Hola,
Sue Heath and I met at Grassdale Road (755) in Remington this morning a
little before eight AM. We found ten Upland Sandpipers on the northwestern
portion of the field, rather close to Sumerduck Road (651). There were good
numbers of Killdeer, Horned Larks and Mourning Doves, plus Bobolinks,
Red-headed
Woodpeckers in the woods to the north. Without finding the sought-after
Buff-breasteds, we headed to some plowed fields in Culpeper County. There we
found more Killdeer and Horned Larks, a few Pectoral Sandpipers, one
unidentified
small calidrid, and two gorgeous Buff-breasted Sandpipers. We encountered
good numbers of swallows in the area, but identified few of them, and a few
other birds.
The Buff-breasteds were seen on Newby's Shop Road, from an apron into the
fields at an open gate about two hundred yards north of the intersection with
Kelly's Ford Road. Use discretion if parking here, as they sometimes use it
to bring equipment into the fields. The fields in Culpeper were being worked
with tractors, so don't let that discourage you if you've trouble finding the
birds. Also, a Pectoral Sandpiper in a furrow can look similar enough to a
Buff-breasted if you can't see much more than its head and neck.
Fauquier totals first:
Killdeer, 150/200.
Upland Sandpipers, 10, Fauquier.
Buff-breasted Sandpiper, 2 juvs, Culpeper.
Pectoral Sandpiper, 8, Culpeper.
peep, probably a least, 1, Culpeper.
Horned Lark, 40/60.
Mourning Dove, 500/25.
Blue Grosbeak, singing in Culpeper.
Eastern Meadowlark, 12/6.
American Kestrel, 1 in Fauquier.
Bobolinks, 12 in Fauquier.
Red-headed Woodpecker, 3/1
Swallows, hundreds.
Cheers,
Todd
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Todd Michael Day
Jeffersonton, Virginia, USA
BlkVulture@xxxxxxx
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