FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Re: NVBC - Sky Meadows SP

[Scott Baron <brnpelican@xxxxxxxxx>]

I also birded the park on Saturday.  I ran into the
NVBC as they were entering the Walnut Grove and I was
leaving it.

Most species seem to be back now at Sky Meadows, with
the exception of Hooded Warbler and Acadian
Flycatcher.  I found IND. BUNTING numbers to be low so
maybe they are beginning to return.  My species list
is similar to the NVBC's list.  I found three centers
of activity at the park: 1) the N end of the Walnut
Grove, 2) the intersection of the North Ridge and
South Ridge trails and 3) the Piedmont Overlook Trail
near the benches.  The first held lots of migrants,
mostly YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS but also other warblers,
sparrows and more; the second held birds like CERULEAN
and KENTUCKY WARBLERS (Hooded is usually found here in
early May) and several TOWHEES and REDSTARTS; and I
counted 36 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS zip through the
third place.  They were gone in a flash.

I also found 3 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS and a GREEN HERON
at  the farm ponds.  Another sandpiper - either a
Solitary or a Spotted - flew from the edge of the
fishing pond but I didn't see it well.  A WILD TURKEY
gobbled near the campground.  A hiker reported hearing
a RUFFED GROUSE drumming on the upper North Ridge
Trail.  A big (60 or so) flock of COWBIRDS fed in
fields near the Visitor Center.

Scott Baron
Fairfax, Va.

--- MARC RIBAUDO <moribaudo@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Six people joined Bob Klarquist and myself on a walk
> at Sky Meadows State Park today.  While the hoped
> for waves of migrants did not materialize, we had a
> fun time observing many of the colorful residents
> and the migrants we did come across.  The Walnut
> Grove was particularly productive, with red-headed
> woodpeckers (many), bobwhite, kestrel, scarlet
> tanager, Baltimore and orchard orioles, wood thrush,
> pewee, yellow-throated vireo, blackpoll warbler,
> palm warbler, blue grosbeak, and northern harrier. 
> The South Ridge trail loop was pretty quiet, with
> only raven, chipping sparrow, northern parula and
> black-throated green warbler of note.  In all we saw
> 63 species.  
> Here is the list:
> 
> Canada goose
> mallard
> black vulture
> turkey vulture
> northern harrier
> red-tailed hawk
> American kestrel
> northern bobwhite
> rock pigeon
> mourning dove
> yellow-billed cuckoo
> chimney swift
> red-headed woodpecker
> red-bellied woodpecker
> downy woodpecker
> northern flicker
> pileated woodpecker
> eastern wood pewee
> great crested flycatcher
> eastern kingbird
> tree swallow
> barn swallow
> carolina wren
> gray catbird
> northern mockingbird
> brown thrasher
> eastern bluebird
> wood thrush
> American robin
> blue-gray gnatcatcher
> carolina chickadee
> tufted titmouse
> white-breasted nuthatch
> blue jay
> American crow
> common raven
> european starling
> house sparrow
> yellow-throated vireo
> red-eyed vireo
> American goldfinch
> northern parula
> yellow warbler
> yellow-rumped warbler
> black-throated green warbler
> palm warbler
> blackpoll warbler
> common yellowthroat
> scarlet tanager
> eastern towhee
> chipping sparrow
> field sparrow
> song sparrow
> white-throated sparrow
> northern cardinal
> blue grosbeak
> indigo bunting
> red-winged blackbird
> eastern meadowlark
> common grackle
> brown-headed cowbird
> Baltimore oriole
> orchard oriole
> 
> Marc Ribaudo
> Woodbridge, VA
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