Hi Ya'll,
Just wanted to say how much I miss everybody and the great state of VA. Of
course I've been keeping up with VABirds faithfully. In reading Dave White's
posts (thanks, Dave) about birding at the NY Monuments area at the Battlefield,
I
want to catch the next plane up and bird there. For me, birding in the fall
there has been magical. I think it's one of the best bets for seeing
Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, Least FC, Philadelphia Vireos plus a host of
warblers,
tanagers, vireos, thrushes, cuckoos, flycatchers, orioles, hummers, etc. I've
had
the best luck there from late August until mid-Sep. I think I had between 12
and 15 species of warblers there during many of those days.
I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of any sparrows this fall....there are no
species in my area in the summer!! Also, NO Am. Robins, Goldfinch, E. Phoebe,
Gray Catbird, Tree Swallows, House Wrens, White-breasted Nuthatch, Horned
Lark, Am. Kestrels, etc. Who would have thought I'd miss those guys, but I do!
I've only seen ONE Robin, back in April. I remember the thousands I'd see at
Manassas Battlefield. Black Ducks are rare here. I guess I took for granted all
the Black Ducks I used to see at Neabsco Creek. No Great Black-backed Gulls
here. I am so looking forward to winter and the birds that will
come...especially
western Hummers. A lady near me had 5 different species last winter. I'm
still in disbelief about the Rufous/Allen's at my house in Manassas last winter.
One of the biggest disappointments about birding down here in the spring is
that very few migrants are singing!! Major Bummer....I could cry. If I'd known
that, I might have reconsidered moving down here. It's also harder to find the
birds if they're not singing.
I plan to go up to Cape Hatteras for gull watching in Jan., CBBT Islands, and
up to No. Va. for gull watching at the Prince William Landfill... Anybody
care to join me? If you see a tan Jeep with FL tags: WARBLRS...that would be me.
I was amazed to see 18 different brands of grits at the grocery store down
here.
Bye ya'll,,,
Laura Catterton
Pensacola, FL
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