/lnn/hjg
-----Original Message-----
From: Kurt Gaskill [mailto:KurtCapt87@xxxxxxxxxxx] ;
Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2006 8:33 PM
To: (va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Subject: Stafford Co, 7/16/06
VA BIRDers,
Jay Keller and I visited Stafford Co, mainly near Aquia Creek - we visited
areas generally north and south of the creek (Rt 611 from Widewater and then
to Rt 633 and Rt 608 from Fritters Corner, including the road through the
top portion of Crows Nest and then back out and thence towards Rt 621). We
did point counts of 5 minute durations at 31 stops ca. 05 mi apart (except
at Aquia Landing Beach Co. Park where the spacing was closer to 300m) from
about 7 AM to noon. Highlight was a Ruddy Duck near the beach at Aquia
Landing Beach County Park (nearly on the sand!). Migrants are showing up
and many breeders are going silent; for example, we noted large numbers of
Purple Martins along the Potomac. Totals are below, including a few unusual
species only found between points.
By the way, I should note that this point count technique is useful to
estimate abundances of birds along a specified route. For example, on a ca.
30 stop route, if a species total is 15 or more individuals, then this
species is likely to be found in nearly half, or more, of the locations
counted with the appropriate habitat (this is a rough relationship as some
species can often be found in multiple individual groups or flocks). One
can compare the results for different routes and develop some insight as to
whether certain species (such as American Robins) are more common on one
route vs. another, at least for that time of year.
Kurt Gaskill
C. Goose 58
Mute Swan 8, 2 adults and 6 cygnets
Ruddy Duck 1
No. Bobwhite 1
Great Blue Heron 4
Green Heron 1
Black Vulture 4
Turkey Vulture 21
Osprey 18
Bald Eagle 2
Red-shouldered Hawk 3
Red-tailed Hawk 3
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Ring-billed Gull 40
Forster's Tern 5, at least one bird of the year was present
Mourning Dove 20
Chimney Swift 6
Ruby-throated Hummer 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied WP 9
Downy WP 9
Hairy WP 3
No. Flicker 1
E. Wood Pewee 15
Acadian Flycatcher 15, two juvies following the parent
Willow Flycatcher 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
E. Kingbird 5
White-eyed V 2
Yellow-throated V 2
Red-eyed V 40
Blue Jay 10, juvie calling
American Crow 15
Fish Crow 18
crow sp. 21
Purple Martin 52
Tree Sw 1
No. Rough-winged Sw 1
Barn Sw 38
C. Chickadee 10
T. Titmouse 25
White-breasted Nuthatch 10
C. Wren 31
H. Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 9, family group
E. Bluebird 13
Wood Thrush 21
Am. Robin 6
No. Mockingbird 9
E. Starling 75
Cedar Waxwing 7
No. Parula 6
Ovenbird 5
LA Waterthrush 1, singing still!
Common Yellowthroat 12
Hooded Warbler 2
Scarlet Tanager 8
E. Towhee 6
Chipping Sp 9, 2 juvies with parent, Willow Fly was doing a big of tail
chasing with these
Song Sp 2
No. Cardinal 23, juvie noted
Indigo Bunting 12
Red-winged BB 17
Com. Grackle 12
Brown-headed Cowbird 4
Orchard O 1
Baltimore O 3
House Finch 16
American Goldfinch 25
House Sp 18
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