Haven't done much birding in VA this summer, but I had some nice birds on
private property between Middleburg and Upperville over the long weekend.
The best was my second ever GOLDEN-WINGED (a drabbish bird, presumably HY).
This was within 50 yards of the bright adult bird that I saw exactly 1 year
earlier. The golden-winged was Saturday (when I only had 15 minutes to
bird). Other migrants listed below are Sunday totals:
harrier 1 (HY)
hummer 4+
Pewee 5+
empid 1
phoebe 2
house wren 1
waxwing 12
red-eyed vireo 6+ (still singing, bless'em)
B&W 1
blackpoll 1 (plus a baypoll, probably bay-breasted)
magnolia 2
Canada 1
chestnut-sided 2
Blackburnian 3 (2 HY, 1 bright adult: is it my imagination, or are there
more sightings of this species being reported than average?)
redstart 2
worm-eating 1
Baltimore oriole 2
scarlet tanager 1
bunting 1
There were fewer birds on Monday, including a yellowthroat, and great looks
at a molting adult male scarlet tanager.
My 7-year-old daughter and I tried another birding adventure on Aug. 21.
She got up at 5:30 a.m. (her choice) to go with me to Bombay Hook. We had a
great time (although the flies were nasty). Best birds were a peregrine
straffing the shorebird flocks and a marbled godwit. After a long,
refreshing, air-conditioned lunch at Wendy's, we had some close,
child-friendly looks at various shorebirds on Port Mahon Road. So far, so
good.
Ben Jesup
Alexandria, VA
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