Hola,
Did my typical run after ground covering snow in the Remington area of
Fauquier County, driving the main drag (651/Sumerduck Road), and turning west
on 654 (the road into the turf farms) and east a bit further down 651 onto
755 (Grassdale). Fewer birds than I would have expected. Problem is that
654 and 755 don't yet have bare, dirt covered shoulders. It still has a
layer of snow. The birds I found were along the much better plowed driveway
that runs south off of 654 (the first driveway on the left, the unfortunate
part is that you are essentially standing at the end of the driveway, looking
right at the front of the house a couple hundred miles away). There were
about twenty Horned Larks, one American Pipit, one Lapland Longspur, and five
or six Meadowlarks. That was it for the 654 portion. Over on Grassdale,
there were two groups of three Horned Larks, but perhaps a few more birds
near the cattle on the right as you drive in. That area is muddy, and I did
see some activity. Problem here is that the road isn't quite wide enough
right now to stop and scope if another car decides to come down the road,
which happened to me three times (odd since there are only four houses off
the road). Best sighting of the day was the Wilson's Snipe (ne Common) on
the roof of a shed in the backyard of the first house on the right. The
thing stood there for the entire time I was trying to improve my vantage for
a better picture. It looked ridiculous standing up there.
Not finding quite as many birds as I had hoped, I ventured over to the
Culpeper side of the river, hoping to luck into them there. Not to be. Did
have a flyover flock of pipits, about twenty in all, but that was it. Scores
of White-throats along the major roads that have been plowed well. Overall,
the roads were mediocre. The Fauquier side was fine along 651 and connecting
roads to US 29, which is also fine. The Culpeper side was not fine, with a
few inches of snow/slush still on the road surface. Living in Culpeper
County, my guess is that will remain as such until it melts.
I'll probably get there each day the rest of the week and will post if the
numbers or diversity of birds changes. Remington is long overdue for a Snowy
Owl, and while I don't think this is the year, it is something to keep in
mind out there.
Cheers,
Todd
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Todd Day
Jeffersonton, VA
Culpeper County
Blkvulture@xxxxxxx
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