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-----Original Message-----
From: Kurt Gaskill [mailto:KurtCapt87@xxxxxxxxxxx] ;
Sent: Saturday, September 24, 2005 6:23 PM
To: (va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Subject: Great Birding today - Pr Wm Co, 9/24/05
VA BIRDers,
This last cold front is filling our area with new arrivals! The lack of
sunlight meant I had to hunt for them, but the payoffs have been super today
with 20 species of warbler including Connecticut. I wish all of you could
have been there! I started out at Leesylvania SP at about 7AM, finding
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and Yellow-rumped Warbler before meeting up with
Marc Ribuado. We birded the Lee Ruins but found only a few birds such as
our first Yellow-billed Cuckoo. We then encountered a Yellow-breasted Chat
along the edge between the road and the parking lots near the nature center
as well as a couple of Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Marc spotted an E. Pewee in
the nearby forested picnic area and, upon going in, we were treated to a
fine showing of migrants in the branches overhead. Top species here were
Yellow-throated Warbler, Yellow-throated Vireo and Summer Tanager. There
were several strongly marked Magnolia Warblers.
Marc left to do a bit of painting and I went to the car top boat launch
area, followed by the Beaver Pond area. Found a few more birds in the woods
the tops being a Chestnut-sided & Hooded Warblers and Northern Waterthrush.
I went on to Julie Metz and was basically counting Gray Catbirds and Common
Yellowthroats (=: 25 & 16) but did run into a small flock with a very sharp
looking Nashville Warbler plus Yellow Warbler and White-eyed Vireos. Also
noted Cooper's Hawk and Blue Grosbeak here.
On a lark I went to the Possum Point Area at about 2PM - and ran into a
large mixed flock along Cockpit Pt Rd. I spotted a Magnolia as I drove down
the road, so I parked a hundred yards up - near where we usually park (the
downhill portion, just after the guard rail ends near the curve).. This
flock was very large - I estimate 100 birds, mostly warblers. I probably
ID'ed half (or even less). At one point I just sat down on the guard rail
and looked on as birds flew over my head landing in the trees just across
from me. It was a fine show. After an hour of this, I went down the road
hoping to find another group and came across many Common Yellowthroats in
the pond/depression area and a gurgling Wood Thrush. Driving back, I
deduced the migrant flock had moved on as nothing was at the first spot.
Instead, near the top of the hill where the road comes out into the open
there was much activity. I parked and got out and within a few minutes
noted the Connecticut flying into the hedgerow 10 feet in front of my eyes
(forget the bins!) not too mention 3 Western Palms lined up in a young Black
Locust tree next to my shoulder. There were 9 Green-winged Teal in the big
pond below plus Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpipers.
On the way home I stopped at the marina overlooking where the Occoquan River
opens into the bay. There were 3 American Wigeon and 2 Blue-winged Teal in
the SAV plus Pied-billed Grebes, and Caspian and Forster's Terns.
Below are the totals of some of the species observed today. Common Grackle
dominates the totals today with a huge flock over Cockpit Pt Rd. For other
migrants, the top 10 species were Chimney Swifts, Northern Rough-winged
Swallows, Common Yellowthroats, Gray Catbirds, Magnolia Warbler, E. Wood
Pewee, Indigo Bunting, American Redstart, Northern Parula and Black & White
Warbler.
Kurt Gaskill
Wood Duck 1
American Wigeon 3
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 30
Blue-winged Teal 2
Green-winged Teal 9
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Osprey 4
Bald Eagle 3
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Killdeer 1
Greater Yellowlegs 2
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Pectoral Sandpiper 2
Caspian Tern 5
Forster's Tern 10
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 3
E. Screech Owl 1, still near the last parking lot at Leesylvania SP
Chimney Swift 35
Ruby-throated Hummer 1
Belted Kingfisher 2
E. Wood Pewee 14
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 1
Trails Flycatcher 2
E. Phoebe 3
White-eyed Vireo 2
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 9
No. Rough-winged Swallow 32
House Wren 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
E. Bluebird 8
Gray-cheek Thrush 1, silently moving through the trees at Cockpit Pt Rd
Wood Thrush 5, must have been a good movement last night
Gray Catbird 29
Tennessee 1
Nashville 1
No. Parula 8
Yellow 1
Chestnut-sided 2
Magnolia 21
Black-throated Blue 7
Yellow-rumped 1
Black-throated Green 3
Yellow-throated 1
Palm 5
Bay-breasted 5, one was showing about 1/3 of the bay coloration
Blackpoll 7
baypoll sp. a few
Black & White 8
American Redstart 12
Northern Waterthrush 2
Connecticut 1
Common Yellowthroat 30
Hooded 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 1
Summer Tanager 1
Scarlet Tanager 3
E. Towhee 3
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 13
Common Grackle 1200
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