Hello VA-Birders,
After an eventful, tiring, but exciting Big Day last weekend, I found enough
energy this morning to try Riverbend Park in Fairfax County for a Lincoln's
Sparrow. It hosts them in the Fall, so I was hoping to catch a less common
Spring sighting. I didn't see or hear any, however. I'll check again soon.
On the meadow, where I began at around 6:30, I did find several INDIGO
BUNTINGS, nesting BLUEBIRDS, and a multitude of CEDAR WAXWINGS in small groups
flying overhead.
Along the river trail, I was able to find 13 species of warbler, including two
that are new for me for the year. By far the best find of the day was a
singing BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, my first this season. It was fairly high up in a
tree and after a while I finally caught sight of this handsome bird for a few
seconds as it flitted from branch to branch. Shortly afterwarad, I was quietly
walking along the trail and was startled by the sharp call of an ACADIAN
FLYCATCHER not more than 5 feet above my head! He didn't care at all that I
was there, and continued to call. I guess his mission may be a little more
important than worrying about a human!
The trail itself was fairly birdy this morning, but the real excitement came
when I returned to my car. The parking lot was host to a large mixed flock of
fresh migrants, which included a few PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS, a TENNESSEE WARBLER
(also new for me this year), a BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, and several others (see
below list). Also present was a PEWEE.
On a side note, a visit to Potomac Overlook Park in Arlington yesterday
afternoon netted my first CAPE MAY WARBLER of the year.
Best,
Jay Keller,
Arlington
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Great Blue Heron 8
Canada Goose 8
Wood Duck 4
Mallard 3
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Mourning Dove 8
Chimney Swift 18
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Acadian Flycatcher 3
Eastern Phoebe 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 4
Yellow-throated Vireo 3
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 19
American Crow 8
Fish Crow 6
Tree Swallow 6
Carolina Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 4
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 3
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 9
Eastern Bluebird 3
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 5
Gray Catbird 8
European Starling 6
Cedar Waxwing 77
Tennessee Warbler 1
Northern Parula 4
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 7
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Blackburnian Warbler 11
Bay-breasted Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 2
Prothonotary Warbler 4
Ovenbird 3
Northern Waterthrush 1
Louisiana Waterthrush 2
Common Yellowthroat 4
Scarlet Tanager 2
Eastern Towhee 4
Song Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 8
Indigo Bunting 7
Red-winged Blackbird 11
Common Grackle 16
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 2
American Goldfinch 15
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