VA Birders,
Eleven members of the Buchanan County Bird Club spent a fairly mild day
birding the highest valley in VA, Burkes Garden in Tazewell County.
The Rough-legged Hawks and Golden Eagles, usually found there in winter, had
departed for northern climes, but the group managed to log 41 species.
Some raptors were on the move with 6 RED-TAILED HAWKS giving great looks, 5
AMERICAN KESTRELS, and both BLACK and TURKEY VULTURES being found. One pair
of Kestrels was feeding on a small rodent, and later another bird was dive
bombing a perched Red-tail.
Eight COMMON RAVENS were seen throughout the day, and a few TREE SWALLOWS
were feeding over the fields and wet areas.
On the water in the Garden were RING-NECKED DUCKS, GADWALL, GREEN-WINGED
TEAL and MALLARDS. SNIPE and KILLDEER were found in the marshy areas, and
HORNED LARKS and MEADOWLARKS were found feeding in the open fields along
with hundreds of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, COMMON GRACKLES and STARLINGS.
Woodpeckers made a good showing with RED-HEADED, NORTHERN FLICKER, DOWNY,
and a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER showing up.
The group had lunch at the little picturesque country store located in the
Garden, where the proprietors were so trusting they didn't ask anyone to pay
for their food until everyone's food had been served, and the group had
eaten on the comfortable outdoor porch. The members of the group included Ed
and Barbara Caudill, Roger and Lynda Mayhorn, Marie Miller, Johnnie and
Betty Ratliff, Ed and Michelle Talbott and Sheldon and Orpha Woods.
The day's complete list follows.
Roger Mayhorn
Grundy, VA
Buchanan County Bird Club
American Crow 9
American Goldfinch 1
American Kestrel 5 (1m, 4f )
American Robin 31
Barn Swallow 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Black Capped Chickadee? 1
Black Vulture 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 10
Carolina Wren 1
Chipping Sparrow 2
Common Grackle 25
Common Raven 8
Downy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Meadowlark 11
European Starling 80
Gadwall 2
Great Blue Heron 1
Green-winged Teal 2
Horned Lark 10
House Sparrow 10
Killdeer 5
Mallard 2 (1m, 1f)
Northern Cardinal 3
Mourning Dove 7
Northern Flicker 6
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Red-headed Woodpecker 1
Red-tailed Hawk 6
Red-winged Blackbird 260
Ring-necked Duck 12
Rock Pigeon 6
Savannah Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 1
Tree Swallow 4
Tufted Titmouse 1
Turkey Vulture 26
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Wilsons Snipe 6
Wood Duck 4 (3m, 1f)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
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