Joy,
My weekend was far less interesting than Mr. Gaskill's, so I will make
this brief for everyone else.
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK showed up at the feeders for some good ol'
sunflower hearts on Friday (at home in Ruth, VA); I had BLACKBURNIAN
WARBLER & HERMIT THRUSH singing in WV on Saturday, CHESTNUT-SIDED &
CERULEAN WARBLER in PA on Sunday & was greeted by SCARLET TANAGER,
NORTHERN PARULA and BALTIMORE ORIOLE back home in Ruth on Monday.
Ian C. Topolsky
Ruth, VA
--- kurtcapt87@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Joy,
It was good running into at Huntley Meadows late Sunday afternoon. I
had just gotten back from a business trip out to the coast and I
admit that I felt like I was missing the spring migration since I was
away. I tried getting a "fix" Saturday, but the weather was far less
than accommodating (gawd, it would rain, and then stop, then rain,
then stop, then. UGH!). So when Jay (Keller, the guy with me at
Huntley) called late Saturday proposing an early start for Sunday, I
figured, "sure, maybe it won't rain and we can find a few new
migrants". That's why I/we began so early (yes, I saw that look you
gave!). Despite the early date, we managed to find 133 species.
Since I didn't get a chance to tell you all the gory details, I
thought I would send this note.
We loaded the car at my house, listened to the local Barred Owl and
then left and headed south on 95, taking the Prince William Forest
Park exit - Rt 619 aka Joplin Rd. We stopped near the intersection
with the road that goes to Breckinridge Reservoir and found a
chipping Whip-poor-will and a nearby a Chuck-will's-widow that kept
singing and singing! If we had a flashlight (yes, I know, turn in
that scout merit badge) we probably could have found it sitting in
the tree near the road. (But, no flashlight!) Anyway, we got into
the car and went on to Nokesville.
I like Nokesville even though more houses are going up (I feel sorry
for the commuters, it must be murder!). We headed to this nice road
that last year was kind to us and was kind again this time around -
American Woodcock displaying! Nearby, a couple of Grasshopper
Sparrow sang their quiet insect song. It was getting light - maybe
half an hour to sunrise which would have been beautiful IF there were
no clouds! Lots of robins singing, towhees, Chipping Sparrows, Field
Sparrows, and Eastern Meadowlarks. and a couple of hound dogs
('natch, it's Virginia, right?). We then headed over to Cedar Run
Wetlands and heard the grunting of a Virginia Rail. Then off to
Fleetwood Rd for a White-crowned Sparrow and further down the road, a
Solitary Sandpiper in a wet meadow. Yet, all that driving and its
getting light and all but no kestrel? I wished we could have checked
a few more roads for the falcon, but we wanted to get to Possum Point
early-ish. So, we left and drove on, only we stopped briefly at this
really innocuous gravel lot next to some transformers. We stopped
here once before last year hoping for Pine Warbler but not finding
any (lots of pine trees near this spot). So, we stop again and. no
Pine Warbler. Yet, we find this Blue-winged Warbler singing away and
we look at it and its pretty clean- not a hybrid. Great! We also
hear a Ruby-crowned Kinglet going nuts with its patriot song and spot
two Eastern Kingbirds on the wires. Anyway, we needed to make tracks
and so eastward!
We make the Point after stopping for a traditional Scottish
breakfast(wink-wink, HA!). We check a few turnouts on Possum Point
Rd and find not one, not two, but THREE Tundra Swans! I can only
guess these birds "missed the boat" when the adults left (ya know,
young swans learn their migration routes from the adults). Anyway,
we also found a Snowy Egret which was pretty neat since it had lots
of plumes and we so seldom find them up here in spring looking so
handsome. Of course there were many Bald Eagles, two Red-shouldered
Hawks, a Red-tailed, and a couple of Prothonotary Warblers along the
road. We then drove onto the show near the power plant.
Lots of fun - we find a quiet Great Crested Flycatcher fly catching
in the woods, many Gray Catbirds and White-eyed Vireos, a Blue-headed
Vireo up in a pine with a Scarlet Tanager (the former sang, the
latter was quiet). (Oh, I should mention we saw Larry Meade and Phil
Kenny here, I think Phil found the Scarlet Tanager.) At the crest in
the road I see a Blue Grosbeak perch on a wire and there a lot of
Orchard Orioles! Caspian Terns fly over heading for Quantico Creek.
