VA BIRDers,
I visited the Neabsco Creek area this morning, starting off at Rippon Landing
Park - a small park with an interesting wetland that is adjacent to the Neabsco
Creek marsh. Top birds there were 2 Eastern Towhees and a Gray Catbird.
In Neabsco Marsh, about 20 Green-winged Teal were found, best seen from the
Julie Metz wetlands edge which also produced a single American Tree Sparrow but
had a surprising dearth of Field Sparrows. A Hermit Thrush whistled frequently
in the cell adjacent to the parking lot. Laughing Gulls are still present in
Neabsco Marsh with ca. 800 spotted despite the high tide and a single DC
Cormorant was also noted.
Sparrow totals were:
E. Towhee 2
Am. Tree Sp 1
Field Sp 2
Fox Sp 1
Song Sp. 50
Swamp Sp. 34
White-thr Sp. 40
Junco 14
On the way home I stopped by the marina overlooking the mouth of the Occoquan
River (Pr Wm Co side). Here, 250 Am. Coots still held strong and a single
juvenile-plumaged No. Shoveler swam about along with half dozen DC Cormorants,
many Ruddy Ducks, a dozen Mallards and a male Ring-necked Duck.
I also stopped at Mason Neck SP visitor center overlook of Belmont Bay (Frfx
Co). The two rafts of 3400 or so Lesser Scaup were joined by 30 Canvasbacks.
But the real story was the visitor center feeder which hosted a brilliant male
Purple Finch. I was told that 6 Purple Finch were noted yesterday and the
first arrived ca. 2 weeks ago. The park interpreter promised to keep the
feeder filled up through the Fort Belvoir CBC, taking place Jan 2, 2005 this
season.
Kurt Gaskill
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