[va-bird] The Plains/Airlie CBC, 19 December

Greetings,
 
We were able to stay ahead of the weather out in Fauquier County today, and  
The Plains/Airlie CBC got off without a hitch on 19 December, our seventh year 
 of counting.  With the way the wind is blowing right now, I'm pleased  that 
the count was today. Still two sectors that haven't reported numbers yet,  but 
a couple birds worth mentioning. 
 
A first-winter Thayer's Gull was found by Joan Boudreau and Bob Abrams at  
the Fauquier County landfill.  This is the second consecutive year the  species 
was found at that location on the count, last year by Steve  Rottenborn.  
 
The Greater White-fronted Goose that winters here as of late was seen on  
Harrison Road at about two-thirty PM by Lad Topolsky, Ian Topolsky, and  me.  
 
Our preliminary total is a disappointing 89 species, which is the second  
lowest total ever.  We had about fifty participants, which is about  average.  
There are a few misses that might have been found in the  unreported sectors.  
However, inexplicable is the dearth of Northern  Harriers.  We had none, and we 
have lots of habitat for it.  We  haven't missed this species since 1998, and 
had a dozen in each of the last two  years.  One of the two unreported 
sectors includes North Fork wetlands,  which could easily have produced a 
harrier, 
but the fact remains there are many  fields out there that should have harriers 
hunting them, but don't.  
 
Other tentative misses:  Wood Duck, seen in four of the previous six  years.  
Northern Shoveler, seen in four of the previous six years.   Canvasback, 
first ever miss.  Redhead, second ever miss (2003).   Northern Bobwhite, seen 
in 
four of the previous six years.  Wilson's Snipe,  seen in four of the previous 
six.  Red-headed Woodpecker, seen in four of  the previous six years.  Horned 
Lark, never previously missed (count week  only in 1998).  American Pipit, 
missed for the first time (seen count week  this year).  Gray Catbird, second 
ever miss (1999). 
 
Good finds included at least 22 Eastern Screech-Owls, 13 Great Horned Owls,  
7 Barred Owls, one Barn Owl, one Merlin, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and our  
third ever Pine Warbler.  
 
More later, once all the numbers are in. 
 
Cheers, 
 
Todd
 
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Todd Michael  Day
Jeffersonton, Virginia,  USA
BlkVulture@xxxxxxx
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