VA BIRDers,
(My first try with the new email address, kurtcapt87 at verizon.net)
I could not resist the warm spring Saturday in Northern Virginia (re: 40 F
in the morning, brrrr!). So, I woke up early to try an experiment, partial
dry run if you will, for a Big Day up here. I had to quit early (3PM) due
to a friend's birthday festivities (one of the big "zeros" if you know what
I mean). Anyway, it was just half serious. I managed 87 species, starting
a bit after sunrise.
First stop was the Possum Point Rd area of Pr William Co. Highlights here
were Louisiana Waterthrush and two Hermit Thrush dueting in song - one would
sing the first stanza, the other would answer with the second. This went on
several times. It was pretty amazing. I noted the usual Wood Ducks,
Ring-necked Ducks, Common Mergansers, Hooded Mergansers, Osprey, Bald
Eagles, Tree Swallows, Northern Rough-winged Swallows, etc over Quantico
Creek/Bay. And I came across a few Golden-crowned Kinglets along Cockpit Pt
Rd, some Pine Warblers singing mutedly and a single Yellow-rumped Warbler.
The surprise was a Red-headed WP seen as I was leaving, along the road near
where the houses begin by the bridge.
I drove to Julie Metz Mitigation Bank and the Neabsco Cr area. Missed
several of Marc Ribaudo's goodies but saw my only Am. Black Ducks, Greater
Yellowlegs, and Purple Martins - also a few Barn Swallows which finished the
swallows for the day. A quick visit to Leeslyvania SP yielded Brown
Creeper.
Next was Veteran's Park where a fine group of 40 Gadwall hung out on a pond
near the parking lot - nearby was an Eastern Phoebe. Next stop was Occoquan
Bay NWR which produced a Sharp-shinned Hawk (yep, sure about this little
guy), the first American Kestrels of the day (a pair), a single American
Coot on the marshy pond by the road, and single Savannah and Fox Sparrows
(the latter singing).
I then went to the overlook of Occoquan River using the vantage of the new
marina and its elevated roof/deck. Great view. Noted 10 Osprey nests in
field of view, 12 Osprey flying as a group, a few more Bald Eagles,
Pied-biilled Grebe, and the first Horned Grebes Buffleheads and Red-breasted
Mergansers. From here I drove to Mason Neck SP (Fairfax Co), avoiding a
couple of Hermit Thrush crossing the road (a new Harry Armistead question).
The look-out at the SP yielded up the first American Wigeon and Ruddy Ducks
of the day plus I sorted through 300+ Lesser Scaup to find a single Greater
Scaup (I gave up after that). The best payoff was a pair of Redheads. I
left here 5 minutes after noon.
I tried the view of Pohick Bay from the same named park but found nothing
new. Knowing I was nearly out of time, I traveled to everyone's favorite
dump, er "Sanitary Landfill", i.e., Prince William County S.L. It was muddy
there, so I did not get out of the car. (Besides, the mud there smells.) I
quickly noted a strange dark-mantled gull tucked into a sleep posture -
adult or near adult in pattern. But - the eye was not brown and the legs
were quite yellow. Lesser Black-backed Gull seemed the best fit, but the
bird lacked any dark mottling on the nape. Nearby was a classic Lesser
Black-backed, so I counted that one. Nothing else new here although the
number of Herring Gulls (ca. 1200) was much larger than Ring-billed (ca.
300).
I left the dump and went to the old standby, the Nokesville area, just
outside of Manassas. Good news here with Cedar Run wetlands producing a few
Rusty Blackbirds and Eastern Meadowlarks. More American Kestrels and Belted
Kingfishers (pairs), and some more Barn Swallows. Nearby farm fields
produced a single American Pipit (huh? Single?), a few Horned Lark, Wilson's
Snipe tucked into corn stubble (it was like being back in Illinois!), and a
really interesting flock of 74 Killdeer that put down into the Horned Lark
field. And then, my clock struck 3 and I left for home.
No planning leads to big misses, but it was not nearly as bad as I thought.
I went through my records for the last 5 years and noted all the species
seen between March 20 and 31. It totals 131 species, with a few obvious
missing ones (like Barn Owl). Anyway, of the 77 "category 5" species (seen
each of the last 5 years in the noted interval) I had 4 misses; these were
Common Loon, Cooper's Hawk, Boneparte's Gull, and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.
I could continue this discussion for the other categories, but only the most
crazed birders would not be bored to tears; so if you want more, just ask.
Anyway, I think there is a reasonable chance to tally 100 species up here at
the end of March.
Let me note that Mr. Brown's American Bittern is a category 1 bird - once in
the previous 5 years I saw it at the end of March! Great Find! And, I
should mention that today I found those Boneparte's Gulls and probably
another goodie.
But - ya gotta keep it in perspective - its just birds!
Kurt Gaskill
Somewhere in Fairfax Co.
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