VA BIRDers,
I woke up late Saturday and headed down to Occoquan Bay NWR, arriving about
8AM. A portion of the riverside trail (often used as the key portion of a
hiking loop) was closed due to pair of Bald Eagles nest building near the trail
(late I should add, the majority of Virginia Bald Eagles are on nest now unless
they have abandoned their site) and so I just focused near the parking lot. I
kicked around the "rectangle" - the grassy square area bounded by the gravel
roads near the main parking lot, and found 3 American Tree Sparrows and 3 Fox
Sparrows (given the recent reports on the latter I surmise that Fox Sparrow
has begun its northern movement). Near to the rectangle were a few E. Towhees
and single Savannah Sparrow. As I completed the circuit of the rectange a
(likely female) Sharp-shinned Hawk bisected the grassy area while Marty and I
discussed the 2 nesting Great Horned Owls in the refuge (locations are nearly
maximally distant along a diagonal from the SW to the NE corners). The nearby
marsh held the usual Swamp Sparrows and a surprised Wood Duck plus Am. Black
Duck, Mallard, etc. Walking south, I took a look on the backside of Belmont
Bay
from the Gazebo and noted a Common Loon mixed in with 300 or so Lesser Scaup -
a few Canvasback and Ring-necked Ducks were also mixed in. On the walk back I
found two groups of Savannah Sparrows graveling on the road upping the day's
total another 22. Eastern Bluebirds were conspicuous, totaling 10 at OBNWR.
I went on to the marina overlooking the mouth of the Occoquan River - it has
a fine viewing platform - and spotted the Osprey on nest site that Jay Keller
described last week. This is the same spot where I found an early one last
year. More scaup, Bufflehead, and Common and Red-breasted Mergansers patroled
these waters. A few Bald Eagles could be seen perched near the bay.
I went south to Julie Metz and Leesylvania SP finding the Chipping Sparrow
that Marc Ribaudo recently mentioned mixed in with White-throats and Juncos in
the grass near the boat launch. Its possible this bird has been present since
one was reported near here on the Fort Belvoir CBC, Jan 2. Three
Red-shouldered Hawks near Neabsco Cr and a Hermit Thrush near the boat top
launch area of
Leesylvania were fine additions to the day list. The marina held the 3 typical
winter gulls, loafing.
Mason Neck SP was the next stop where I quickly scanned Belmont Bay - about
750 Lesser Scaup were nearby (I could see a distant scaup raft 1+ mile to the
south, ca. 2000 individuals) and 210 Common Mergansers were counted in the bay
- down from peak numbers a few weeks ago but still fine to see their bright,
large forms actively feeding in the bay. A dozen Red-breasted Mergansers, a
few Ruddy Ducks, 16 Ring-necked Ducks, a few Bufflehead, and 28 Tundra Swans in
front of Kane's Creek rounded out the notables.
I ended Saturday at Burke Lake - passing the old Lorton prison site on the
way and noting an Am. Kestrel - finding 4 Pied-billed Grebes, a few Mallards
and
Lesser Scaup, 6 Bufflehead, 2 Hooded Mergansers, 26 more Common Mergansers, 2
Red-breasted Mergansers, and 28 Ruddy Ducks. Plus 5 Am. Coots - the only
ones I have found up here all month. A nearly one year old, molting,
Red-tailed
Hawk posed in a tree for a photographer (which was a fine addition for him!)
to finish the day here. I headed back a bit early (ca. 3PM with Coopers Hawk
harrasing Rock Pigeon flock near Little River Turnpike) with 60 some-odd
species and no finch recorded (!).
Sunday also began late due to previous evening festivities. I headed south
to a short (ca. 2 mile) road into Prince William Forest Park (L. Breckinridge
Reservoir, north side) hoping to find Red-breasted Nuthatches and Pine
Warblers. Well, not today. The first two birds were Hermit Thrush on the
roadside
edge and the third was a Wild Turkey. I had just gotten out of the car and was
lacing up the boots, and I heard a pine tree give a low moaning growl - I
looked up, figuring it was two trees rubbing against each other. I see the
turkey
in a slow glide down away from me. You know, you see these big fellows in
the air and its clear why Turkey Vultures are named so! Three Brown Creepers
in
3 stops. No other great shakes down this road although I did pick up a half
dozen Golden-crowned Kinglets - I only mention this because they will be gone
in these part in about 3 weeks.
I headed south to Aquia Landing in Stafford County. I had first looked at
this spot 3 years ago on a CBC from the opposite (north) bank and thought it
interesting. Well, today interesting is an understatement! I was met with a
great diversity of waterfowl in this small area and record the following totals:
Pied-billed Grebe 2
DC Cormorant 2
Great Blue Heron 8
C. Goose 21
Tundra Swan 30
Mute Swan 20
Wood Duck 6
Gadwall 152
Am. Wigeon 88
Am. Black Duck 6
Mallard 2
No. Pintail 4
Canvasback 14
Redhead 30
Greater Scaup 2
Lesser Scaup 48
Bufflehead 23
Common Goldeneye 5 (3 males!)
Hooded Merganser 2
Red-breasted Mergansers 2
Ruddy Duck 6
Am. Coot 100
in addition I found 10 E. Bluebirds on the drive in, 5 Red-shouldered Hawks
(most on the way), 2 Winter Wrens, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet (the last I found in
these parts was in January), a single Yellow-rumped upstream on the Aquia, and
a couple of Rusty Blackbirds.
After lunch at the "Bagel Stop" on Rt 1, I headed west to the piedmont. More
Red-shouldered Hawks and a couple of Red-tailed Hawks were seen. I am
starting to think Red-shouldered Hawks were moving north this weekend. I added
18
Ring-necked Ducks on a pond near Nokesville (Pr Wm Co), 4 Horned Lark near Aden
Rd (where Mike Iwanik saw his lovely longspur a month or so back), a single
White-crowned Sparrow with 20 Song Sparrow near the hay bales nearby, more
Songs at Cedar Run (75 for the day, makes me think "north"), a nice mixed flock
of
300 Red-winged Blackbirds with starlings and at least one Brown-headed
Cowbird in a field along Parkway, scattered groups of Common Grackles totaling
35, a
Yellow-rumped Warbler and another 10 E. Bluebirds. Of course, American
Kestrels are pretty easy to find in the Nokesville area due to the fine efforts
of
Ken Bass and his nest boxes.
I sped back to western Fairfax Co and went up Pleasant Vally Rd to the
Hunter-Hacor tract near the county line. A fine example of piedmont habitat
that
still remains in western Fairfax Co I birded the cedar line for sparrows,
finding a Chipping mixed in with White-throats, Fields, Songs and Swamps. A
Barred
Owl sped away as I rounded a cedar, pishing the sparrows. A single No.
Harrier (female) hunted the nearby field. I stayed late, but no Short-eared
Owls
this time. Three American Woodcock peented a few times (one even took flight
and displayed) but all quickly silenced their nuptial charms - perhaps they
sensed the coming storm? I also spotted 40 high flying north-bound ducks -
scoters or scaup is the best I can say as I was without scope. Oh, more Song
Sparrows, too. The day ended with 75 or so species which seems pretty good for
February in these part. The buteo totals for the route taken were 11
Red-shoulders and 8 Red-tails.
Kurt Gaskill
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