Hello, birders.
I just spent several hours at Sky Meadows State Park,
on the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge. I hiked from
the contact station to the Visitor's Center to the
Appalachian Trail and back. I also briefly visited
the fishing pond on Rte. 17. It was a beautiful day -
light breeze, sunny, high temp. of 62 degrees F. The
streams are still running high. It was generally a
slow birding day but there were pockets of good stuff.
The woods were especially quiet.
Highlights:
2 Vesper Sparrows near the Visitor's Center, along the
entrance road.
1 Fox Sparrow on the main trail behind the VC area
(Boston Mill Road is the actual name of this trail)
Several Tree Swallows near the fishing pond as well as
along the entrance road to the park.
3 separate gulls flying overhead. The 2 that I
actually saw were flying in a northerly direction.
Ring-billed are definitely the most likely in this
location on the edge of the Piedmont. The gulls did
look smallish, but I can't totally rule out Herring,
as the birds were fairly high.
4 Wood Ducks. 2 (1 M, 2 F) were on the pond along the
Gap Run Trail, and 1 more (M) on the little stream
that the Boston Mill Rd. crosses over
2 Hooded Mergansers, fishing pond
1 pair of Am. Kestrels near the Visitor's Center.
Each one checked out the kestrel box near the VC.
1 blackbird that I think was a Rusty. It was
associating with a flock of robins on the ground at
the base of the South Ridge Trail. It then flew up
into a tree and "sang." It was definitely smaller
than a male Common Grackle and was all black. I'm not
familiar with the Rusty's song. Do female Grackles
sing?
1 E. Phoebe, near where I saw the blackbird.
Above 1550' elevation, snow covered the ground to a
depth up to 5'' or so. Some hikers found bear tracks
along the Appalachian Trail, near the gasline and
pointed them out to me. Very cool.
S. Baron
Fairfax, Va.
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