Only a couple of brave souls (one visiting from San Francisco) turned up for
the NVBC walk at Belle Haven this morning. After an initial snow episode,
there were some occasion warm spells in full sun, but mainly strong cold winds.
Bird diversity seen or heard was very low - no ducks except Common
Merganser, only our three standard gulls (Ring-billed, Herring and Greater
Black-backed), no shorebirds. The only raptors were a Red-tailed Hawk and three
Bald
Eagles (2 adults, one immature). Other non-passerines were Rock Dove, Mourning
Dove and Downy Woodpecker. A few passerines could be spished up, but generally
not in evidence. The unusual species for the walk was a single, immature
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, which I do not recall having found here before. The
passerines were:
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Wren
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Northern Cardinal
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
House Finch
Stephen Eccles
