[va-bird] Fauquier County birding

[Susan Heath <sheath@xxxxxxx>]

All,

I was joined by Paula Sullivan and Bill Dorgeloh at Phelps this 
morning.  Just before I reached the parking lot, I saw a high flying 
Northern Harrier heading northwest.  The rain had stopped by 7:00 when 
we started but it was a bit chilly and windy for the first hour.  From 
the parking lot we heard Great-crested Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Wood Thrush, and the usual warblers that have 
been there for a while.  Along the road we found two separate 
Yellow-breasted Chats, one of which gave us an unobstructed view 
eventually and several Hooded Warblers.  At the wetland cells we spooked 
up two Forster's Terns that must have roosted there last night, not an 
easy find this far out on the Piedmont.  An Osprey cruised by and there 
were the usual Wood Ducks and Mallards.  The ponds were alive with Tree, 
Barn, Northern Rough-winged and Bank Swallows.  While we were sorting 
through the swallows, a Merlin made a quick entry from across the river 
and made an attempt for one of the swallows.  It missed and buzzed on 
its way without looking back. Those Merlins, they are always on a 
mission!  A male Blue-winged Teal came up out of the weeds and circled 
the pond several times before conveniently flying over the river into 
Culpeper County and disappearing.  More chats, an Indigo Bunting, 
bunches of White-throated Sparrows, Common Yellowthroats, etc.  On the 
way out we heard a Summer Tanager singing.

 From there Paula took me to see the Bobolinks she had found on the way 
in, but as we were leaving we were escorted along the road by 8 Eastern 
Kingbirds.  The Bobolinks were in a grassy field along Sumerduck Road 
just Silver Hill (if you're coming north on Sumerduck).

 From there I headed north to Thompson WMA and birded the Trillium 
Trail.  It was windy but there were many American Redstarts singing, a 
single Cerulean Warbler, Ovenbird, and Hooded Warbler.  I got to show 
some of the flower people two male Scarlet Tanagers that were foraging 
about 15 feet of the ground in a tree.  Gorgeous!

On my way home I stopped by Harrison Road.  No Bobolinks there (the 
field doesn't look good for them) but the edge of the lake was awash in 
shorebirds.  I couldn't get an exact count but there were approximately 
40 Lesser Yellowlegs, 10 Greater Yellowlegs, 10 Spotted Sandpipers and 1 
Least Sandpiper.  Nice!

And now, back to the grind.
Sue

-- 
Susan A. Heath
George Mason University
Environmental Science Department
Fairfax, VA

Secretary, Virginia Avian Records Committee
Keeper, Virginia Comp List at www.virginiabirding.org

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[va-bird] Fauquier County birding