Greets,
Thanks to Greg Justice for getting word out about the Rough-leggeds (RLHA) at
North Fork Wetlands, Prince William County. The birds mentioned by him were
augmented by two more RLHA in Fauquier County later in the day.
There were three birds at North Fork, one dark immature bird, one light
immature bird, and one bird that was seen looking into the sun, and was hard to
tell whether it was a light bird or an intermediate type. Viewing conditions
here depend on time of day. Early morning it's best to be on the east side of
the Wetlands. Problem there is that access to the site might have become
complicated by a change in status at the Boy Scout Camp that is on the east.
There
is a gate that was closed today, suggesting that entry might be restricted.
The caretaker of the site is no longer on premises, so there is no contact
person at the location. This isn't totally prohibitive however, as there is
ample
shoulder to park on along Antioch Road (Route 681) just north of route 55
(shortly after Antioch passes over Interstate 66). The birds could be distant
from this vantage, but maybe not. Today two of the birds would have been best
seen from this precise location, hunting, hovering, and standing on the ground.
In the afternoon North Fork is best viewed for raptors from the west, along
Thoroughfare Road (Route 682). The wetlands is east of the road, and there's
an obvious spot to pull off and watch the birds from. Today we watched the th
ree RLHA between nine and ten AM.
Around noon today we found two more Rough-leggeds, this time in Fauquier
County. Both were working the same field along Harrison Road (Route 750).
They
were on the field south of Harrison at the intersection of Belvoir Road (Route
709). There was a dark and a light bird here. Both seemingly immatures.
If anyone happens to be out this way on Sunday 14 December and are not taking
part in the CBC, please do let me know if you find the birds. It'd be a new
species for the CBC and we'd love to get them.
Cheers,
Todd
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Todd Michael Day
Jeffersonton, VA
BlkVulture@xxxxxxx
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