Hi all,
My dad and I got out for a bit of birding this afternoon. At Strickley Rd
(Augusta County) we had an adult Northern Goshawk give a very nice look as it
flew out in front of us. We had just turned onto Strickley Rd (heading east)
from Rockfish Rd and my dad first spotted the broad-winged, long-tailed raptor
fly out in front of us heading north, low. My first thought was Red-tailed
based simply on the large size and deep, powerful flapping. I quickly spotted
the long tail marking it as an accipiter and the slate gray upperside, whitish
gray underside, bulging secondaries, and broad, stocky wings were totally
Goshawk and not Cooper's (or Sharp-shinned).
Further up Strickley Rd, at the intersection with Custard Ln (at the dairy
farm), I found the regular Horned Lark flock (150+ birds) and 2 Lapland
Longspurs among them. Other birds at Strickley Rd: 1 Am. Kestrel, 2 C. Raven,
3 Am. Pipit.
From here, we headed up to Mt. Crawford in Rockingham County, to check for the
Snowy Owls and some area fields. No luck on the Snowys but we found 1 Lapland
Longspur among about 70 Horned Larks along Old Bridgewater Rd, just south of
Dinkle Ave (and near the big bend in the road on Old Bridgewater Rd).
Good Birding,
Gabriel Mapel
New Hope, VA
