Fellow Birders,
Saturday, despite the rain and wind, some members of the Buchanan County Bird
Club visited the home of fellow member, David Raines, to bird the farmland
around his Breaks, VA home.
PINE SISKINS and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS were immediately seen at David's seed
feeders.White-crowns are seen during migration, but very rarely found in winter
in Buchanan County. However, they are very common just to the south in Russell
County. It may be the more open farmland there.
Both male and female ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS were observed at the feeders as
well as along the field edges.
While birding the field edges a LINCOLN'S SPARROW was found along with SONG
SPARROWS, 1 FIELD SPARROW, 1 SWAMP SPARROW and a few WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS. A
couple of CHIPPING SPARROWS were also seen.
Earlier in the day David had observed a BLUE-HEADED VIREO near his house. He
also observed a PALM WARBLER.
During one of the short intervals when the sun came out, a flock of 50-60
CROWS rose from above the mountain top with a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK and a
COOPER'S circling beneath them. The Cooper's made several dives on the
Red-shouldered, but it didn't seem to have much effect on the buteo. An
immature Red-shouldered was later flushed from its perch at the back of one of
the fields.
3 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS fed within a few feet of the birders, and a late SUMMER
TANAGER came down to a small stream just behind the kinglets.
A tasty lunch was enjoyed later after David grilled hot dogs.
In spite of the wet and cold morning the day turned out to be a fairly good
birding day, and a good day for birders to get together.
Enjoy the birds,
Roger Mayhorn
Grundy, VA
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