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-----Original Message-----
From: Kurt Gaskill [mailto:KurtCapt87@xxxxxxxxxxx] ;
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2006 9:43 PM
To: (va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Subject: Mason Neck SP Special Field Trip, Frfx Co, 9/30/06
VA BIRDers,
The Special Field Trip to Mason Neck SP, lead by Jodi Bucknam and I, went
quite well for the 12 or so participants today. Top passerines, besides the
ca. 1000-strong flock of Common Grackles, were Chimney Swift, Northern
Rough-winged Swallows, Gray Catbirds and Cape May Warblers - the latter
numbering about two dozen!
Before the morning trip, a few of us got together to listen for nocturnal
migrants near the Mason Neck rookery, abutting Occoquan Bay; observations
were from ca. 0545 to 0645. The thrush flight was excellent! Our tally:
Swainson's Thrush 92
Gray-cheeked Thrush 42
Bicknell's Thrush 1 (likely, based upon checks against flight call
recordings)
Wood Thrush 4
Veery 3
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Gray Catbird 3
Plus 8 Bald Eagles before sunrise, some Wood Ducks, a Mallard, a Pied-billed
Grebe, some Common Yellowthroats and a Song Sparrow. The 3 local owls made
noises, too.
We then met up with the balance of the group and started birding the Phase
II field edges. Activity was initially slow but soon picked up. We think
the problem may have been clouds that moved in and blocked the sun. Several
members got lifers today, including great looks at berry-eating Gray-cheeked
Thrush. And also Cape May Warblers in various shades of color (or
non-color!). We visited a few other places in the NWR and also the State
Park Visitor Center overlook which added a few species. The tally of birds
of interest follows.
Kurt Gaskill
Lesser Scaup 10
Ruddy Duck 8
DC Cormorant 72
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 15
Bald Eagle 8
Northern Harrier 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
American Kestrel 1
Caspian Tern 2
Forster's Tern 4
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Chimney Swift 170
Belted Kingfisher 2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Northern Flicker 13
E. Wood Pewee 2
Trail's Flycatcher 1
E. Phoebe 12
Red-eyed V 4
Blue Jay 110
Tree Sw 1
Northern Rough-winged Sw 36
Brown Creeper 1
House Wren 3
Winter Wren 1
RC Kinglet 11
E. Bluebird 2
Veery 2
Gray-cheeked Thrush 3
Swainson's Thrush 1
Wood Thrush 1
Gray Catbird 37
Cedar Waxwing 20
Nashville 3
No. Parula 10
Chestnut-sided 4
Magnolia 8
Cape May 23
Black-throated Blue 6
Yellow-rumped 4
Black-throated Green 3
Blackburnian 1
Palm 20
Bay-breasted 2
Blackpoll 1
Black & White 1
American Redstart 3
Common Yellowthroat 21
Scarlet Tanager 2
E. Towhee 2
Field Sp 1
Song Sp 2
White-throated Sp 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3
Indigo Bunting 14
Red-winged BB 40
Common Grackle 1000
Brown-headed Cowbird 15
American Goldfinch 16
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