[va-bird] Snow at Huntley Meadows

Fellow birders,

Wednesday I was on the west (dog) side of Huntley Meadows; the trails are not 
cleared but a few cross-country skiiers and shoe-shoe (bigfoot?) persons have 
kindly make an ersatz path and you can step in their wide-gated footsteps.  
It's a bit easier in the afternoon when the snow is beginning to melt.

The birds seemed friendlier as I got close to many striped sparrows feeding on 
top of the snow-pack, 12 feet from a woodpecker and about as close to a wren 
who was trying to dismantle squirrel and crows' nests.  The woods were very 
quiet which amplified the calls; the light was very nice with an overcast -- 
you'll need sunglasses in bright sunlight.

The pond was snow-covered and although only one lonely duck showed up, scores 
of geese flew in around sunset for the nite.  About 100 yards from the deck 
(seats are dry) was a large hawk which was joined by another, smaller one in 
the next tree -- my first view of 2 hawks in the same frame/view.

Amateur list:

Canada geese -- 200 +
mallard (drake) -- 1
herring gull -- 1
(small, white) gull -- 4
red-shouldered hawk -- 2
downy woodpecker -- 5
A. crow -- 7
tufted titmouse -- 3
Carolina wren -- 1
Carolina chickadee -- 3
red-winged blackbird -- 20 +
dark-eyed junco -- 2
cardinal (male) -- 2
A. tree sparrow -- 1
white-throated sparrow -- 4
song sparrow (?) -- 6
swamp sparrow (?) -- 5
fox sparrow (??) -- 2

Happy birding,
Harry Gurkin
Arlington





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