[va-bird] Shen-Luray CBC Birding, Page Co, 12/19/04

VA BIRDers,

Rich Rieger and I ventured forth to participate in the Shenandoah - Luray CBC 
last Sunday, 12/19/04 (compiler: Mara Meisel); we left just after finishing the 
DC CBC.  We were joined for daytime counting in our Page Co. subsector by 
Napier Shelton, one of the originators of this CBC circle and well-known 
naturalist writer (see his new book, "Where to Watch Birds in Azerbaijan").

Rich and I started out for owls at about 0530 and found a tooting Northern 
Saw-whet outside of Battle Creek responding to our audio lure.  Apparently, 
this was the first tallied Saw-whet for the circle.  We also noted a couple 
each of Eastern Screech and Great Horned Owls.  Napier ventured out separately 
and also tallied a couple each of the Screech and Horned.  We met up at 7AM and 
started off south of Rt 211 along the South Fork of the Shenandoah, quickly 
finding 3 Wood Ducks.  The rest of our day was spent learning the habitat of 
the Sector which is predominately used for cattle, sheep and chickens and is 
notoriously short of waterfowl (we found a total of 24 Canada Geese!)

Daytime highlights were a Short-eared Owl on a post near Alma at about 345PM 
when the snow was blowing nearly horizontal.  The bird was beautiful to behold 
from about 25 feet away...until it got nervous and flew 100 yds away into the 
field. It was still sitting out there when we passed it on our way back out to 
the main road.  Special thanks to Napier who lead us to this interesting farm.

We also tallied the only Northern Pintails (16), American Pipits (130), and 
Eastern Towhee for the circle (at least up to Sunday night, a few other teams 
had not yet reported).  Other notables for us were a pair of Northern 
Shovelers, 18 Red-tailed Hawks, 4 Sharpies (adults), 4 Coopers (adults), 10 Am. 
Kestrels, 10 Wilson's Snipe, and a small number of Horned Larks.  I think we 
ended with about 62 species or so.

We heard at the tally rally Sunday evening that about 83 species were recorded, 
a good "average" showing for this circle.  Other highlights noted were Cackling 
Geese, Barn Owl, Red-headed WP, ca. 10 Eastern Phoebes, a few Black-capped 
Chickadees, a few Red-breasted Nuthatches, a couple of Lapland Longspurs, 
Brewer's Blackbirds, and a handful of Purple Finch.  Low counts on many birds 
dependent upon Red Cedar berries (American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, and 
Yellow-rumped Warblers) were noted as well as for vultures and House Finch.  
Notables that were missed (again, as of Sunday eve) were No. Harrier, Am. Tree 
Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Eve. Grosbeak and Pine Siskin.

All and all a fun time and much to learn about the northern Virginia ridge and 
valley area.  Much thanks to Mara for putting on the show!

Kurt Gaskill


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