[va-bird] Recent Sightings No. VA, 5/29&30

VA BIRDers,

Kim Peacock and I birded a few locations in Northern Virginia yesterday and 
today and note the following.

Saturday morning (5/29) we visited Upper Thompson WMA (Fauquier and Clarke Cos) 
and highlights were Ruffed Grouse (clucking), American Woodcock (flushed from 
grassy meadow near Catbird Heaven), Red-tailed Hawk, Common Ravens, a singing 
Black-throated Green Warbler, and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. We also encountered 
the usual breeders such as Acadian Flycatchers, Great Crested Flycatchers, 
White-eyed Vireo, Wood Thrushes, Gray Catbirds, Cerulean Warblers, Am. 
Redstarts, Ovenbirds, Kentucky Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, Hooded Warblers, 
YB Chats, Scarlet Tanagers, Eastern Towhees, Chipping Sparrows and the other 
common species.

We next traveled to the east side of the ridge along the road connecting the 
Ted Lake area to the Lower Thompson parking lot and thence to Sky Meadows.  
Highlights here were Broad-winged Hawk, Am. Kestrel, Belted Kingfisher, 
Warbling Vireo, No. Rough-winged Swallows, Yellow Warblers, and both orioles.

We passed by Sky Meadows (Belted Kingfisher on the pond, Grasshopper Sparrow 
near the horse concession) which was hosting the Strawberry Festival (fee to 
enter) and moved west to the Blandy Arboretum off of Rt 50. Here we encountered 
a weakly calling Sora at the pond near the boardwalk, Willow Flycatchers 
displaying over the pond, a couple of Grasshopper Sparrows and both orioles.

On our way home we stopped at the Harrison Rd field and noted two male 
Bobolinks.

The next day (5/30), we started along Possum Point Rd in Pr Wm Co.  Here we 
noted a fine assembledge of Wood Duck (31, most were male), and a Red-breasted 
Merganser (female) in the stream channel.  A Northern Bobwhite was calling near 
the main ash pond.  Four Yellow-billed Cuckoos were noted.  No migrating 
neotrops were obviously noted although all the regular breeders appeared to be 
present (such as E. Wood Pewees, Acadian Flycatchers, Great Crested 
Flycatchers, E. Kingbirds, White-eyed Vs, Wood Thrushes, No. Parulas, Yellow 
Warbler, Yellow-throated Warblers, Prairie Warbler, Black & White Warblers, 
Prothonotary Warblers, Worm-eating Warblers, Ovenbird, LA Waterthrush, Com. 
Yellowthroats, Hooded Warbler, YB Chats, Summer Tanagers, Scarlet Tanagers, E. 
Towhees, Chipping Sp, Field Sp, Indigo Buntings, and both orioles).

We then visited Leesylvania SP and noted only a Great Black-backed Gull, many 
Purple Martins, more Summer Tanagers (great photo ops at the Beaver pond), and 
a Blue Grosbeak.  DC Cormorants were on stakes in the bay to the south of the 
car top boat launch area.  A couple of YB Cuckoos were also heard.

We visited the Neabsco Creek area detailed by Marc Ribaudo yesterday and saw a 
single Least Bittern at about 0915 - the tide was well out then so this may not 
have been an optimal time to visit.  We ran into Joe and Gwen Gant and, after 
viewing a YB Cuckoo, joined forces for a Lake Ridge (Pr Wm Co) visit for 
Mississippi Kites.

Traveling to the reported site, we missed a turn but found an adult male 
Mississippi Kite on Occoquan Forest Rd near Ramblewood Trail (ADC No. VA map p 
25, F6).  This is about 6000 feet from the previously reported site.  We drove 
to the original site and quickly noted 4 Mississippi Kites - 1 adult male and 3 
females/sub-adults.  One female/sub-adult flew from an apparent nest site (we 
did not see the site occupied).  A molting Red-shouldered Hawk which passed by 
a few hundred yards to the west got the male Mississippi Kite's attention.  
After a 10 min. or so, one of the 3 female/sub-adults flew (not the one from 
the nest site) and displayed sub-adult plumage underneath.  Curiously, no 
cuckoos here.

We then drove to the Bull Run Marina playing field areas (Fairfax Co).  
Highlights here was a good hawk display with 4 Red-taileds moving above the 
tree line to the west of the bend in Kinchloe Rd (parking area here) which were 
(sort of) joined by 2 Red-shouldered, a single Coopers and an astounding Common 
Nighthawk (the time was 1330).  Nearby a Blue Grosbeak and Yellow-throated 
Vireo sang.  (We passed two Prothonotaries on the way to the parking area, not 
easy to find on the piedmont up here!)  A couple of YB Cuckoos were observed.

Not quite exhausted, Kim and I then visited the Hemlock Overlook Park along the 
Bull Run.  Highlights were a couple more Yellow-billed Cuckoos, two Belted 
Kingfishers, Yellow-throated Vireo, a Kentucky Warbler across the river in Pr 
Wm Co, and a cooperative Summer Tanager (plus the usual breeders).

On the way home we stopped in the Lorton area (under extreme housing 
construction flux!) and noted a few fine Fairfax Co breeders such as Am. 
Kestrel, Brown Thrasher, Praire Warbler, Grasshopper Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, 
and E. Meadowlark.

Kurt Gaskill
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