With the cold temperature and wind, I decided mid-morning to do some car
birding on the back roads of Lucketts and also to check out Montressor Rd.
which
as many of you know, is one of the latest casualties of sprawl.
There is nothing earth-shattering to report. With the cold winds from the
north, I was hoping to find a flock or two of Horned Larks, maybe including
some lapland longspurs, but found none. (I just read a report on MDOsprey that
two flocks were observed today on the other side of the Potomac in the Olan &
New Design Rds. areas, so at least I had a plausible idea.) But since
there are few reports on Lucketts, I thought others may be interested in a
status
report.
The highlights were at least 20 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS in their reliable
spot-- the old pig feed lot across from the first house you encounter on Rte
656-- with lesser quantities of SONG and WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, plus more
than
enough house sparrows, and further down Rte 656 a single KILLDEER.
On Montressor Rd (Rte 661 west of M15) I observed 2 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 1
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK and a pristine adult male NORTHERN HARRIER out hunting at
l:45PM. Although the developer has laid out the land parcels, there is no
construction happening yet, so the area is somewhat peaceful, but the brush
has
been mowed extensively. I guess that big rough-legged hawk year is now truly
a
thing of the past.
Along the roads east of M 15, I also found 2 AMERICAN KESTREL and many
EASTERN BLUEBIRDS scattered throughout the area--maybe 50, plus the usual
winter
residents.
Ralph Wall
Great Falls, VA
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