Both yellowlegs down in the pond. Down the road, most everything is
the same as Marc Ribaudo wrote about the day before. We find this
pair of Purple Finch, several Palm and Worm-eating Warblers (this one
wormie would chase this other bird - I think it was a cardinal - away
from its singing perch, then return and sing again, and then the
cardinal returns and it all repeats - very funny). Hermit Thrush,
Warbling Vireo, Summer Tanager, Northern Parulas, LA Waterthrush,
Yellow-throated, Pine (yea!) B&W and Prairie Warblers, Ovenbirds and
Wood Thrush singing in the woods, and lots of Blue-grays. And LOTS
of yellow-rumps! It's a great spot even when neo-trop migration has
just barely started!
We left, but not before spotting 4 Blue-winged Teal in the river near
the road. Next was Leesylvania SP which was still great with many
birds (like parulas and yellow-throateds and more dendroica coronata)
plus we added Boneparte's Gull, Forster's Tern, Purple Martin,
White-breasted Nuthatch, and E. Bluebird. Veteran's Park was our
next stop and we found more Snowy Egrets - two! Plus Wilson's Snipe.
There is this nice overlook at a marina near the mouth of Occoquan
Bay and you can scope about half the bay. Here we added a lot of new
species: Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Red-breasted
Mergansers, Common Loon, and Herring Gull. And ya know there are ten
Osprey nests all around you! We then went to Occoquan Bay NWR and
walked around a bit and we were just AMAZED at the number of Yellow
Warblers! It was past noon and we counted at least 15 singers.
There was also Yellow-breasted Chat and King Rail, plus Savannah
Sparrow and a few Rusty Blackbirds by the automatic gate near the
entrance.
Jay thought we needed more raptors, so we headed over the Lorton
area, driving the roads around the old prison site. Yes I know; more
new houses here. But it still attracts the birds and we find our
first Black Vultures and manage to log in a Cooper's Hawk plus
Red-shoulders, Red-tails, Osprey, and eagles. And this little pond
has a Spotted Sandpiper! We left, passing a few singing meadowlarks.
We head to Pohick Park and scoped across the bay and pick out 50 or
so American Coots and one Pied-billed Grebe off Fort Belvoir.
Scanning above the forest also paid off with a Northern Harrier! I
thought we should go to Dyke Marsh but first a brief stop along the
river for Bill McGovern's Red-headed WP near Waynewood Dr. Sure
enough - it's still there and another too! Maybe they will stick
around and breed??? Anyway, we continue northward and stop at Dyke
and find a Ruddy Duck and an American Black Duck! It seems like Dyke
always has a bit of luck attracting waterfowl late into the season.
Next stop was the Wilson Bridge looking for one of the Peregrine's -
and sure enough, it must see us drive up because it lifts off its
"blue girder perch" and gives a nice welcome flight over Virginia.
Very nice!
So, we headed to Huntley where we met up with you. The Glossy and
White-faced Ibis were a nice tic to the day's list, although the
overhead flight made viewing them difficult. And it seems like there
were 2 American Bitterns - besides the one you found to the east
there was one just west of the raised portion of the boardwalk loop,
posing on this grassy tussock for the looongest time! And
Green-winged Teals, a single Hooded Merganser, a calling
Yellow-crowned Night Heron in the woods near sundown, and eight Least
Sandpipers running around on a little square of mud. We also spotted
about 100 Rusty Blackbirds (really close looks at some feeding near
the boardwalk), not too mention at least 7 Solitary Sandpipers, many
Greater Yellowlegs and one Lesser.
I was surprised how well the day went considering we are not really
near migration peak. But it was lots of fun as well as good to get
out and stretch the legs. Hope to see you soon - maybe get you out
to the spring count in Fairfax (May 6) or at Cape Charles (May 13) or
even Highland County (May 15)? And maybe you know a friend
interested in the counts too??? Let me know - I might be able to
help find a place for a sleeping bag. However it works out, until
next time - keep spotting those owls!
Kurt
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