While diligently searching for the elusive (for me!) Vesper Sparrow along
Sparrow Alley at the Manassas Battlefield, a very cooperative Bobolink appeared
out of nowhere. I watched the bird for about 20 minutes as it fed and preened,
right along the *alley*. I've never seen a Bobolink along this little stretch,
so I was very surprised to see one and this late, to boot. I ran into Paula
Sullivan before that, as she was headed over to NY Monuments. I was hoping
she'd be back in time to photograph the bird, but that wasn't to be. The Vesper
Sparrow was also cooperative, along the bottom of the alley, preening. Nine
sparrow species were seen (Chipping, Field, Vesper, Savannah, Song, Swamp,
White-throated, White-crowned, and Junco). While Paula and I were trying to
determine
if the accipiter above us was a Sharp-shinned or Cooper's Hawk, all of a
sudden a definite Sharpie dove in from out of the blue on the Coop's so we had
our
answer. An imm. N. Harrier rounded out the raptor department.
Laura Catterton
Manassas, Virginia
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