VA BIRDers,
In honor of St. Swiven's birthday (cannonized principally due to his prophecy
that he would be the youngest saint at the end of time) Kim Peacock, Linda
Millington and myself ventured out once again to find birds.
We headed out on I-66 turning off onto Harrison Rd in Fauquier Co. The pond
there held an Eurasian Wigeon (male) and a few other of its American cousins.
Also present were Ring-necked Ducks and singing E. Bluebirds and Red-winged
Blackbirds. A few Horned Larks flew over.
We traveled further down the road to the pond on Belvoir Rd near Rt 17 - about
9 am. Here we found a Ross's Goose in adult plumage. Dusky coloration top and
sides near bill base on otherwise orangish bill, bill joins in a straight line
on the face, no grin patch, smaller bill in length in proportion to the head,
rounder, less massive head than Snow, shorter neck (less than a head length),
white underside (no gray) from the dark wing tips to the body, and 2/3 the size
of nearby Canada Geese (flying and floating nearby). Great bird!
A pond west of of Rt 17 held a male and female Redhead mixed in with many other
ducks, mostly Ring-necked.
We headed off to Sky Meadows and it was pretty much dulls-ville. Many raptors
(Bald Eagle, No. Harrier, Sharpie, Red-tailed, and Am. Kestrel) but the
songbirds were mostly absent. We conjectured that the ice and snow early this
month drove these birds southward. A couple of No. Mockers were still noted.
A nearby farm pond held a single Wilson's Snipe and another direction yielded a
Common Raven in a woodlot near a stream.
We visited Loudoun Co. and mainly counted hawks as few songbirds seemed to be
about; no big surprises noted - mostly Red-tails. We did manage to find one
pond with Ring-necked Ducks - outside of Beaverdam and Dulles Wetlands this can
be tough! A visit to the AT trailhead parking area netted a Winter Wren. We
spotted several E. Bluebirds most of which were intent on singing.
We moved eastward to Dulles Wetlands and found a fine duck showing there with
Gadwall (8), Am. Wigeon (6), Am. Black Duck (30), Mallard (16), No. Pintail
(28), Green-winged Teal (12), Bufflehead (2), and a Common Merganser observed.
A flock of 30 Common Snipe gave us a thrill as it wheeled about, this way and
that. Also seen was an overflying Common Raven missing several left wing
feathers.
Kurt Gaskill
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