[va-bird] Pr Wm and Frfx Co and Monticello (Alex) 5/28/05

VA BIRDers,
 

I started off pre-dawn near the intersection of Joplin and Liming Rds in the
midst of Prince William Forest Park (unit of NPS - this is the location that
Mark Moran found the Chuck-will's-widow in early May), thence to the Point
(Possum Pt and Cockpit Rds and Quantico Cr east of Rt 1 in Pr Wm Co), then
to Leesylvania SP and north to Monticello Park in the City of Alexandria.
Late in the day I visited the Stone Bridge over Hunting Creek near Dyke
Marsh in Fairfax Co.  Passerine migration has clearly slowed although many
local breeders are still coming in, e.g., Prothonotary Warbler was setting
up shop today behind the WAWA nr the corner of Rt  1 and Neabsco Cr Rd.

 

Highlights were Lesser Scaup (male) on Quantico Cr and a mixed group of 5
still near the mouth of the Occoquan River, Solitary Sandpiper at Quantico
Cr, Spotted Sandpiper near the WAWA, Semipalmated Sandpipers at Hunting Cr
mudflats, American Woodcock at Liming Rd, Caspian Terns at Occoquan Bay and
the riverside mudflats of Hunting Creek Bay, Chuck-will's-widow at Liming Rd
with several Whip-poor-wills, Alder Flycatcher at the Point, Least
Flycatchers at the Point, Warbling Vireo near Julie Metz, Veery at Liming
Rd, Gray-cheeked Thrush singing at the Point, Swainson's Thrush at Liming
Rd, the Point and Monticello, Black-throated Green Warbler at Leesylvania,
Blackpoll Warblers at Leesylvania and Monticello, Black & White Warbler CF
at the Point (site #3, nr the sunken pond on Cockpit), American Redstart at
the Point and Leesylvania, Kentucky Warblers at the Point, Canada Warbler at
the Point, and Blue Grosbeak migrating at the Point and at Monticello.

 

I arrived at Liming Rd at 5 AM and feared I missed the Chuck's as only a
Whip was singing AND it was getting quite light.  After hearing distant
hooting of the two big owls, I tried to call up the local screech at this
location and was met with Catbirds, Mocker and eventually the Chuck.
Hooray!  Off I drove to the Point.

 

I got to the Point and quickly found representatives of many local breeders
but no passage passerine migrants along the first half of the road segment -
just Solitary Sandpiper and a Lesser Scaup on the Bay.  By the way, some of
the highlight species that breed in this area are: Hooded Merganser, Wood
Duck, RT Hummer, Belted Kingfisher, Acadian Flycatcher, E. Phoebe, Great
Crested Flycatcher, E. Kingbird, White-eyed, Yellow-throated and Red-eyed
Vireo, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Wood Thrush, Gray Catbird, Brown
Thrasher, Cedar Waxwing, No. Parula, Yellow, Yellow-throated, Pine, Prairie,
and Black & White Warblers, American Redstart, Worm-eating Warbler,
Ovenbird, LA Waterthrush, Kentucky Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded
Warbler, YB Chat, Summer and Scarlet Tanagers, E. Towhee, Chipping Sp, Field
Sp, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, and Orchard and Baltimore Orioles.

 

At the top of the hill overlooking one of the ash ponds I encountered the
singing Gray-checked Thrush which posed quite nicely in the sparse stand of
7 pine trees along the road.  It was joined by an empid flycatcher which I
watched for nearly 10 minutes until it said "kep" thus sealing the Alder ID.
Down Cockpit Rd I found a singing Kentucky's on either side near the
beginning and the mid-point.  Near the sunken pond was a singing Canada.  I
tried to pish this fellow up and was rewarded with 2 different Swainson 's
Thrush and 2 Least Flycatchers in the nearby Pine Trees.  I continue to
cover the road but found nothing new and left the singing Canada as I sped
away in my car.

 

The clouds had closed in and gray skies dominated during my Leesylvania
visit.  Most of the action was near the car top boat launch area where I
heard the distant Black-throated Green.  That's pretty much it!  Later a
Blackpoll squeaked out a stanza of its song when the sun shone briefly.  The
usual breeders were quite active such as No. Parula, Yellow-throated and
Prothonotary Warblers, Summer Tanager, etc.

 

During the drive to Monticello the sun shone often and I was optimistic.
But upon arrival the skies soon closed in again.  I met up with Rich Rieger
and we patiently waited many minutes for two Blackpoll Warblers and two
Swainson's Thrush plus the calling Blue Grosbeak.  We then left (perhaps the
last for the day?).  Later (ca. 6PM), I went to the Stone Bridge to look for
the few shorebirds that were present and noted the additional Caspian Terns
plus Laughing, Ring-billed and Great Black-backed Gulls.  Yet, even with
this low-key day, I noted over a 100 species.

 

Kurt Gaskill


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