I did another early morning walk on the Hike/Bike Trail on Sunday. I got to
the Woodcock Meadow just in time to hear the final "peeent" of the morning
(5:30 a.m.). Watching sunrise over the central wetland, I again saw many
small flocks of rusty blackbirds heading west, about 250 in all. I'm
guessing they roost near the east side of the wetland, then fly to the
western part of the park to forage in the morning.
In addition to the 62 green-winged teal and 10 shovelers, there were also 19
snipe. I saw three fox sparrows in the woodpiles; other sparrow numbers
were much reduced from recent weeks. The yellow-rumps haven't started to
move yet - I only saw one. Still good numbers of golden-crowned kinglets
(8, no rubies), and a single winter wren.
I've had a fox sparrow at my feeder since Saturday (well, not all of the
time . . . .) And I exercised my voyeuristic tendencies watching the local
dirty old sharpie having his way with an underage female.
Ben Jesup
Alexandria
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