Hello VA-Birders,
A magnificent morning at Riverbend Park, Fairfax County, on the meadow.
Several good birds were noted between 6:45 and 7:45 AM. There was a Fall chill
in the air, so it was seemingly fitting that new sparrows have shown up. I
heard a lot more chip notes today than in days past, and I quickly notes
several SWAMP SPARROWS, among them my first LINCOLN'S SPARROW of the year.
After nearly two dozen attempts this season to find one for my year list, a
handsome CONNECTICUT WARBLER popped up after some quiet pishing. The complete
and heavy eyering and hood were quite evident, with a yellow overall wash to
the underside of the bird. It was about 15 feet away at eye level, and arose
from the weedy area at the upper end of the meadow along the treeline. It
bounced around for perhaps a minute, then disappeared back down in the grasses
from which it arose.
The other interesting warbler was a brilliant YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER sitting
atop a short snag, its rump clearly visible. Other warblers present were
several BLACK-THROATED GREEN, a couple NORTHERN PARULAS, REDSTARTS, and several
COMMON YELLOWTHROATS.
Shortly thereafter seeing the Connecticut, I was surprised to see an adult
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER fly into the top of one of the trees just above the spot
just described. This is one of the six species of woodpecker seen on the
meadow today - the other five are regular. I'm still hoping to get all 7 there
one day. Also, my first BLUE-HEADED VIREO of the season (away from Highland
County) appeared in a nearby tree.
Good Luck to all this weekend,
Jay Keller,
Arlington
Canada Goose 3
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Mourning Dove 4
Chimney Swift 27
Red-headed Woodpecker 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 2
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 15
American Crow 11
Carolina Chickadee 7
Tufted Titmouse 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren 4
House Wren 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Eastern Bluebird 13
American Robin 9
Gray Catbird 5
Northern Mockingbird 1
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 15
Cedar Waxwing 6
Northern Parula 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 7
American Redstart 2
Connecticut Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 5
Song Sparrow 2
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 8
Northern Cardinal 12
Indigo Bunting 6
Common Grackle 47
Brown-headed Cowbird 6
American Goldfinch 9
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