[va-bird] Fwd: CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co., May 6

[Scott Baron <brnpelican@xxxxxxxxx>]

Forgot to mention YELLOW WARBLER, that would make 13. 
How could I forget, as they are gorgeous.

Surprisingly, there is one other record for
Clay-colored Sparrow at Sky Meadows in the spring, of
which I am aware.  Birders on a No. Va. Bird Club trip
reportedly had one several years ago during the month
of April.

One other thing I forgot to mention about the
Clay-colored was the size, same apparent size as the
Chippings.

Scott

--- Scott Baron <brnpelican@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Date: Sat, 6 May 2006 15:25:12 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Scott Baron <brnpelican@xxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [va-bird] CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, LOGGERHEAD
> SHRIKE at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co., May 6
> To: va-bird <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> 
> Hello birders.
> 
> I had some good birding on the E side of Sky Meadows
> SP  today.  The best bird wasn't even the Shrikes
> which I hoped to refind after an absence from the
> park
> for 3 weeks.  Top bird was a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
> which I closely observed for at least 10 minutes! 
> Other neat birds were LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE, BOBOLINK
> and
> 13 warbler species.  
> 
> While in the Bridle Trail parking lot I heard a
> Chipping Sparrow-like call.  I turned my head toward
> the sound and saw a sparrow fly into a nearby shade
> tree.  Got my binoculars on it for a few seconds
> before it flew again, the bird looked odd to me. 
> When
> I saw the bird again, it was feeding on the ground
> in
> the park ranger's driveway with a pair of Chipping
> Sparrows.  I have little experience with this bird,
> as
> I finally got my lifer Clay-colored in Michigan last
> spring.  But this bird was clearly a Clay-colored. 
> Call sounded similar to Chipping Sparrow to me. 
> Crown
> striped dark and off-white with a light brown (?)
> cheek and otherwise gray head and nape.  Pale,
> unstreaked underparts.  Pinkish bill.  Streaked
> back. 
> The Clay-colored peaceably fed in the driveway with
> the Chipping Sparrows, sometimes picking seeds off
> the
> (short) grassheads at the edge of the driveway. 
> After
> 10 minutes or more of watching this bird and
> consulting Sibley the birds flew up into a tree. 
> They
> slipped away a few minutes after that.  I did not
> find
> any of these birds later in the day.  100% confident
> of ID.   
> 
> Refound 1, maybe 2, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES and nest. 
> This
> is on E side of park, secret location.  Shhhhhh. 
> Couldn't tell if nest had eggs or young.  If young
> are
> present, they were perfectly quiet.
> 
> Heard the beautiful, unmistakable song of the
> BOBOLINK
> once in early morning near the fishing pond. 
> Scanned
> in the direction of the song but unfortunately
> couldn't locate the bird.
> 
> Good warbler list but low numbers and mostly heard
> only: NO. PARULA, CHESTNUT-SIDED, B.T. BLUE, YEL.
> RUMPED, B.T. GREEN, BLACKBURNIAN, BLACK & WHITE, AM.
> REDSTART, WORM-EATING, OVENBIRD, COM. YELLOWTHROAT,
> Y.B. CHAT.  Also maybe Hooded.
> 
> Lots of GRAY CATBIRDS migrating through, 4 in one
> tree, even.  High number of HOUSE WRENS (5), are
> they
> still passing through?  Found a WOOD THRUSH carrying
> food to nest, this species was very common in woods
> of
> Bridle Trail today.  1 OSPREY calling overhead as it
> soared east over the forest.  1 pair of very vocal
> RED-TAILED HAWKS soaring over the fields, one of the
> pair screamed for at least half an hour.  7 sparrow
> sp. total.  WARBLING VIREO singing just before
> Bridle
> Trail lot.  Didn't go to or through the Walnut Grove
> (Red-headed Woodpecker hangout) but I did hear a
> RED-HEADED calling from the S end of the Shearman's
> Mill Trail.
> 
> Also, lots of other new spring arrivals, a lot of
> butterflies, pretty wildflowers, great weather. 
> I'll
> be back again tomorrow for one more bird survey this
> spring.
> 
> Scott Baron
> Fairfax, Va.
> 
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[va-bird] Fwd: CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE at Sky Meadows SP, Fauquier Co., May 6