VA BIRDers,
Jay Keller and I visited North Fork Wetlands yesterday morning. Highlight
was a very cooperative Sedge Wren - possibly present since August. We also
encountered a nice group of sparrows and at least 7 Yellow Palm Warblers
plus a one Western (or Brown) Palm. About 125 Tree Swallows coursed closely
over the pond.
Afterwards, we headed for Sky Meadows. We spotted an adult Northern Goshawk
fly out of the ridge north of Rt 50 towards and then into the ridge at the
north end of Sky Meadows.
Highlights of the two sites are listed below:
North Fork:
Wood Duck 6
Am. Black Duck 3
Mallard 2
Green-winged Teal 12
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Am. Kestrel 1
Blue-headed Vireo 2
Tree Swallow 125
Sedge Wren 1
GC Kinglet 1
RC Kinglet 3
E. Bluebird 10
Gray Catbird 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 20
Palm Warbler 8
E. Towhee 1
Chipping Sparrow 3
Field Sparrow 20
Vesper Sparrow 1
Savannah Sparrow 15
Grasshopper Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 160
Lincoln's Sparrow 2
Swamp Sparrow 25
White-throated Sparrow 20
White-crowned Sparrow 10
Junco 6
Rusty Blackbird 9
Sky Meadows:
DC Cormorant 90
Black Vulture 25
Turkey Vulture 60
Bald Eagle 2
Northern Harrier 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 5
Cooper's Hawk 3
Northern Goshawk 1
Broad-winged Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 14
Am. Kestrel 3
Peregrine Falcon 1
Tree Swallow 150
Yellow-rumped Warbler 15
Vesper Sparrow 1 (flew in front of the car)
Kurt Gaskill
