In reply to Allen Larner's call for reports for the Augusta Co. big =
spring day on April 29, I submit the list below. My participation was =
limited to a few hours around mid-day and my assigned territory was west =
Augusta County along US 250 up Shenandoah Mtn to Confederate Breastworks =
and to include Braily Pond. =20
It was at Braily Pond where I had some of the more usual finds. In a =
plowed field before the entrance I saw a very large congregation of Blue =
Jays. I counted 42 of 'em pecking on the ground along with 2 Canada =
Geese. Within the first 100 yards of the entrance an American Bittern =
flushed from along the stream and, to my greater surprise, there was a =
second bittern. This one was wading in the stream and froze and assumed =
his "camo" posture pointing his bill skyward and elongating his body. =
Except there were no reeds or rushed to camouflage him -- kind of =
comical. Woulda been a great photo, though. Farther down the entrance =
road a Brown Creeper was singing away and a Red-breasted Nuthatch was =
calling. Both of these I first saw & heard on April 27; the creeper I =
heard again on May 1. On the pond itself there was a Common Loon, =
diving and sharing the stocked trout bounty with about 2 dozed fishermen =
that ringed the pond. Here's the list:
Common Loon (1)
American Bittern (2)
Green Heron (2)
Canada Goose (7)
Wood Duck (2)
Turkey Vulture (30)
Osprey (1)
Broad-winged Hawk (1)
Am Kestrel (1)
Killdeer (1)
Wilson's Snipe (2) - Wet pasture near Churchville
Solitary Sandpiper (1) - Wet pasture near Churchville
Spotted Sandpiper (6) - 5 on Braily Pond
Mourning Dove (13)
Chimney Swift (1)
Belted Kingfisher (1)
Downy Woodpecker (4)
Hairy Woodpecker (2)
Pileated Woodpecker (5)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (2)
Eastern Phoebe (6)
Great-crested Flycatcher (1)
Blue-headed Vireo (4)
Red-eyed Vireo (3)
Yellow-throated Vireo (1)
Blue Jay (50)
Common Raven (2)
Am Crow (6)
Barn Swallow (10)
N. Rough-winged Swallow (2)
Carolina Chickadee (17)
Black-capped Chickadee (2) -- Shenandoah Mtn
Tufted Titmouse (8)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (1)
Brown Creeper (1)
Carolina Wren (3)
House Wren (1)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (15)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (5)
Am. Robin (34)
Eastern Bluebird (4)
Gray Catbird (1)
N. Mockingbird (2)
Brown Thrasher (2)
E. Starlings (50)
N. Parula (16)
Yellow Warbler (3)
Magnolia Warbler (1)=20
Yellow-rumped Warbler (8)
Black-throated Green Warbler (6)
Blackburnian Warbler (5) - Upslope of Shenandoah Mtn
Pine Warbler 94)
Black & White Warbler (8)
Am Redstart (1)
Worm-eating Warbler (3)
Ovenbird (2)
Louisiana Waterthrush (1)
Hooded Warbler (1)
Eastern Towhee (12)
Field Sparrow (7)
Chipping Sparrow (35)
Song Sparrow (15
White-throated Sparrow (8)
Dark-eyed Junco (1)
Dark-crowned Sparrow (3)
N. Cardinal (14)
Bobolink (3)
Red-winged Blackbird (40)
Eastern Meadowlark (17)
Common Grackle (32)
Brown-headed Cowbird (6)
House Finch (6)
Am. Goldfinch (38)
House Sparrow (3)
-----Original Message-----
From: shenvalbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =
[mailto:shenvalbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Patricia
Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2005 4:49 PM
To: shenvalbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [shenvalbirds] Big Spring Day in Augusta County
Hello all
Yesterday the 30th of April the Augusta Bird Club held their annual Big =
Spring Day . Despite the rain showers & fog I started off in Big Levels =
at 4:30am looking for any night birds . The big miss was Chuck - will's =
- widow but I did manage a few Whip - poor - will's . Also as I was =
calling out for Great Horned Owls a Turkey answered instead . Well =
anyway I stayed out until 6pm & 170 miles later ( That is when the rain =
started up again ) I was getting tired & had soggy wet feet . All in =
all with the weather conditions Pat & I netted 114 species of birds for =
the day . I still have not heard from the 4 other parties what were out =
hopefully . Once all tallies are in I will let everyone know how we did =
. We ended up with 19 species of Warblers . The big surprise was finding =
a Red - throated Loon , 6 Osprey , Ring - billed Gull , Forster's Tern =
, Barn Owl , both Cuckoo's , Red - breasted Nuthatch , Hermit Thrush ,& =
Purple Finch .=20
Calling for all reports .
Allen & Pat Larner
Staunton
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