Fellow Birders:
The (sixth annual) 2003 Waterbird and Raptor Census for Rockingham County was
held Saturday, January 25th, in reasonably nice weather considering the
bitter cold and winds that preceded and followed it. Fortunately the large
lakes and ponds were not quite fully frozen over, but even the largest rivers
had many iced-over stretches. Thirteen observers in six parties drove just
under 600 miles and spent 36.8 party hours afield covering the county.
Species seen totaled 27, our second best year--in 2000 34 species were seen.
New birds added to the list from the five previous years included 2 Wood
Ducks and 1 Red-breasted Merganser, all males, and all in the north end of
the county. New census highs included 8 Green-winged Teal, 2 female Common
Goldeneye, 3 Cooper's Hawks, 40 Red-tailed Hawks, 53 American Kestrels, 2
Eastern Screech-Owls, and 3 Great Horned Owls. The first Tundra Swan seen
since the initial year of the count, when there were 5, was on the South Fork
of the Shenandoah, as were five male Redheads. American Coot numbers were
way down at only 17, a result of frigid weather driving them farther south.
We don't have Common Snipe or Killdeer every year, so 5 of each this time
were welcome. This year 1196 Canada Geese were counted; last year's count was
2103. Mallards were about average at 425.
(Along the way in my territory I noted that most flocks of sparrows were made
up of White-crowns, and I probably saw over 50 for the day though I was not
keeping count; but Dark-eyed Juncos were nowhere to be found, an unusual
configuration.)
The census list included:
Waterbirds:
Pied-billed Grebe 3
Great Blue Heron 13
Canada Goose 1196
Mute Swan 6
Tundra Swan 1
Wood Duck 2
Gadwall 4
American Black Duck 5
Mallard 425
Green-winged Teal 8
Redhead 5
Ring-necked Duck 24
Common Goldeneye 2
Red-breasted Merganser 1
American Coot 17
Killdeer 5
Common Snipe 5
Belted Kingfisher 6
Raptors:
Black Vulture 3
Turkey Vulture 147
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
Cooper's Hawk 3
Red-tailed Hawk 40
American Kestrel 53
Eastern Screech Owl 2
Great Horned Owl 3
If you would like a full report including figures from past years for
comparison, contact me and I will send it to you.
John Irvine, coordinator
Harrisonburg, VA
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