[va-bird] June Census of Mason Neck, Frfx Co, 6/21/03

June Census of Mason Neck

On Saturday, 21 June 2003, 17 birders and 2 budding naturalists joined forces 
to do a comprehensive survey of the June bird population of the Mason Neck 
Wildlife Refuge and State Park areas; this is the first time such a census has 
been done for this area.  (This survey was rain-delayed for nearly 2 weeks!)  
We divided into 7 teams and started a little after 0400 and ended near noon; 83 
species were tallied representing ca. 3180 individuals.  It was cool in the 
early morning (ca. 16 C) with a slight wind (scale = 1).  Sunny skies persisted 
until about 0930, with a high temperature of about 21 C. Afterwards the skies 
were mostly cloudy and the wind increased (scale = 2).  Approximately 25% of 
the Mason Neck area was surveyed.

Highlights of the day’s activities were 3 Great Egret nests in the High Point 
Rookery, Black-crowned Night-Herons at river and bay locations, and 
Red-breasted Merganser on Belmont Bay. Also, Willow Flycatcher near the Kanes 
Creek Trailhead, Cliff Swallow near the Great Marsh, Marsh Wren in the Great 
Marsh by the terminus of the Great Marsh Trail, and American Redstart near the 
Potomac (overall 10 warbler species were noted).  Lastly, Summer Tanager near 
the Potomac, Blue Grosbeak in 3 locations in small fields (ca. 2-15 acres) near 
the Potomac, and Eastern Meadowlark in a field at Sandy Point (ca. 15 acres) on 
the Potomac.  

Species notable for tallies in the triple digits were Great Blue Heron (300+), 
Chimney Swift, Acadian Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Northern Parula, Red-winged 
Blackbird and Common Grackle.  Other species with high counts half way or more 
to 100 were Canada Goose, American Crow, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina 
Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, 
Northern Cardinal and American Goldfinch.

No effort was made to deconflict overlapping counts for some of the larger, 
more free-ranging species, e.g., Bald Eagles. The following is a preliminary 
summary of the species totals:

DC Cormorant 45
Great Blue Heron 331
Great Egret 9
Green Heron 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3

Turkey Vulture 4
Canada Goose 72
Wood Duck 12
Mallard 5
Red-breasted Merganser 1

Osprey 30
Bald Eagle 36
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Laughing Gull 1
Mourning Dove 26

Yellow-billed Cuckoo 11
E. Screech Owl 3
Great Horned Owl 1
Barred Owl 4
Chimney Swift 156

Ruby-throated Hummingbird 7
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 47
Downy Woodpecker 23
Hairy Woodpecker 8

No. Flicker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 22
E. Wood Pewee 45
Acadian Flycatcher 145
Willow Flycatcher 1

E. Phoebe 8
Great Crested Flycatcher 39
E. Kingbird 8
White-eyed Vireo 4
Yellow-throated Vireo 16

Red-eyed Vireo 166
Blue Jay 24
American Crow 67
Fish Crow 30
Purple Martin 11

Tree Swallow 61
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 6
Cliff Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 53
Carolina Chickadee 58

Tufted Titmouse 97
White-breasted Nuthatch 39
Carolina Wren 38
Marsh Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 96

E. Bluebird 9
Wood Thrush 59
American Robin 14
Gray Catbird 4
Northern Mockingbird 1

Brown Thrasher 4
E. Starling 8
Northern Parula 116
Yellow Warbler 5
Yellow-throated Warbler 9

Pine Warbler 7
American Redstart 1
Prothonotary Warbler 15
Worm-eating Warbler 2
Ovenbird 55

LA Waterthrush 3
Common Yellowthroat 21
Summer Tanager 1
Scarlet Tanager 33
E. Towhee 3

Chipping Sparrow 4
Field Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 76
Blue Grosbeak 3
Indigo Bunting 37

Red-winged Blackbird 326
E. Meadowlark 1
Common Grackle 242
Brown-headed Cowbird 47
Orchard Oriole 15

Baltimore Oriole 18
House Finch 6
American Goldfinch 82

The results given here could not be achieved except for the tremendous 
dedication and contributions of the participants in this effort – it is my 
pleasure to acknowledge these people here:  Scott Baron, Lara Bainbridge, 
Revital Bronstein, David Buckley, Connie Campanella, Laura Catterton, Ed Eder, 
Marc Fagan, Sandy Farcas, Bart Hutchinson, Ben Jesup, Bev Leeuwenburg, Lori 
Markoff, Kim Peacock, Andy Rabin, Rich Rieger, Sonia Santa Ana, and Dorothy 
Tella.

Kurt Gaskill

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