VA-Birders,
Charlotte Friend and I ran into Paul Kane in the parking lot at Occoquan Bay
around noon today, Sunday.
Paul had the Rough-legged Hawk in his scope. While we were watching it, I saw
another hawk flying over a tree-line well to the left of the perched bird. We
all got very good looks at it as it rose slightly, and I think it came to all
of us at the same time that we might be looking at another light-morph
Rough-legged Hawk. And, indeed were, because while it was soaring, the
original bird was still perched.
Paul let the ranger know abut the second bird.
We walked the loop going south (I think) from the parking lot, past the bay,
coming back out on the road between the entrance and the parking lot, where we
spotted an unusual sparrow feeding in the 2 ft. strip of short grass between
the snow of the fields and the road. It was only about 30 ft. from us. Paul
identified it as a Vesper Sparrow. A life bird for me, and what a beauty.
Soon there were two, but a car driving by drove one off. The other remained,
too intent on feeding. The car didn't bother it; we didn't bother it. As Paul
said "This was one hungry bird".
We were able to get even closer--about 20 ft. away and almost directly across
from it. Watched it for a long time to get different views as it slowly moved.
On the loop walk we also saw a Catbird, lots of sparrows, and a Kestrel.
Lori Keeler
Arlington, VA
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