On Saturday, Oct. 24, twelve birders birded at the home and surrounding
areas of David and Susan Raines enjoying their annual Sparrow Day Event at
Breaks VA. The day began with David hearing a Great Horned Owl just before
dawn. Shortly after 8:00 a.m. while standing near the warm fire in the fire
pit, we heard an Eastern Screech Owl calling from a nearby hill. Hot coffee,
hot apple cider, pumpkin muffins and pumpkin monkeybread were available.
David and Susan also provided a warm lunch later in the day with more tasty
goodies brought by guests.
The birds were active, and even though it was a cloudy day with the threat
of rain 46 species were logged. Four Red-tailed Hawks, probably migrants,
circled over a distant ridge. Later we heard a Red-shouldered Hawk calling
from the opposite side of the valley. During the course of the day we saw
three Cooper's Hawks. Counting juncos and Towhees we found nine sparrow
species including Lincoln's, Swamp and White-crowned. A Pied-billed Grebe
was found on a nearby pond. We had a couple of Golden-crowned Kinglets, but
the Ruby-crowns took the day with 8 different birds sighted. We had both
Carolina and Winter Wrens, and we were pleasantly surprised when we heard
the chatter of a Sedge Wren, though they are not unusual fall visitors to
the Raines property. A Brown Creeper and a late Gray Catbird were welcome
sights, and three warbler species were found. They were Palm Warbler, Common
Yellowthroat and several Yellow-rumps.
It was a nice day to share with fellow birders and the opportunity to see
the variation of the fall colors in the different trees, shrubs and
wildflowers. Thanks to David and Susan for being such good hosts.
Those in attendance were John Kelly and Sheri Hiter, Fred & Janice Martin,
Roger & Lynda Mayhorn, Daryl Owens, David & Susan Raines, Mike Sanders and
Ed & Mary Talbott.
Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
46 species
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Red-tailed Hawk 4
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 3
Mourning Dove 1
Great-horned Owl 1
Eastern Screech Owl 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 3
Eastern Phoebe 3
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 3
Common Raven 1
Carolina Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Carolina Wren 2
Sedge Wren 1
Winter Wren 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 8
Brown Creeper 1
Eastern Bluebird l2
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 30
Cedar Waxwings 15
Palm Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 27
Eastern Towhee 8
Chipping Sparrow 24
Field Sparrow 3
Lincoln's Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 10
Swamp Sparrow 1
White-crowned Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 11
Dark-eyed Junco 7
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 1
American Goldfinch 6
