Greetings,
Despite suffering from a cold, I forged ahead with birding this morning (it
is spring migration after all), starting at the trail head at Bull Run Park.
Glad I had my gloves. Best birds for me today were the Least Flycatcher
"che-beking", two Swainson's Thrushes sitting on the same branch, warblers
(of course!)..12 species that included BT Blue and Green (my scratchy throat
sounds like they do), Canada, Blackburnian, Redstart, Yellow, Nashville, and
N. Waterthrush. Several Spotted and Solitary Sandpipers foraging on the
driftwood piles. Found a second Red-shouldered Hawk nest, this one in a huge
sycamore, right along the trail. While I was listening to the Canada Warbler
sing, I noticed the nest just up the path. Sure enough, the down covered head
of a nestling popped into view. Don't know how many-didn't want to disturb
Mama by hanging around. Warbling, Yellow-throated, Red and White-eyed Vireos,
Baltimore Oriole, Scarlet Tanager, Great-crested and Acadian FC, and all
those White-throated Sparrows rounded out the highlights.
At the Occoquan Sewage Plant, I finally saw two Bald Eagles (adults) that
I've heard the workers there talk about, but I hadn't seen them before. An
interesting sight for me was six Spotted Sandpipers foraging in the huge,
grassy field by the pond. I've never seen them forage in the grass like that.
Laura Catterton
Manassas, Virginia
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