Rockfish Gap Hawk Watch - NOT!
Not much hawk watching for several days due to rain and fog. Drove up with
friend Pat Alther this afternoon to restock forms used at the hawk
watch. Arrived by 2 p.m. and mountain was fogged in with visibility
limited to within a few short feet. As we departed following Afton Circle,
we noted quite a number of small birds feeding along the edges and in
scoping them out discovered 2 White-crowned feeding with Field and Song
Sparrows. We ended up birding for several hours in the fog and inbetween
rain showers before a small group of Boy Scout Webelos from Charlottesville
arrived in hopes of seeing migrating hawks. Most were disappointed but I
was able to give them a brief history and introduction to hawk
migration. They hope to make it up next weekend, weather permitting.
Pat and I found the following highlights within a short distance from the
Inn, all between the parking lot and overlook parking area.
Thanks to Yulee Larner whom I telephoned while out in the field and who
helped in confirming our identification of a Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow.
All were easily seen except for the sapsucker which was further up the
hillside.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1)
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Winter Wren (1)
Orange-crowned Warble - (1) great view
Yellow-rumped Warbler - several, but not near as many as Chipping Sparrow
Black-throated Green Warbler - 3
Palm Warbler - numerous!
Mourning Warbler - (1) great view
Common Yellowthroat
Song Sparrow - numerous
White-crowned Sparrow (2) - spotted several times actively feeding
White-throated Sparrow (numerous)
Savannah Sparrow (1)
Chipping Sparrow (numerous)
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Field Sparrow - 4
and several unidentified WET LBB's.
Fog birding can be productive!
Best wishes,
Brenda Tekin
Charlottesville, VA
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