VA birders:
En route yesterday to the portion of my MD-DC Breeding Bird Atlas block
that lies in Loudoun County, I heard and saw a Willow Flycatcher singing
from a tree in an overgrown field on the north side of Saint Clair Rd.
(Route 658) This was less than a quarter mile along the road from US 15. A
check of my birding records showed that this was my first ever Willow
Flycatcher in Virginia, where I have birded, admittedly sporadically, for
37 years!
A little farther along the road I also came across a Blue Grosbeak and then
a Grasshopper Sparrow singing on a fence post - the latter was so close to
the car that I could see the yellow on the bend of the wing. Other nice
birds along this road were Eastern Bluebirds, Chipping and Field Sparrows,
American Goldfinches, at least one Eastern Meadowlark, and lots of Tree
Swallows. There were also some Purple Martins, undoubtedly from the big
colony near Lucketts. I remember when a lot of Loudoun County looked like
this, but the planners have apparently decreed that the county must be
developed from end to end. Very sad. The new homeowners all share the
common belief that grass should not be allowed to grow higher than about 2 mm.
Saint Clair Rd. is outside of my Atlas block. Last year I confirmed
breeding by Grasshopper Sparrows in fields along Spinks Ferry Rd., which is
in the block, but (alas) this year there are houses with the obligatory
acres of shorn grass all around. No Grasshoppers to be seen or heard.
Mike Bowen
Bethesda MD
D.H. Michael Bowen (Mike)
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda MD 20817
Tel./Fax: (301) 530-5764
e-mail: dhmbowen@xxxxxxxxx
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