Kurt Gaskill and I put in 12 solid hours of birding today in Prince
William and Fairfax counties, and ended up with 129 species before I
quit at 4pm. It was probably the best day I have had in Northern
Virginia in the 20 years I have lived here. We ended up with 25 species
of warbler, 5 vireos, 10 hawks and vultures, and lots of other stuff.
We started at 4am at Metz Wetlands in Prince William Co. to try for
marsh birds. We dipped on those and an attempt at screech owl at the
entrance to Leesynlvania (there were fisherman already on line waiting
for the gate to open at 6). We then went to Quantico Marine Base where
we quickly got whip-poor-will, great-horned and barred owls. Then, on
to Cockpit Point Rd. in Dumfries before the sun came up. The two hours
we spent along CP road were amazing. As the sun rose dozens of birds
dove out of the sky and into the trees. Flocks of kingbirds, orioles,
waxwings, warblers and goldfinches. It was incredible. Highlights were
a red-headed woodpecker, red-breasted nuthatch, turkey, and 16 species
of warbler.
We then went on to Leesylvania where our luck held. A flock of 50
Bonaparte's gulls was off the picnic area, and we found summer tanager,
blue-headed vireo, warbling vireo, Canada warbler, northern waterthrush,
blue grosbeak, and a great-horned owl which buzzed over our heads. Next
we went to Metz Wetlands where we added some hawks, yellowlegs, and a
great egret. Next stop was Occoquan NWR, where we added gulls and
terns, ruddy duck,lesser scaup, meadowlark, and two of the days top
birds, merlin and northern harrier. This was our final stop in Prince
William County, with a total of 119 species, including 24 warblers.
Since it was only noon we pushed on to Masons Neck, Lorton, and Dyke
Marsh to complete our day. We added 10 more species, including our last
warbler (redstart!), bobolink and kestrel at Lorton, canvasback at
Mason's Neck, and ring-necked duck and tundra swan at Dyke.
Here is a list of what we found.
common loon
double-crested cormorant
great-blue heron
great egret
tundra swan
canada goose
wood duck
mallard
canvasback
ring-necked duck
lesser scaup
ruddy duck
black vulture
turkey vulture
osprey
bald eagle
northern harrier
sharp-shinned hawk
red-shouldered hawk
red-tailed hawk
american kestrel
merlin
wild turkey
american coot
killdeer
greater yellowlegs
solitary sandpiper
spotted sandpiper
ringe-billed gull
great black-backed gull
herring gull
bonaparte's gull
caspian tern
Forster's tern
rock dove
mourning dove
yellow-billed cuckoo
great-horned owl
barred owl
whip-poor whill
chimney swift
ruby-throated hummingbird
belted kingfisher
red-headed woodpecker
red-bellied woodpecker
downy woodpecker
northern flicker
pileated woodpecker
acadian flycatcher
eastern phoebe
great creasted flycatcher
eastern kingbird
purple martin
tree swallow
northern rough-winged swallow
bank swallow
barn swallow
ruby-crowned kinglet
cedar waxwing
carolina wren
house wren
gray catbird
northern mockingbird
brown thrasher
eastern bluebird
veery
wood thrush
american robin
blue-gray gnatcatcher
carolina chickadee
tufted titmouse
red-breasted nuthatch
white-breasted nuthatch
blue jay
american crow
fish crow
european starling
white-eyed vireo
yellow-throated vireo
blue-headed vireo
warbling vireo
red-eyed vireo
blue-winged warbler
nashville warbler
northern parula
yellow warbler
chestnut-sided warbler
magnolia warbler
black-throated blue warbler
yellow-rumped warbler
black-throated green warbler
blackburnian warbler
yellow-throated warbler
pine warbler
prairie warbler
blackpoll warbler
black-and-white warbler
american redstart
prothonotary warbler
worm-eating warbler
ovenbird
northern waterthrush
louisiana waterthrush
common yellowthroat
hooded warbler
canada warbler
yellow-breasted chat
scarlet tanager
summer tanager
eastern towhee
chipping sparrow
field sparrow
song sparrow
swamp sparrow
white-throated sparrow
northern cardinal
rose-breasted grosbeak
blue grosbeak
indigo bunting
bobolink
red-winged blackbird
eastern meadowlark
common grackle
brown-headed cowbird
baltimore oriole
orchard oriole
house finch
american goldfinch
house sparrow
Marc Ribaudo
Woodbridge, VA
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