoon and found 6-8 Northern Rough-winged
Swallows. They were along the right half of the parking lot and across
the channel, speeding right above the water for 50 yards or so and then
flying up, dancing around and catching insects, and coming back down.
They had even grey/brown upper bodies that were lighter than Tree
Swallows, fairly clean white underbodies and undertail coverts with a
clean line between that and a dark band at the end of the tail, and no
white in the throat. I am fairly certain I've ID'd them correctly, but
they were danged hard to get looks at. Impossible to get in the scope.

Is this type of behavior consistent with Rough-winged Swallows? Or more
consistent with other Swallows?

Also seen were:

Wood Duck, male in breeding plumage
Eastern Phoebe 2
Carolina Wren 1
Greater Black Backed Gulls
Mallards
Common Grackles
European Starlings
American Robins

Good Birding, and thanks for any help,

John Fox
Arlington

off list email: John.Fox@xxxxxxxxx




------------------------------

From: VBKitchens@xxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 22:20:25 EST
Subject: [va-bird] Waxwings!

VA Birders,

    After not having seen any Cedar Waxwings in/from my yard (I have a small
North Arlington yard) in at least a year or possibly 2, a flock of 15-20
waxwings showed up on March 25.  Then, on March 29, I counted at least 50 of
these
birds, and yesterday and today (March 31 and April 1 [no joke]) I counted
over
100 waxwings.  As far as I could tell, they were all Cedar Waxwings.  I
might
also note that these are the first waxwings I have seen anywhere in 2004.

    The main attraction for these birds appears to be the large holly tree
in
a neighbor's yard 2 doors down from me which still has red berries.

Val Kitchens
Arlington, VA

------------------------------

From: Breep@xxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 23:04:27 EST
Subject: [va-bird] Beware of discriminating optics thieves

On Tuesday, we discovered that our house had been broken into.  The burglars
went through all the drawers in the house (looking for hidden jewelry?
drugs?
my Magic card collection?), but they appeared to have taken nothing.
Stereos,
TVs, computers, camera equipment, binoculars, all there.  Then I looked for
my scope.  AARG!
So if you see a Leica Televid APO in a local pawn shop, please let me know.
It's the one with the 15th Anniversary of the World Series of Birding
sticker
on it . . . .

(Thank heavens they missed my Swarovski SLC bins . . . or maybe they only
take ELs.)

Trying to resist the urge to install an alarm system or join the NRA.  It's
really creepy.  But the important thing is that we are all safe, and nothing
irreplaceable was lost.

I would appreciate any offline recommendations about whether any of the
newer
scopes (particularly the Swarovski) outperform the Leica APO.

Ben Jesup
Alexandria



------------------------------

End of va-bird Digest V3 #92
****************************




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