Sept 19, 2003, We (Ann and Rob Simpson) went to Lake Frederick, Frederick
County at daybreak (7:00am). According to the Weather Channel the eastern
edge of the degrading eye appeared to be right over us. The birds would
spiral or kite down out of the storm. Many would come down and circle around
the lake but many would drift back up into the clouds. Almost ever bird was
either a new bird for our nw Virginia Checklist (kept since 1974) or a very
good bird for our area. It was very difficult to count the birds as we never
knew if they were new ones coming down or old ones reappearing. The whole
spectacle was over at 7:45 when only one Caspian Tern and a Double-crested
Cormorant were left. All of the birds drifted constantly north except for one
Red-necked Phalarope which flew south. It was very eerie the way they all
disappeared so quickly into the rolling mass of clouds - a field of dreams
type experience. We only saw 2 Ring-billed Gulls all day. We have only 2
previous records of Laughing Gull, yet saw well over a 100 today.
* = new for our checklist
Red-necked Phalarope 1
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Royal Tern 3*
Caspian Tern 2
Sandwich Tern 1*
Arctic Tern 1*
Forster's Tern 100+
Common Tern 20+
Laughing Gull 40+
Ring-billed Gull 1
White-faced Storm Petrel 1*
Note William Lee's posting of a Dark (Band-rumped?) storm petrel from this
same lake later in the day. When we checked later in the day and on Sept. 20
only the cormorant was there.
We had one dark backed tern that never came down close enough for us to put
an id on the bird - Bridled/Sooty Tern. At the same time in a boiling group
of birds was a immature Tropicbird species. When I first saw the bird at a
distance, straight up, I though it was an immature Kittiwake as I saw a very
distinct black collar. Later we saw the vermiculated back. The birds never
came down and we only got glimpses when they banked.
The Lake was very muddy and we did not see the birds catch a single fish.
None of the birds looked particularly worn out.
We headed south to Front Royal, Warren County where there were 3 Fulvous Tree
Ducks* and 3 more Laughing gulls at the flooded fields at the north bridge of
the Shenandoah River with many Mallards, a few Pintail and a Black Duck.
One of my students had a Great Black-backed Gull* in Warren County, at the
Shenandoah River State Park.
Between Front Royal and Luray are some fields that are always good for
shorebirds when we get extended rains. About 3 miles north of Luray one pond
had a Bald Eagle. The last pond on the west side of Rt 340 had:
1 Black Skimmer* - it appeared totally exhausted and did not budge.
19 Laughing gulls - all resting but active.
1 Baird's Sandpiper*
3 White-rumped Sandpipers
20 + Least Sandpipers
20 + Semipalmated Sandpipers
100+ Pectoral Sandpipers
Leach's Storm Petrel* - This was the neatest juxtaposition we had all day as
it coursed over a flooded corn stubble field and winter wheat as close as 40
feet from us. It headed south and appeared to actually be getting food in the
water.
On the eastern edge of Luray are some excellent flooded fields
Laughing Gulls107 - resting, feeding preening and flying- they did not seem
to stressed.
Ring-billed Gull 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 3
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Western Sandpiper 3
Least Sandpiper 20 +
Semipalmated 20 +
Pectoral 50+
All shorebirds during the day did not seemed tired or stressed except one
Least Sandpiper which had a broken leg.
When we finally got to Lake Arrowhead (a large lake in Page Co.) there was
only a Pied-billed Grebe and a Horned Grebe.
If anyone else has Isabel birds from nw VA (we keep records for the district
our college covers:Frederick, Clarke, Warren, Shenandoah, Page, Rappahannock
and Fauquier) I would like to get your lists. I will be with my students at
our banding station in Back Bay until Oct 20 so I could not respond until
then - thanks - Rob.
Robert C. Simpson , Professor of Natural Resources
Program Head for Natural Resources Curriculum
Program Head for Outdoor and Nature Photography Careers Certificate
Contact for information on: Field Biology, General Ecology, Wildlife and
Fisheries, Habitat and Food Plant Identification, Special Studies in Wildlife
Field Techniques, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish, Mushrooms
Edible and Otherwise, Plants and Nature Photography.
email: lfsimpr@xxxxxxxx
course websites: http://www.lfcc.edu/classes/simpson/
Phone: 540 868 7206
Fax: 540 868 7100
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