[va-bird] Fork-tailed Flycatcher, etc in Bath County; Sept 27,28,29.

Yes indeed, a Fork-tailed Flycatcher (not Scissors-tailed Flycatcher) was
well seen by a contingent of Augusta Bird Club members on our annual fall
"pilgrimage" to Bath County.  Special credit goes to Evelyn "Punky" Smith
who spotted the perched bird, to Lisa Hamilton who promptly and correctly
identified it and to Brenda Tekin who photographed it.  (Details and photo
identification will be submitted to VARCOM for consideration.)  Fortunately,
the unique and obvious field marks of this distinct bird leave little room
for misidentification.  Light and viewing conditions were perfect.  It was
seen Saturday, September 28 from about 14:30 to 14:45 at Coursey Springs
Fish Hatchery located several miles south of Williamsville on route 678.  We
watched the bird as it sallied after and captured a few insects, flying from
perch to perch, all within 15-30 meters of our astonished group.  Punky
initially spotted it near the top of a sycamore (I think) tree.  It then
flew to the lower branches of a choke cherry tree.  The bird's left tail
streamer was shorter than its right by about 40%. Judging from the total
length of the tail (~1.5 times the body length) I would guess this to be an
adult.  Many of us returned to the area the next day (Sunday September 29),
where Todd Day, Fenton Day and others joined the search, but the bird was
not seen and presumably has moved elsewhere.  When Nancy and I left the
hatchery around 13:30 a couple from Salem remained, keeping a vigil for its
hopeful return.  Coursey Springs F.H. is public property and birders are
welcome to visit and search for it during visiting hours, from 8:00 to
15:30.  Osprey, Bald Eagle, Loggerhead Shrike and many other species are
predictable here this time of year.  Offering good birding and a lovely
setting, a visit here can be a pleasant outing even if one finds no rare
vagrants.

In regards to the Fork-tailed Flycatcher, my brief and limited research
tells me that this species ranges from Central to South America and includes
several subspecies.  If I interpret and understand my reading correctly,
most vagrants to coastal North America are from the more migratory nominate
race that breeds in southern SA (east of the Andes and south of Amazonia to
central Argentina).  These migrants spend the austral winter
(April-September) in northern SA (Columbia, Venezuela, Guiana, Trinidad &
Tobago), with some birds "overshooting" their austral migratory route to
show up in various Caribbean islands and eastern North America up to the
Canadian Maritimes.  I was made aware that a Fork-tailed Flycatcher was
recorded in the Williamsburg area in June of 1988.  The Bath County bird is
presumably the first record of this species in the mountains and valleys of
our Virginia.  Judging from the location and timing, I wonder if this bird
is from Central America (monachus subspecies) and has been transported up
here by Hurricane Isadore?  Irrespective of origin or how it got here, it
was a spectacular sighting for a fortunate few.  Perhaps others will luck
into this rare vagrant as it moves about.  

In addition to the Fork-tailed Flycatcher our group of 26 ABC members
tallied a total of 85 species during our weekend stay at Fort Lewis Lodge
(FLL). To this total Todd and Fenton Day added 3 species on September 29.
Highlights of this 3 day weekend include:

Wild Turkeys -- multiple sightings en route to FLL.
Ruffed Grouse -- on nearby Scotchtown Draft road (Ken & Janice Fischer).
Bald Eagle -- at least 6 adults.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo -- 1
Eastern Screech-Owl -- 4 Saturday night at FLL; 1 Sunday morning at nearby
Wallace Tract.
Barred Owl -- calling in response to Screech-Owl tape 2 FLL
Eastern Phoebe -- dozens, everywhere.
White-eyed, Yellow-throated and Warbling Vireo -- the latter was vigorously
and incessantly singing.
Loggerhead Shrike -- probably 4 individuals; 2 @ Coursey Springs, 2 @ FLL.
Cedar Waxwings -- everywhere; some still feeding fledglings.
Tree Swallow -- lone straggler in the rain on Friday morning
American Goldfinch -- everywhere; some still feeding fledglings.
WARBLERS:
  Blue-winged -- 1
  Magnolia -- 1
  Black-throated Blue -- 1, maybe 2
  Yellow-rumped -- flock of half dozen at Courtney Springs.
  Black-Throated Green -- perhaps 6-10 scattered individuals
  Pine -- one seen on Saturday; several heard Sunday on way home.
  Prairie -- 1 (Wallace Tract)
  Palm -- 4 or 5
  American Redstart -- perhaps 3
  Mourning -- 1 @ Coursey Springs on Sunday, found by Todd Day, et al.
  Common Yellowthroat -- 5 or 6
  Wilson's -- 1
SPARROWS:
  Song -- ubiquitous, numerous.
  Lincoln's -- perhaps 6, multiple sites.
  Swamp -- 2 or 3.
  Savannah -- 4 or 5 at Coursey Springs.
  Grasshopper -- 1 juvenal at Wallace Tract pond.
  Chipping -- many.
  Field -- few.
  Dark-eyed Junco -- small flock along road (Brenda Tekin).
  Eastern Towhees -- half dozen or so.

Thanks to all who participated and contributed to this wonderful weekend.
Also, special thanks to YuLee Larner, who led a smaller contingent of
Augusta Bird Club members to FLL the previous weekend, for starting this
annual fall tradition 14 years ago. 

John Spahr 


     
You are subscribed to VA-BIRD. To post to this mailing list, simply send email 
to va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, send email to
va-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.

Other related posts: