[va-bird] Raptors, sparrows, more

Howdy VAbirders!

There have been many birds moving thru our garden and woods in the last 
several weeks.  The faces change daily, they're outta here!  Raptors have 
been fairly constant with a new one most days, and today several moved thru 
in a short span of time.  This morning we had 2 Red-shouldered hawks mixing 
it up with a Red-tailed hawk just over the tops of the trees.  Then an 
immature male Cooper's hawk took a swipe at the Grackles raiding our 
peanuts, and about an hour later an adult female Sharp-shinned hawk plunged 
after a Modo, but missed.  Sometime after that we got another flash of her 
and then heard a Starling scream, so we think she was successful on that run.

The number of Ring-billed gulls has dropped and am only seeing 1 or 2 once 
in a while.

Junco numbers have been higher this season than ever before, with about 20 
birds daily.  OTOH, White-throated sparrow numbers are way low for us, at 
about 6 daily, with 10 being our max at one time.  Other years our numbers 
of Juncos vs. White-throated have been the reverse.  Happily, we've had 3 
Fox Sparrows, 2 Chipping Sparrows, and 1 Towhee so far this month.

Cardinals have been steady at about 30 birds thru the winter, and the 
number is only now dropping, with about 20 birds in view most mornings and 
evenings.  The FILO birds I call them, first in, last out.  Blue Jays, 
which were pretty scarce thru the winter seeing only 3 or so off and on, 
are now picking up.  We've had about 10 daily this week.

House Finch and A. Goldfinch numbers are decent, with about 20 each most 
days.  The Goldfinch male plumages run the range from total winter plumage 
to almost total summer plumage with quite a few very bright stars to make 
our mouths pop open and say ooooooooaaaaaah!  Nertz to winter!  The 
transitional male plumage reminds me of an overboiled egg yolk that has 
turned green, with bright yellow showing thru the spots where the outside 
has rubbed off.  A reach maybe, but that's what comes to mind when I see 
them.  Anyway.....

Have seen only 2 Cowbirds so far, both female, and no Red-winged Blackbirds 
at all, unusual for us.  Yesterday brought a Pine Warbler and an E. Phoebe, 
both calling thru the morning from the woods.  They joined all the other 
birdsong, calls, and woodpecker hammering that have made mornings a joyous 
sound experience that gets a birder's blood up!  The incessant Flickers 
provide the background for all the other layers of birdsound, even at 3:00 
am!  You gotta love 'em!

Lori Markoff
Vienna
Fairfax County
canyon.eagle@xxxxxxxxxxx









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