Decided to play hooky from work to bird (what else?). Arrived at Cockpit Rd at
dawn, stopped at the top of the hill above the settling pond, and promptly
picked up FOS Blue Grosbeak (singing), along with Cedar Waxwing, Prairie
Warbler, Orchard Oriole (nesting pair), Indigo Bunting, E. Kingbird (3), and
Brown Thrasher in the clump of trees above the pond (but no Chat). Moving down
the road, I quickly added FOS E. Wood-pewee and FOS Swainson's Thrush. The
highlight of walk was a very public mating by a pair of FOS Summer Tanagers (I
picked up a third back near the top of the hill). I saw 60 species in all, 11
warbler spp., including an FOS first-year male Blackburnian Warbler (10 feet
over my head). The low light of the walk was that although the pair of Kildeer
were still down at the asphalt plant, the last chick was not in evidence, and
the adults made no attempts to distract me.
At Monticello Park (10:30-2) I saw 43 species, eleven I hadn't seen on Possum
Point, for a total of 70 spp. on the day and 18 warbler spp. To add to the
warblers Jay Keller reported from Monticello Pk., I also saw Blue-winged and
Magnolia Warblers and Am. Redstart. Cape May W. was reportedly seen by others
before I arrived. (Drat, I keep missing this one.) Migrants were not present in
high numbers at either location, but I have no complaints about the variety.
Scott Priebe
Springfield, VA
