Seven people showed up for the Northern Virginia Bird Club trip to Occoquan Bay
NWR, led by myself and Bob Klarquist. The weather was a little dicey at times,
but overall the birding was quite good, with lots of activity. We saw a total
of 65 species. The most unusual find was a late northern waterthrush, singing
near the intersection of Easy Rd. and Deephole Pt. Rd. We also saw a female
black and white warbler. If a migrant, it was also late. Another late migrant
was a flock of 5 ruddy ducks off the gazebo.
It was heartening to here bobwhite calling from several places along our route.
We also saw 2 eastern meadowlarks in the meadow on the right as you enter the
refuge. Prothonotary warblers were very vocal, and we saw or heard about 10,
most along Deephole Pt. Rd. Other notables were sharp-shinned hawk, great
egret, yellow-billed cuckoo, blue grosbeak, orchard oriole (lots), baltimore
oriole, warbling vireo and king rail. Here is a complete list:
double-crested cormorant - 7
great blue heron - 9
great egret - 1
green heron - 3
canada goose - 15
wood duck - 2
mallard - 4
ruddy duck - 5
turkey vulture - 3
osprey - 10
bald eagle - 2
sharp-shinned hawk - 1
northern bobwhite - 4
king rail - 1
killdeer - 2
mourning dove - 12
yellow-billed cuckoo - 1
chimney swift - 8
ruby-throated hummingbird - 3
red-bellied woodpecker - 3
downy woodpecker - 2
northern flicker - 1
eastern wood pewee - 2
acadian flycatcher - 2
great crested flycatcher - 3
eastern kingbird - 6
purple martin - 4
tree swallow - 20
northern rough-winged swallow - 2
barn swallow - 10
cedar waxwing - 10
carolina wren - 12
gray catbird - 1
brown thrasher - 5
eastern bluebird - 6
blue-gray gnatcatcher - 10
carolina chickadee - 8
tufted titmouse - 3
american crow - 8
fish crow - 12
european starling - 50
white-eyed vireo - 2
warbling vireo - 2
red-eyed vireo - 2
yellow warbler - 10
black and white warbler - 1
prothonotary warbler - 10
northern waterthrush - 1
common yellowthroat - 12
yellow-breasted chat - 6
eastern towhee - 4
field sparrow - 8
song sparrow - 3
northern cardinal - 10
blue grosbeak - 2
indigo bunting - 10
red-winged blackbird - 25
eastern meadowlark - 2
common grackle - 20
brown-headed cowbird - 12
baltimore oriole - 3
orchard oriole - 14
house finch - 4
american goldfinch - 8
house sparrow - 2
Marc Ribaudo
Woodbridge, VA
