VA-Birders,
Five local birders explored the southern part (main entrance) of Beaverdam Park
in Gloucester County this morning. We interpreted a PEREGRINE FALCON flying
over our heads in the first two minutes as a good omen - and we were right! We
not only logged 59 species, we were able to get fabulous looks at most of them.
In the field near the parking lot, we saw a BLUE GROSBEAK and an adult male
ORCHARD ORIOLE
During our walk in the woods, we watched a male SCARLET TANAGER singing on a
bare branch. A few minutes later, he flew away and a male SUMMER TANAGER landed
on the same branch. None of us had ever seen the two Tanagers back-to-back like
that, and it gave us a chance to compare the different shades of red in the two
species (besides the black wings of the Scarlet, of course). We saw another
Scarlet on the path returning to the parking lot.
Of the 11 species of Warblers we logged, we heard AND saw 8: BLACK AND WHITE,
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, HOODED, LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, NORTHERN PARULA, OVENBIRD,
YELLOW-RUMPED, and YELLOW-THROATED. The other 3 were: BLACK-THROATED GREEN,
PRAIRIE, and PINE.
We heard the LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH several times very loudly, so we were
certain it was close by. Watching and waiting patiently, we were rewarded with
a great view of it along the water's edge. We enjoyed getting to watch the
OVERNBIRD and HOODED move from branch to branch, since those are heard far more
often than seen.
Other highlights: hearing our FOS WOOD THRUSH, seeing several GREAT-CRESTED
FLYCATCHERS in good lighting, two PILEATED WOODPECKERS landing on trees close
to us, and logging three species of Swallows: BARN, TREE and ROUGH-WINGED.
Complete list follows.
GREAT birding!
Meredith Bell
Hayes, VA
Mute Swan 7, plus 6 chicks
Mallard 9
Canada Goose 6, plus 9 chicks
Double-crested Cormorant 6
Great Blue Heron 4
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 3
Bald Eagle 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Laughing Gull 42
Ring-billed Gull 94
Mourning Dove 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Great-crested Flycatcher 7
Yellow-throated Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 10
Blue Jay 2
American Crow 5
Fish Crow 1
Barn Swallow 2
Rough-winged Swallow 1
Tree Swallow 3
Carolina Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Carolina Wren 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 9
Eastern Bluebird 4
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
Brown Thrasher 2
Black & White Warbler 3
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Hooded Warbler 1
Northern Parula Warbler 5
Pine Warbler 2
Prairie Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 25
Yellow-throated Warbler 3
Ovenbird 6
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Scarlet Tanager (M) 3
Summer Tanager (M) 1
Blue Grosbeak 1
Eastern Towhee 2
Chipping Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 1
Orchard Oriole 1
Northern Cardinal 12
Common Grackle 2
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
American Goldfinch 7
