[va-richmond-general] new Cumberland birds
- From: "Michael Shapiro" <sc.tanager@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Richmond listserv" <va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2005 23:55:54 -0400
I saw six new species at school today (Tuesday):
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1
Red-winged Blackbirds (about 20 - all/nearly all female and/or immature males)
Eastern Meadowlark - singing from the very top of a tall tree just outside my
"learning cottage." I'd been hearing this bird on and off for a couple of
weeks, but couldn't confirm it was a Meadowlark and not a Starling until today.
Northern Mockingbird (I don't know how I missed seeing this here before. Mostly
likely I've seen it but not written it down.
Tree Swallows - 2, flying overhead.
Chipping Sparrow - 1, singing
I now have 26 birds on my school list - not bad for six months of no real
active birding - just listening and watching what's around.
I've been teaching nature as part of an after-school program at school.
Today, we went on a nature walk. One group saw the swallows and the Chipping
Sparrow. Both groups saw a singling male Eastern Bluebird. One group looked at
a European Starling through my scope and a couple of them commented on how
pretty it was. The fact that it was a non-native species that has hurt some
native species over the years didn't alter their opinion. When we saw an
American Crow sitting on a fence, they all wanted to see it in the scope (it
flew off before we had that chance). It's interesting how kids get excited and
interested in things we take for granted. When was the last time any of us ever
really watched a crow or a starling? One group also saw a pair of Pond Skaters
in a very small stream. One had to be the biggest Pond Skater I've ever seen.
It had to be as big as one of my fingers.
Michael Shapiro
Short Pump
sc.tanager@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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